Word says "marked as deleted text"

[Madawc]

I use Word 2002, and find Track Changes very useful for changing specifications. You can leave the old text as deleted text so someone else knows what you are planning. So far so good.

I also prepare detailed test plans to confirm that the changes have been done correctly. In this context, it would sometimes be convenient to copy deleted text. But Word forbids this with the message "This selection is marked as deleted text".

It seems typical of Microsoft's outlook - disempower your customers on the grounds that they could have no good reason to do something Microsoft had not thought of. A warning would be a sensible precaution. But the approach is You'll do it our way, [OK].

Does anyone know of a work-round? Anything simpler than rejecting the deletion, copying the text and then re-deleting?

Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK). Using Windows XP & Crystal 10

 

[fumei]

Not without some VBA. Here is what I do.

Option Explicit

Public myString As String

Sub CopyMyDelete()
' Alt-1 is shortcut
myString = Selection.Text
End Sub


Sub PasteMyDelete()
' Alt-2 is shortcut
Selection.TypeText myString
End Sub

Now I can go into any TrackChange balloon, select deleted text and hit Alt-1. Yes, perhaps it is silly, but you can not copy selected deleted text in VBA either. However, you can make a public string variable that selected text.

Now I can move the Selection out of the ballon, and where ever I want, I can Alt-2 and the previously selected deleted text is typed in. It will of course be marked as a Track Change insert.

Note that when you move the Selection out of the TrackChange ballon (where you grabbed the deleted text) you can use the Selection however you like. The deleted text contents are in a string variable, NOT text associated with the selection itself. You can do other stuff, and when you want - type in the deleted text with an Alt-2.

Or whatever method you wish to execute a procedure. I like using the keyboard.

faq219-2884

Gerry
My paintings and sculpture

 

[Stella740pl]

Madawc,

I was able to copy text from the baloon. Well, not straight forward, but still. I think, I right-clicked on it, picked "Track changes" from that menue, THEN selected the text and Ctrl-C.

Then, after Ctrl-V in a new location, the whole baloon was copied over - so I rejected chenges in that new one.

Once, though, I was able to copy actual text, not baloon, to a new location - I don't know what I pressed. Really. Worth a few more attempts to find out.

 

[mintjulep]

Try this (works in 2003, and I'm pretty sure I used this trick in earlier versions):

Document A:

Turn track changes on.

Delete some stuff.

Turn track changes off.

Copy some stuff, including deleted stuff

Document B:

Turn track changes off.

Paste.

Deleted stuff will paste in as deleted (strike-thru).

 

[mintjulep]

Above works with deleted text as strike-thru. I don't know about the stupid balloons.

 

[Madawc]

Thanks for the tips.

Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK). Using Windows XP & Crystal 10