Thread: Hard cell approach

I have to compile online reports that are restricted to a certain number of characters; for example, 1,000 characters including spaces.Rather than write them online, I prepare them in a Microsoft : Word 2003 table, then cut and paste them into the form.

I have been trying to speed up the process by adding a field that counts the number of characters (including spaces) in each ofthe table cells. With my limited knowledge, I can only get it to produce a field that gives me the character count for the whole document not for each cell.

This is possible with a rarely used toolbar that not only shows the current word count but also the number of characters, lines and paragraphs. To display this extra tool, click on the Tools menu, then on Customize. Click on All Commands in the left-hand column and then scroll down to ToolsWordCountList. Left-click on this command, then drag it to a toolbar without releasing the mouse button. Let go of the mouse button when it is in the position you want.

It is possible to drag toolbar icons into different positions as long as the Customize window is visible. Also drag and drop the Tools WordCountRecount button on to a toolbar. It is always best to leave it next to the WordCountList box.

Click on Close to save the changes. Left-click on the Recount button to show the number of words in a document. To change this to show the number of characters, left click on the dropdown arrow at the right of the box (it will now say <Click Recount to view> and then click on 'Characters (with spaces)'. It will update with the total.

This toolbar tool is even more useful if there is a keyboard shortcut assigned to the Recount button. This updates the word count without having to take your hands off the keyboard.

Click on the Tools menu, then select Customize. Click on the Keyboard button at the bottom of the Customize window. Make sure that Normal.dot is selected in the 'Save changes in:' dropdown menu, otherwise the changes will only apply to one document. Click on Tools in the Categories column on the left then, in the right-hand column, click on 'Tools WordCountRecount'.

Click in the text box labelled 'Press new shortcut key:' so that a verticall ine cursor appears, then press the key combination to use for recounting the words in the document. If the keyboard shortcut is in use, a message will appear just below this box. Shortcuts can be changed so there is no reason you cannot reassign the key if the existing shortcut is never used. Click on the Assign button to save the change. It is possible to add several shortcuts to the same action. Click on the Close button
when you are happy with the changes.