Word 365 problems using Find/Replace with different Style types assigned

Question

My workplace recently installed some Office365 updates to our machines, it appears that something has changed in how the Find/Replace window handles specified Styles ("More" selected to show format, wildcards, etc.)

background

Here is my current version: Office365 ProPlus Word Version 1808 Build 10730.20155 Click-to-Run (Product ID 00202-51486-08803-AA468**

Since updates are controlled by IT, I do not know how to determine the previous version. The "About" box says WordforOffice365MSO (16.0.10730.20102) 32-bit.

I set up the parameters as:

Find string

(/*)(*)(*/) Set to "use wildcards" and Format/Style = Normal (a paragraph style)

Replace string

\1\2\3

If I select a Paragraph Style to apply to the Replace, then replacement "works" but of course the Style is applied to the entire paragraph, which is NOT what I want. In the past, I selected a CharacterStyle, and successfully applied a different color, font, etc to just the string of interest. However I now find that selecting a Character Style in the Replace parameters causes the Find/Replace box to fail to change the style.

As a test, I changed the Replace string to "/1/3/2" and the text was properly rearranged, so part of the operation is working. If I use the "Styles" dialog box I can apply the CharacterStyle to a selected string, so the Style itself seems OK.

The CharacterStyle I'm using is "based on " the builtin Character Style "Default Paragraph Font," which is currently in "invisible until used" state.

So, it appears that there's something going with "Replace" that doesn't allow converting text to a new Character-Style?

Answer 1

Carl, the build numbers you mentioned in your initial post indicate that you're on the Semi-annual Channel (Targeted), according to the table in https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/update-history-office365-proplus-by-date. Both of those builds are now out of date, and should be updated to 1808.10730.20262 which was released yesterday. If you can't do that yourself, check with your IT department.

My PC has the Office 365 ProPlus 1808.10730.20262 build today, and earlier it had the 1808.10730.20205 build. The problem with applying character styles in a wildcard Replace could not be reproduced in either of those builds.

Answer 2

Hi,

At long last an update.

I got a copy of Office 2013 installed and verified that my  macro works correctly with that version of Word.  

That is, I can use WildCard searches and specify the style, color, etc. of the replacement field. 

So it very much looks like a bug in my current version of Office 365.  

(But I'm stuck waiting for an update until my corporate IT overlords deem it time to push one out)

Thanks again to all who replied to me.

Answer 3

Fellow MVPs have pointed out that I have misunderstood the request. I assumed that the problem was with applying formatting to part of a found text range; doing so would require making use of the "trick" described in the wordmvp.com article that I linked to earlier.

Applying a character style to the entire range of found text should work, though. This may be an old bug that has resurfaced. See if updating Office to the most recent version (1811) makes a difference.

Answer 4

As far as I know, using Find & Replace to add formatting to part of a string requires that you perform more than one Find & Replace operation. See "Example 6" in the article at https://wordmvp.com/FAQs/General/UsingWildcards.htm.

Answer 5

Hi CarlWitthoft,

We’re sorry for inconvenience caused.

To further investigate problem, we would like to get the previous version of Office where this wasn’t an issue. Can you please check with your IT, or a colleague that hasn’t had their Office updated yet?

Regards,

Chitrahaas