Prevent autocorrect entry from expanding while typing

[singeredel]

I would like to know if there is a way to prevent an autocorrect entry from
expanding while typing (not removing the entry from autocorrect). In other
words, there are instances where I may not want the entry to expand and I
would like to know if there is a certain key or key combination that prevents
the entry from expanding.

Thanks.

 

[singeredel]

Sorry, forgot to mention this is Word 2007.

 

[Greg Maxey]

It will always expand. How would you expect Word to know if the the next
time you typed an entry you wanted it to expand or not? After it has
expaned you can undo with CTRL+z

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

As Greg says, while you can Undo it, there's no way to prevent it. A better
approach is to design the "trigger" keys for AutoCorrect entries so that
they will not be key combinations likely to occur other than when you want
the AutoCorrect entry. Many users ensure this by beginning them with a
semicolon or slash.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[singeredel]

I seem to remember in one of the add-on programs I used to use that you could
hit a key after typing the entry and the entry would not expand.

 

[singeredel]

It seems quite cumbersome to have to put a semicolon or other character in
the entry. As mentioned above, I seem to remember that in an old program I
used to use in conjunction with Word (or maybe WordPerfect?? can't remember)
that you could hit some key or combination of keys to prevent the entry from
expanding. This would be simpler than having to put an extra character in the
entry every time you use it, since it is rarer not to want it to expand.
--
singeredel

As Greg says, while you can Undo it, there's no way to prevent it. A better
approach is to design the "trigger" keys for AutoCorrect entries so that
they will not be key combinations likely to occur other than when you want
the AutoCorrect entry. Many users ensure this by beginning them with a
semicolon or slash.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

You can undo the expansion with Ctrl-Z, which is no more cumbersome
than typing some other character to keep it from expanding.

But if your trigger entries aren't actual words, the problem won't
arise. (For instance, if you wanted to end every letter with "Very
sincerely yours," you would make the trigger "vsy" because you'd never
type that anywhere else.)

 

[Greg Maxey]

singeredel,

I don't know about that. Considering how autocorrect functions the correct
is truly automatic. For example if you type autocorrect changes that
instantly to the litte sad face icon. It doesn't wait for you to type the
next character, a space, or press some key combination to prevent the
correction. If such an AddIn exists then it seems that it would block the
automatic feature until you typed the keep blocked keystroke or something
else so it would resume autocorrection. Sounds a bit clunky to me.

When you say "expand" are you sure you are not talking about "AutoText"
rather than "AutoCorrect?" For example I could AutoCorrect Greg to Gregory
K. Maxey and the process was automatic. I can create an AutoText "Gregory
K. Maxey" named "Greg" and in Word2003 (if configured) I could type Greg and
an AutoComplete suggestion would appear. If I pressed enter then Greg
expanded to Gregory K. Maxey. If I didn't then Greg stayed as Greg.

This feature is gone in Word 2007. Now I can type Greg and press F3 to
insert the autotext or type Greg and keep typing.