Microsoft KB Archive/185856

= WD98: AutoText Entry Not Visible on AutoText Menu on Menu Bar =

Article ID: 185856

Article Last Modified on 10/31/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 98 for Macintosh

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This article was previously published under Q185856



SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to view an AutoText entry on a submenu of the AutoText menu (on the Insert menu, point to AutoText, and then point to one of the AutoText submenus below the separator bar), a separator bar appears on the menu rather than the name of the AutoText entry.



CAUSE
This problem occurs if the first character of the AutoText name is a hyphen. The Macintosh menu manager may interpret a hyphen as a command separator and may place a separator bar (rather than the name of the command) on the menu.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Do Not Use a Hyphen in the Name of an AutoText Entry
When you name an AutoText entry, do not use a hyphen as the first character of the AutoText name.

Method 2: Select the AutoText Entry from the AutoText Toolbar
To select the AutoText entry from the AutoText toolbar, follow these steps:


 * 1) On the View menu, click Toolbars, and click the AutoText toolbar.
 * 2) On the AutoText toolbar, click All Entries, point to the style where you entered the AutoText entry, and select the name of the AutoText entry (the hyphen will be visible here).

Method 3: Select the AutoText Entry from the AutoCorrect Dialog Box
Even if an AutoText entry name begins with a hyphen, you will be able to see it in the AutoCorrect dialog box.

To select the AutoText entry from the AutoCorrect dialog box, follow these steps:


 * 1) On the Insert menu, point to AutoText, and click AutoText.
 * 2) In the "Enter AutoText Entries here" box, select the name of the AutoText entry, and click Insert.

Method 4: Use a Space Before the Hyphen in the Name of an AutoText Entry
To use a hyphen as the first character of the name of an AutoText entry and still be able to see it from the menu bar, you will need to enter a space before the hyphen. To do this, follow these steps:


 * 1) Select the item that you want to use as an AutoText entry.
 * 2) On the Insert menu, point to AutoText, and click New.
 * 3) In the "Please name your AutoText entry" box, press SPACEBAR once, type a hyphen, and then type the name of the AutoText entry.
 * 4) Click OK.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.



MORE INFORMATION
If you use a hyphen as the first character for a name of a menu entry, the Macintosh menu manager may interpret the hyphen as a signal to create a separator bar. If this occurs, the menu manager will place a separator bar on the menu rather than the name of the command. For example, if you rename the AutoText command (on the Insert menu) to "-AutoText" (without the quotation marks), the command will become a separator bar.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

181438 WD98: Adding AutoText to the AutoText Menu

Additional query words: list seperater separator missing gone disappear auto text glossary entry entries command bar commandbar

Keywords: kbbug kbenv kbinterop KB185856

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