When I change the format of text, Word:mac applies that change tothe whole document

[Brent Auvermann]

I have turned off everything I could find related to autoupdating styles
(incl. Normal), AutoCorrect, and still I'm having to use "undo" (the Apple-z
keystroke) after every formatting change I make. It's driving me crazy.
What am I missing? Thanks, qb

 

[CyberTaz]

I'm sure it's obvious to you, but nobody here has the power to see over your
shoulder

It would help to be more specific about what is going on as well as what
versions of Office & Mac OS you're using. Accurate examples of what you do,
what happens - unfortunately "formatting change" means many different things
to many different people - and why does Undo-ing what you did seem to
help... or does it?

In the meantime, the information on the page below may address the issue:

http://word.mvps.org/mac/MacWordNormal.html

This may also be of use even though PC Word-oriented:

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/WholeDocumentReformatted.htm

 

[Michel Bintener]

Place the cursor inside a paragraph that has the Normal style applied to it.
Then click on Format>Style, and in the window that shows up, make sure
Normal is highlighted in the list on the left-hand side. Click on the Modify
button in the lower left corner, and in the new window that shows up,
uncheck "Automatically update". Click on OK to get out of the dialogue
windows, and everything should be back to normal again. If it isn't, post
back with more details.

I have turned off everything I could find related to autoupdating styles
(incl. Normal), AutoCorrect, and still I'm having to use "undo" (the Apple-z
keystroke) after every formatting change I make. It's driving me crazy.
What am I missing? Thanks, qb

--
Michel Bintener
Microsoft MVP
Office:Mac (Entourage & Word)

***Always reply to the newsgroup.***

 

[Brent Auvermann]

Sorry.

I'm using Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.8 on a new iMac, and Word:mac 2004. All
updates have been applied religiously.

Not every formatting change (e. g., larger font, bold/underline, different
typeface) in my current working document needs to be assigned a style, so
sometimes I just need to change something about an isolated line or
paragraph or list item. Let's say I have a 1-line paragraph that I change
to Symbol typeface; the whole document changes to Symbol. Same thing
happens when I change a paragraph format (moving the left margin, indenting,
setting tabs, whatever). When I perform an UNDO, I'm where I need to be;
Word undoes the autoformat just applied to the whole document and lets my
change remain. But I shouldn't have to perform an UNDO after every,
isolated format change.

I've been to the web version of the newsgroup and found some recommendations
related to unchecking Automatically Update in the Normal style, unchecking
some of the preferences related to AutoCorrect...I've tried all of those,
and it's still not working. Perhaps I did not do them correctly...?

Thanks, and sorry for the paucity of info.

qb

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

This problem gets reported a lot and every time it's the Automatically
Update setting on the style, so I'm surprised Michel's post didn't fix
it. But maybe your documents aren't formatted in Normal, so here's
another suggested try:

Make the problem happen. Put the cursor in that text, go to Format |
Style. Whatever style it is, click Modify and uncheck "automatically
update". Test on the same bit of text, to see if it worked.

If that doesn't work, here's something you can do to help diagnose the
problem. Make the problem happen. Then on the Standard Toolbar, check
out the Undo icon. Use the little black triangle on the right edge of
the icon to pull down the Undo list. What are the last 3 or 4 things
listed? That tells us what Word just did.

 

[Brent Auvermann]

This is the correct fix, folks, thanks much. The problem was that when I
unchecked the "Automatic Update" setting, I did so within a "Normal + [ ]"
style instead of a purely "Normal" style. Crucial distinction! and I'm
sorry to have troubled y'all with it...and I'm thankful to all of you for
the help.

qb

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Brent -

Michel's instructions are basically the same as those in the second link
from my previous reply. Follow what he suggests, but I would go just a
little further...

In addition to clearing the Automatically Update check *do* put a check in
the Add to Template box before OK-ing out (or you can do this in the Styles
segment of the Formatting Palette). Then hold Shift while you go to
File>Save All.

If this doesn't fix it your Normal template may be corrupt. Follow the
material on the first link in my previous post which pertains to finding &
testing Normal.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac