#Finding hidden text in microsoft word code

#Finding hidden text in microsoft word code

Yet if I launch Word and immediately open a document written by our Japanese partners, the code (almost inevitably) fails to work it can’t find the hidden text, let alone replace it. I even cleared the formatting arguments, even though I understand that this is not (was not?) a “sticky” setting when using the Range object. Execute replacewith:=””, Replace:=wdReplaceAll If MsgBox(“Are you sure you want to remove all hidden Author Notes?”, vbQuestion + vbOKCancel, “Remove Author Notes”) = vbOK Then I tried using just the Find and then deleting the Found range, but the problem apparently is that it can’t FIND anything to delete! Here is the code: To remove the text, I wrote what would seem to be a VERY simply routine that I’ve used a thousand times.

Both of them contain “author text,” which is text intended for the auhor’s edification but which should ultimately be removed. (I’m sure this will be like taking my car to the mechanic, but I’m going to give it a shot anyway!) We create a type of document in either English or Japanese. You can use the Object Browser (discussed in other issues of WordTips) to easily step through any comments that may be in your document.I seem to have a situation where the Edit/Find function won’t locate hidden text in (apparently) a particular document or kind of document. It could be that what you are seeing is actually a comment box that is configured to print but not display on the screen. This is a great approach if the offending text box is the only shape in your entire document.įinally, if the text box still appears on the printout, it could be that you aren't dealing with a text box at all. The following macro will step through all the shapes defined in the document and delete them. If you are still having problems locating and getting rid of the text box, you can try a macro approach. You can then press the Delete key to get rid that object. Once selected, you can press the Tab key and Word should take you to the next object. If you have other objects (drawings, for instance, or other text boxes), select the one that appears in your printout before the problem text box. You could also simply step through the objects in the document. If the text box is filled with white (as opposed to no fill), then it should stand out on the page and be easily selectable. This color is applied to the whole document. Choose Background from the Format menu and then select a color. You can then delete them by simply pressing the Delete key.Īnother thing you can try is to simply change the background color for your screen. When you release the mouse button, any objects on the page should be selected. Click and drag to create a selection box around the entire page.(The tool looks like an arrow, similar to your mouse pointer.) With the Drawing toolbar open, click the Selector tool.

Zoom out on your page so that you can see it all on the screen.

If you suspect this is the case, try these general steps: If you still can't see it, it could be possible that the text box is formatted for no line and no fill and that the text it contains is formatted as hidden (and you have the display of hidden text turned off). Provided you are still viewing the document in Print Layout or Page Layout view, you should be able to see any text boxes.

Make sure the Drawings check box is selected.

Make sure the Picture Placeholders check box is cleared.

If the text box is still not visible, then you should check to make sure that the display of drawings hasn't been turned off. (The view goes by different names, depending on what version of Word you are using.) If you are viewing your document in Normal view, then you won't be able to see some of your graphics, including text boxes. Now, make sure you are viewing your document in Print Layout or Page Layout view. You should make note of any surrounding text or elements that can help you to narrow down where to look in the document itself. This is a simple determination-just look at the printout and see which page it occurs on.

First, however, make sure you know the page on which the text box is located. Vanessa wants to delete the text box and wonders, since she can't see the text box, how she can find it to get rid of it. When she looks at the document on-screen, she can't see, anywhere, the text box or the text it contains. When Vanessa prints her document, the printout includes a text box with text in it.