FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  281 (20/09/01)

Q

In MS Word 2000 I highlight the selected text in a steady and controlled manner until I continue to select a continuation of the text on the next page. The cursor then moves at an extremely fast to anywhere up to the end of the document. How can I set the curser to move and select the chosen text at the same speed over more than one page of the document?
Keith Donald

A

Forget the mouse, use the keyboard, it's actually quicker and easier to control for large lumps of text. Place the cursor at the start of the block of text, to highlight a line at a time hold down Shift and press the up or down arrow keys, to go a little faster use Crtl + Shift and up/down arrow to highlight a paragraph at a time.

Q

After creating a document in Word 97 -- about 4000 words long -- I set it out in single and two-column layouts and blocks in text boxes. At the end I used Word Count and get a figure of only 1200 words. After many failed attempts to get the right figure, I copied each block of open text, plus the texts from each text box into a new document and got a final word count of 4300. Is there a less tedious way of using Word Count to count all of the words in a document?

Vince Emmerson, Aston by Stone, Staffs

A

I'm not aware of any Word command that will let you count words on the page and inside text boxes at the same time but you can tally up the total reasonably quickly by first doing a word count of text on the open pages then each text box in turn by highlighting it so that the border and sizing handles appear. The only way you can count words inside multiple text boxes (in Word 97) is if the text is linked, i.e. it flows from one box to the next, in which case highlight all the boxes by holding down the Shift key, then do a word count.  

Q

I have changed from Word Perfect to Word and the attribute I miss most is the Reveal Codes function. Is there a means of revealing all key strokes in Word?

Raymond Nickerson

A

There isn't a comparable Reveal Code feature in Word, which uses a different system of formatting but this still ticks off a lot of people moving from Word Perfect to Word. However, you can easily display formatting and style information in a Word document by highlighting a paragraph and pressing Shift + F1, the cursor changes to a question mark, click on the paragraph and an information window opens. There's a useful tutorial for WordPerfect users making the transition to Word at: http://www.lawofficecomputing.com/ Reviewsdata/dj01/tips.htm

Q

I recently received an email with an attachment, which was apparently from two people, who were unknown to me. The email said that they wanted my comments on the attachment. The email had a file name, with the file extension of .doc.ink. I thought this was probably a virus and deleted the email right away and unfortunately I forget the attachment's file name. My question is, what is a file with an .ink extension and could it have been
a virus?
Brian Phillips

A

You were right to delete it; it was almost certainly a variant of the Sir Cam virus, a nasty little infection that is still spreading to unprotected PCs. As usual the advice is keep your virus scanner up to date, not to open any attachments that you're not expecting or have unfamiliar looking extensions. If you do get infected you can find help and advice at: http://www.mcafee.com/anti-virus/

viruses/sircam/default.asp?cid=2371

Q

I have several folders with scores of Word files inside each. I would like to be able to call any particular one up.  Is there a means of writing the file name in small print right in the bottom corner of the hard copy?  

Des Shepherd

A

You can insert the file name into any Word document using a Field Code. Put the cursor where you want it to appear then go to the Insert menu and select Field. On most versions of Word click on Document Information in the Categories window then Filename under Field Names, and click OK.

Q

Do you know of a way of inserting a letter into a circle? In the "Insert" menu in Word, T enclosed in a circle is available, but I should like to be able to insert R and L.
Ursula Warwick

There are several ways of doing this, but the quick and dirty method is to use Character Spacing and Position under Fonts on the Format menu. Type a capital O then the letter you want to appear inside, it's a good idea to reduce the size of the letter so it will fit easily. Highlight the letter and use the Position settings to line it up with the centre of the O and spacing to 'back it in'. Alternative suggestions welcomed.

Q

BT Cellnet's new name is giving me a headache! I cannot work out how to write the new name - capital O with a subscript 2 - in Word or Outlook Express?
Molly Gutheridge, Southport

A

Word is straightforward, you can toggle subscript mode by pressing Ctrl and '+'. Outlook Express is normally set by default to only send plain text but you can send formatted text by going to the Format menu in an open message window and selecting 'Rich Text (HTML)'. However, not all email programs support this facility and there is a chance that it will be received as plain text at the other end. The way to get around that is to send the Word document as an attachment (assuming the person you are sending it to can read Word documents on their PC). 

Q

My Internet Explorer 5.5 homepage is being changed every time I start Windows 98, and displays an embarrassing "Adult" homepage. Clearly something nasty has been downloaded onto my machine and I want to get rid of it. Simply deleting and cancelling doesn't work, and I am advised that I need to edit the Registry. I find this extremely daunting.  Is there something I can download to clear out the offending "Nasty"?

Phil Thomas, via email

A

Hopefully you won't have to go anywhere near the Registry or download any fixes, you should be able to get things back to normal by going to Internet Options on the Tools menu, select the General tab and type in the address of your preffered home page.