Problem with Replace tab in Search and Replace dialog box

Question

Using Word 2010 Verison 14.0.6023.1000 (32-bit)

This problem started a couple of days ago.

When the problem happens:  When using the Search and Replace dialog box -- specifically, when using the Replace tab in that box, with Track Changes on and showing revisions in balloons.

The problem: I'm searching for a space followed by an apostrophe (or single opening quotation mark), so that's what I put in the Find What field. There's nothing in the Replace With field.  There's nothing clicked in the More options (no wildcards, no Match Case, etc.)  But when I do the search by clicking "Find Next" it only finds the first 4 instances, then reports that "Word has finished searching the document."  I can actually see the next instance of the search term on the same line, but Word doesn't recognize it.  I can't find anything in common among the instances it does recognize -- some are changes I made (I inserted the apostrophe or changed an apostrophe to an opening single quotation mark), some are unchanged from the original text.

Instances where the search does work correctly:

(1) If I accept all changes

(2) If I show all revisions inline

(3) If, in the Search and Replace dialog box, I use the Find tab instead of the Replace tab (even if I have Track Changes on and showing Balloons)

(4) If I use Ctrl-F, which brings up the search box on the left and try my search from there

Also, if I search for an apostrophe followed by a space (instead of the reverse), I have no problems, even if Track Changes is on and using balloons and I use the Replace tab in the dialog box.  It seems to find all instances.

This might just be a coincidence, but I didn't have a problem until a couple of days ago, and that happens to be when I installed the Windows Update titled Service Pack 1 for Microsoft Word 2010 (KB2510690)

Answer 1

I was wanting to find all instances and check each one to make sure it was correct -- in some cases I would want to replace the single quotation mark with a double one. 

That's perfectly reasonable and was what I suspected was the case--just wanted to clarify. I have no explanation for why the Replace dialog doesn't find the same instances that Find does; it certainly does sound like a bug.

Answer 2

I was wanting to find all instances and check each one to make sure it was correct -- in some cases I would want to replace the single quotation mark with a double one.  You have a valid question as to why I was using Replace instead of Find, although that would still leave the issue of why the function is not working correctly in the Replace tab given that it does work in the Find tab.

I'll use the Find tab (or the Ctrl-F find box that comes up on the left) for now, but since I typically go through a document trying to find (and in some cases replace) several things, it was just easier to always use the Replace tab, since I could choose for each instance found whether to just go on to the next instance or replace it.  Unfortunately that tab now appears to be undependable, so I guess in cases where I do want to replace, I'll have to use the Find tab and then go into the text to do the replacing.  I'll hope that Microsoft fixes this in the future.

As for what I had in the Find box, I tried using both -- a space followed by a straight apostrophe, and a space followed by an opening single quote.  I also tried copying the space and single quote from the text and pasting it into the Find what box -- same results.

Thanks for your reply.

You say the "Replace with" box is empty. Are you actually wanting to delete the "Find what" text (replace it with nothing)? If not, why are you using Replace instead of Find, especially given that Find works?

What exactly do you have in the "Find what" box? A straight apostrophe (which will find both apostrophes and opening single quotes)? Or are you searching for the specific characters one at a time?

Answer 3

Thank you -- I had thought of removing the update, but was hesitant to do so.

I have the same setup, with Word 2010 and Service Pack 1 installed. By trial and error i wasn't able to reproduse the issue.

 

If I were you I would try removing the update and check if it's working. Ofcourse, it's not a resolution but a workaround.

 

You can contact Microsoft to report it or to find any resolution, and maybe they release updates to fix it.

Answer 4

You say the "Replace with" box is empty. Are you actually wanting to delete the "Find what" text (replace it with nothing)? If not, why are you using Replace instead of Find, especially given that Find works?

What exactly do you have in the "Find what" box? A straight apostrophe (which will find both apostrophes and opening single quotes)? Or are you searching for the specific characters one at a time?

Answer 5

I have the same setup, with Word 2010 and Service Pack 1 installed. By trial and error i wasn't able to reproduse the issue.

If I were you I would try removing the update and check if it's working. Ofcourse, it's not a resolution but a workaround.

You can contact Microsoft to report it or to find any resolution, and maybe they release updates to fix it.