Upper management on my project has directed us to use two spaces after periods (next they'll be re-issuing IBM Selectrics!).

I've created a macro to add 2 spaces after periods and colons. But now need to create one that adds 2 spaces after a closing parenthesis within a paragraph. For example, if there is a (See Section X.) within a paragraph -- not at the end.

I recorded a macro using Replace, which worked when I recorded it, but gives a "The Find What text contains a Pattern Match expression which is not valid." I'm sure it's the ), but don't know what to do to omake the macro do what I want. Here's the recorded code:

'Places 2 spaces after a closing parenthesis ")" within lines of text


Selection.Find.ClearFormatting
Selection.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting
With Selection.Find
.Text = ") "
.Replacement.Text = ") "
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindContinue

End With
Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll

I'd appreciate suggestions.

Sorry, don't know the answer to your direct question.

I am sure that this will give you multiple spaces (more than two) when run more than once. Before running these on a document where someone may have put in the two spaces already you need to run another macro that gets rid of two spaces (or three, four, or five) in a row.

If there will always be a period before the ) when you want to do this, you should code for that. i.e. find ".) " and replace with ".) "

Any chance you have wild cards turned on?

I've tried it with and without Wildcards. Present test version is without. I made the change you suggested -- .) -- because it would (should) always have a period. Good point about two spaces.

Unfortunately, I get the same error. I think we editors will need to do this manually doing a Find/Find Next (in case of two spaces) -- it works using the Replace command -- just not when it's in macro form.

I do have a macro (being "retired") to search for more than one space and replace with one after periods and colons. So I can keep that one for occasional use. Now I have a new one to search for 3 or more spaces and replace with 2 after periods and colons. We'll just have to do the .) manually.

Appreciate your response.