Optional no-width break

Question

I am using Word 2010 in Windows 10. I wanted to break a line after a slash separating two words (e.g. Monday/Tuesday). When I inserted 'no-width optional break' from 'Insert Symbol - Special Characters' after the slash it did not work. I have discovered (using Alt-X) that it is inserting U200C, which seems to do nothing. U200B (zero-width space) does work, and I have now assigned ctrl-space to it as a keyboard short-cut -- so I have solved my problem after about 40 wasted minutes. Does anyone know why this has happened?

Answer 1

You should be able to unassign it.

1. Select a U200C space in your document and open the Symbol dialog. The "zero-width non-joiner" will be selected (though of course it is invisible).
2. Click Shortcut Key... The Customize Keyboard dialog will open with your shortcut shown in the Current keys box.
3. Select that shortcut, and the Remove button will become enabled.
4. Click that button to remove the key assignment.

Alternatively, you can open the Customize Keyboard dialog, select Common Symbols in the Categories list, select No-Width Optional Break, and then do steps 3 and 4.

Answer 2

I have not had the experience of U200C not behaving as expected, but I have been told (by those more knowledgeable than I) that U200B is the correct character to use.

I would, however, caution against using Ctrl+Spacebar as a keyboard shortcut for that, as that shortcut is already assigned to ResetChar, a very useful command for removing direct font formatting from text. You also don't want to use Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar (a nonbreaking space), and Alt+Shift+Spacebar controls the window menu throughout Windows, so I would suggest Alt+Ctrl+Spacebar.

Answer 3

Got it! Many thanks.

The shortcut may be saved in the given file. In the Customize Keyboard dialog, note the setting of "Save changes in." You will (at minimum) have a choice of Normal.dotm and the open document. Try changing that setting and see what happens.

Answer 4

Thank you again. There may be a glitch either in the particular file I am working on or in its template because it did not work in that file, although it did work in another file. Not to worry - I can live with it!

Answer 5

Thank you for a very helpful reply. In fact I had used alt-ctrl-spacebar before I migrated to Windows 10 for the optional no-width space, and I set it for that when I moved to Windows 10, with the result that it now seems to be bound inextricably to U200C. I have tried to change the keyboard shortcut, but it won't accept the change. I had never actually used ResetChar and am glad to know about it. If I find a way to disconnect alt-ctrl-spacebar from 200C, then I will indeed set it to 200B and free ctrl-spacebar for ResetChar. Why is life so complicated?

I have not had the experience of U200C not behaving as expected, but I have been told (by those more knowledgeable than I) that U200B is the correct character to use.

I would, however, caution against using Ctrl+Spacebar as a keyboard shortcut for that, as that shortcut is already assigned to ResetChar, a very useful command for removing direct font formatting from text. You also don't want to use Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar (a nonbreaking space), and Alt+Shift+Spacebar controls the window menu throughout Windows, so I would suggest Alt+Ctrl+Spacebar.