Shortcuts assigned to symbols not being saved after exiting word. Help please!

Question

I assign the shortcut by going to "insert" -> "symbols" -> "more symbols" then I select the symbol and click the "shortcut key".  In the "press new shortcut key" box I create the shortcut, in this case I press "ALT+S" and then click "assign" and then "close".  The shortcut is presented along side the "section symbol" on the list of shortcuts.  But after closing word and reopening word the shortcut no longer exists.  What am I doing wrong?  This is how I used to create shortcuts in the older versions of Word and  I have never had this problem before.

Answer 1

There's a thread in one of the Usenet NGs that suggests that Alt+ shortcuts are never displayed (even though they may work). The Alt+ combination is reserved for Word's own accelerator keys, and it's recommended that users take advantage of other combinations: Alt+Ctrl, Alt+Shift, or Alt+Ctrl+Shift.

Answer 2

You are trying to save the keyboard shortcut to the Normal template, I guess? It seems as if something is preventing you from saving to that template. ("Something" is usually a poorly designed add-in, which must be dealt with separately.)

In the meantime, you can open Normal.dotm as a document (see http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/BlankDocNotBlank.htm) and create the key assignment directly in the template. When you are done, save and close the file.

Answer 3

Opening the Normal template as a document (see http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/BlankDocNotBlank.htm), creating the shortcut, saving and closing the template will always work.

Answer 4

Thanks! This is the answer I was looking for!

The Alt+key isworking.

Answer 5

I was also trying to use Alt+Shift (and letter), but again, the shortcut key is earased once I am closing Word. Every time I need to define it from scratch!

What do I need to do?