Things one can't do from the keyboard - for instance Format Painter and AutoCorrect Options

Dr. Rick · #1 11-03-2024, 05:32 AM

Is there a list anywhere of "things you can't do from the keyboard?"

As a member of the admittedly dwindling cadre of touch typists, I try to minimize the number of times I have to take my right hand away from the keyboard and reach for the mouse (or--brr--the touch-pad).

Two examples that I've been working on for many months:
1. "invoking the 'format painter' function"--I've tried every way I know to assign this to a custom key, but can't.
2. "reaching the autocorrect screen"--I can record a macro that will go there, but can't stop the recording. Maybe someone who knows more about VB could help me there.

And as an aside, when did it stop being possible to include mouse clicks in a recorded macro? I'm pretty sure I could do it under Word2003 and win7.

If I had a list of things that positively couldn't be done from the keyboard, at least I could stop trying (and bothering others by asking)

Charles Kenyon · #2 11-03-2024, 11:41 AM

I know of no such list, and again, you can add keyboard shortcuts.
You can, with a bit of trouble, get a list of all current keyboard shortcuts, but it will not be a single list. See Create a List of Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Word.

To my (imperfect) memory, Mouseclicks have never been part of recorded macros since at least Word 97. The recorder is an imperfect way of creating macros. See How to Modify a Recorded Macro by Jay Freedman.

Format Painter:
Ctrl+Shift+C - copy format,
Ctrl+Shift+V - paste format

Microsoft recently imposed changes (this year) and yours may require Ctrl+Shift+Alt+C and Ctrl+Shift+Alt+V instead. You can change them back, however.
See this blog page and this thread in the Microsoft Answers page for more on this.

AutoCorrect Options is a bit tougher.
Keyboard shortcuts can be assigned directly to Word commands (as well as macros, styles, and building blocks). The following command may do what you want. It does not give all the tabs for the AutoCorrect Options dialog, only AutoCorrect and Math AutoCorrect. If you need more, please write back.

00 deleteme 6.png

See Assigning Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Word 2007-2021 (365).

The default is to save shortcuts in your Normal Template.
My preference is to store them (and many other customizations including macros) in one or more separate Global Templates.

Charles Kenyon · #3 11-03-2024, 12:12 PM

Yet another option is to put AutoCorrect Options on your QAT and then use Word's Alt-key ribbon access keys to reach it from the keyboard. This is a bit trickier.

Modifying the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) in Microsoft Word

Here is my current QAT:

00 deleteme 5.png

The AutoCorrect Options is the lightning in a rectangle icon (default) in the tenth position.

When I press the A key - letters and numbers representing items on the Ribbon and QAT appear.

00 deleteme 6.png

l can click that icon (button) with Alt, 09. (The comma indicates releasing the Alt key.) That gives the same five-tab dialog that I would get by going to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options and includes the AutoFormat As You Type options. You can click anything on the current ribbon or QAT with this procedure.

Unlike the standard keyboard shortcuts, these change any time a change is made to the Ribbon or QAT. Microsoft has been very free in making such changes so you need to pay some attention to what shows up after you press the Alt key.

This full dialog can be added to the QAT but not addressed by keyboard shortcut modification because there are somewhat different "all command" lists available when modifying the QAT than are available when assigning keyboard shortcuts.

Charles Kenyon · #4 11-03-2024, 12:29 PM

Should you want it, the following macro displays only the primary page/tab of the AutoCorrect Options dialog.

Code:

Sub MyAutoCorrectOptionsDialogShow()
    ' A basic Word macro coded by Charles Kenyon - based on Greg Maxey format
    ' 3 November
    '  https://www.msofficeforums.com/word/52969-things-one-cant-keyboard-instance-format-painter.html
    '
    Application.Dialogs(wdDialogToolsAutoCorrect).Show
End Sub

As with most macros, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to this.

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