selection bug in Word 2004

[Charles]

1. Open a Word document with a paragraph containing several lines.
2. Double-click to select a word in the middle of the paragraph.
3. Holding the mouse button down, move the mouse as if to extend the
selection to the word above the selected word, then move the mouse to
extend the selection to the word below the selected word. Release the
mouse button below the selected word.
4. Note that the selected text, which should extend from the original word
to the word below the original word, instead begins at the word just before
the original word. The initial selection point has been changed.

This is a real problem for me, because it is very easy for me to move my
mouse about while making a selection and so to accidentally include a word
in my selection that I didn't mean to choose. I've introduced errors into my
documents several times now while doing simple edits.

Has anybody else observed this problem, or know of a solution?

 

[matt neuburg]

1. Open a Word document with a paragraph containing several lines.
2. Double-click to select a word in the middle of the paragraph.
3. Holding the mouse button down, move the mouse as if to extend the
selection to the word above the selected word, then move the mouse to
extend the selection to the word below the selected word. Release the
mouse button below the selected word.
4. Note that the selected text, which should extend from the original word
to the word below the original word, instead begins at the word just before
the original word. The initial selection point has been changed.

This is a real problem for me, because it is very easy for me to move my
mouse about while making a selection and so to accidentally include a word
in my selection that I didn't mean to choose. I've introduced errors into my
documents several times now while doing simple edits.

Has anybody else observed this problem, or know of a solution?

Everybody else has. It's a bug. There are various workarounds, none of
them pleasant. m.

 

[Quisp]

Everybody else has. It's a bug. There are various workarounds, none of
them pleasant. m.

Contrary to the last post response, "everyone has," I am not getting
this problem at all. RUnning latest OSX and Word 2004.

 

[matt neuburg]

(e-mail address removed) (matt neuburg) wrote in message

Contrary to the last post response, "everyone has," I am not getting
this problem at all.

Possibly you're not following the directions for getting the bug. It
requires a very specific type of double-click-drag gesture. It's a
gesture that some people make all the time, but others might never make
it. m.

 

[Elliott Roper]

Quisp <[email protected]> wrote:

Possibly you're not following the directions for getting the bug. It
requires a very specific type of double-click-drag gesture. It's a
gesture that some people make all the time, but others might never make
it. m.

I tried like hell to reproduce that behavior. No go. But I did manage
to wreck the way Word selects words by fiddling with the preferences
and I can't get it back the way it was. It now always selects the space
after a word on double click in a word. I'm not that bothered, but it
is weird. This damn program is on the edge of going sentient I tell
you! If I teach it one more macro, it will start answering back in a
whiny two-year-old's voice.

 

[matt neuburg]

I tried like hell to reproduce that behavior. No go.

If there are really people who don't see this bug, then all I have to do
is figure out what the difference is between their settings and mine and
presto, I've killed the bug! Maybe playing with prefs will help. m.

 

[Elliott Roper]

If there are really people who don't see this bug, then all I have to do
is figure out what the difference is between their settings and mine and
presto, I've killed the bug! Maybe playing with prefs will help. m.

A worthwhile experiment. All the other prefs are at default settings.
http://www.yrl.co.uk/~elliott/test/Preferences_Screen_Grabs.zip

 

[Matthew Hills]

A worthwhile experiment. All the other prefs are at default settings.
http://www.yrl.co.uk/~elliott/test/Preferences_Screen_Grabs.zip

These preferences are for Word X.

I only see this selection bug in Word 2004.
(note that if after double-clicking your word, you drag left before going
up, then you don't see this bug... only if you go straight up or left then up)

Matt

 

[Elliott Roper]

These preferences are for Word X.

I only see this selection bug in Word 2004.
(note that if after double-clicking your word, you drag left before going
up, then you don't see this bug... only if you go straight up or left then up)

Matt

OK. Others said it was in v.X too. I still can't see it happening here,
if I drag straight up. In what way is left then up different from "you
drag left before going up" ?

 

[matt neuburg]

OK. Others said it was in v.X too

No, no one said that. It's new in Word 2004. See the OP for a
description of how to get the bug. It has to do with double-click-drag
down-left (not up - indeed, up is the workaround). This is 100% reliable
OMM. m.

 

[Matthew Hills]

OK. Others said it was in v.X too.

I didn't see that comment in this thread, but I haven't been following all
threads carefully.

I still can't see it happening here, if I drag straight up. In what way is
left then up different from "you drag left before going up" ?

By double-clicking and dragging, I expect the selection to be word-based, with
the initial word selected being one endpoint of the selection. This is the
behavior I see in Word X and most other applications. In Word 2004, if I
double-click a word, and then move up (or right then up), the selection
appears fine. However, the endpoint selection now appears to be the initial
word *and* the word to its left.

For example, if I double-clicked on "applications" in the preceding paragraph
and then dragged the selection up to the line above, then back down to right
after "move up", I would expect the selection "applications. In Word 2004 ...
then move up", but I would get the selection "other applications. In Word 2004
.... then move up".

I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to use as my main word processor, as Word
2004 has a few bugs and is brutally slow, while Word X has better performance,
but a few really annoying bugs (in magnified Normal View, I get rendering bugs
that cripple my confidence in editing--paragraphs disappear or overlap, etc.)

I'm trying the other offerings out there (Nisus X, Mellel, Ulysses), but each
of these has a few nagging issues too.

Anyone have a favorite font to use while writing? (I'm currently using either
New York or Monaco)

Matt

 

[Elliott Roper]

No, no one said that. It's new in Word 2004.

Doh! I misread. Sorry for the detour.

 

[Matthew Hills]

No, no one said that. It's new in Word 2004. See the OP for a
description of how to get the bug. It has to do with double-click-drag
down-left (not up - indeed, up is the workaround). This is 100% reliable
OMM. m.

Dragging up doesn't help on my computer (dragging straight down doesn't seem
to show any problem). I do see what you mean about left & down, though.

Actually, just double-clicking a word and then dragging left-right quickly can
cause some weird effects. For example, I can lose the initial selected word
from the selection so that my selection is rooted on the word to its left.
(ie, in the preceding paragraph, if I double-clicked "computer" then drag left
and right, it will eventually have "my computer" selected as one endpoint.
Dragging left and right more can occasionally cause the endpoint to just be
"my " (e.g., so "computer" is not selected at all). Further dragging left and
right can occasionally restore the selection.

I usually have the "automatically select entire word" preference off. Turning
this on doesn't seem to have any effect.

Bleagh.

Matt

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

But I did manage
to wreck the way Word selects words by fiddling with the preferences
and I can't get it back the way it was. It now always selects the space
after a word on double click in a word.

That should be controlled by the "use smart cut and paste" checkbox in Prefs
| Edit, I think.

Dayo

 

[Elliott Roper]

That should be controlled by the "use smart cut and paste" checkbox in Prefs
| Edit, I think.

Heh! I checked that while experimenting. That brought on the select
trailing space with the word on double click. When I uncheck it, the
select behaviour remains the same.

I can live with that till there is a bugfixed 2004 release.

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Anyone have a favorite font to use while writing? (I'm currently using either
New York or Monaco)

12pt Palatino, single spaced, Zoom 100%, Normal view. But that's really an
individual issue (I hate sans serif fonts), plus it depends on what view you
use and what zoom. As you said, Zoom makes spacing unreliable, so that's
the font I have to use to avoid needing zoom, and I find it looks crunched
in Page Layout view.

DM

 

[Charles Brock]

This bug is fixed with Office 2004 Service Pack 1. Hurrah!