I figured this out, in part, thanks to the Woody's Office newsletter
(www.woodyswatch.com), which I will append to the end of this message. The
trick involves using the EQ field in Word, which causes two characters to
be typed on top of one another. The field contents is:
{EQ \o (�,x)}
But you have to use Word's menu (Insert, Field) to insert the field, you
cannot just enter it yourself. The "�" character is a standard Times New
Roman character that I found just below the "q" in the Insert Symbol dialog
box--or I guess you could paste it from here.
When you use the dialog box to insert the field, Word adds a space before
the ending "}" to what you get is x-bar space. You can right-click on the
symbol and select Toggle Field Codes to see the code and remove the space.
After that, toggle the field codes back off.
I tried this and it looks and prints just like an x-bar in a textbook.
Symbols with hats "^" above them can be created in the same way.
Now, the newsletter. You should consider subscribing, it's great.
Ronny Richardson
==================== Woody's Office News Letter ======================
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Subject: WOW-MM #4.06 - 'Crabby' botches slashed zero
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 10:59:00 -0400
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--==>> WOODY's OFFICE FOR MERE MORTALS <<==--
The in-depth, tutorial side of Woody's Office Watch from
Woody Leonhard, Certified Office Victim
30 May 2003 Vol 4 No 6
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1. Crabby Office Lady Lifts Tips
2. "Crabby" Botches the Slashed Zero
3. Advanced {EQ \o()}
4. That's Business Contact Manager
5. How Does Microsoft Respond?
6. Keep Mere Mortals Alive and Free
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_____________
1. CRABBY OFFICE LADY LIFTS TIPS
A good friend of mine sent me this message:
"Hey, Woody! I just read the latest tip sheet from Microsoft's Crabby
Office Lady. Know what? Microsoft ripped you off! Crabby talks about
creating a slashed zero in Word. The tip sounded familiar, so I looked
through my back issues of Office Watch. Two months ago, in WOW 8.08 you
gave the exact same tip. I mean, the steps are the same, the field is the
same... Microsoft even ripped off a chunk of your text, verbatim. Can they
do that?"
I looked and I wasn't very happy. You decide for yourself:
http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/2002/articles/colwdTipsTricks.aspx
vs. http://www.woodyswatch.com/office/archtemplate.asp?v8-n08. Not only is
some of the wording the same but the field code in WOW had a lower case 'o'
which I put in for readability - the 'Lady' has the same change.
Is that plagiarism or where they just 'inspired' by Woody's Watch? I dunno.
It's not the first time Microsoft has taken Woody's Watch content and used
it as their own.
One thing I do know, though: the "Crabby Office Lady" didn't get the tip
right.
She turned one of my key steps into a funny/crusty comment, and blew the
whole tip in the process. If you follow her steps, you end up with a nearly
useless field. I'll explain why in the next two sections.
Here's what I'm gonna do. Instead of ripping off "Crabby" - which would
only be fair, but would no doubt land me in court for the rest of[CA3] my
life - I'm going to continue helping you, dear reader, by giving you useful
tips and news about Microsoft Office, without bias, fear or favour.
And I'm going to start by going through the 'Crabby' tip and explaining why
it's just plain wrong.
There's a lesson here: If you get your tips from Microsoft, you, uh, get
your tips from Microsoft. Don't expect anything but the Microsoft Party
Line. Even if the tips appear to be coming from a lovable crusty old lady.
It's all marketing, folks. Don't forget it.
Besides, I remain firmly convinced that many people who write for Microsoft
don't use the product. (Hey, why bother when you can steal your tips?)
Let's see if we can turn this into something positive.
_____________
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_____________
2. "CRABBY" BOTCHES THE SLASHED ZERO
Let me show you how "Crabby" screwed up. If you're learning how to use Word
field codes, this piece is important, because it shows you how to work
around one of Word's many design inanities.
Here's the staccato version: If you're a regular WOW-MM reader, you know
all about Word field codes. (To review, start at
http://www.woodyswatch.com/wowmm/archtemplate.asp?v3-n21 .)
There is no "slashed zero" character in most fonts. If you want to put a
slashed zero in a document, you have to superimpose two characters - the
slash and the zero - so they appear (and print) on top of each other.
The easiest way to superimpose two characters in Word is to use the {EQ}
field with the \o (overstrike) option. The \o option lets you overstrike
any characters you like: {EQ \o(=,D)} for example, gives you a D
superimposed on an equal sign. {EQ \o(?,!)} gives you a questobang - a
question mark superimposed on an exclamation point. You can even overstrike
three or more characters: {EQ \o(<,>,=)} superimposes <, >, and =. It looks
like a UFO, sorta, if you squint real hard.
If you want a slash superimposed on a zero:
> Click Insert | Field. In the Field Names box, click Eq. In Word 2002 or
2003, click the button marked Field Codes. (In Word 97 and 2000, there's no
such button.)
> In the box type
EQ \o(0,/)
> Click OK.
You would expect that Word would give you the field that you asked for -
the field that produces a slashed zero, which is
{EQ \o(0,/)}
but it doesn't. Instead, Word insists upon sticking an extra space after
the closing paren, and before the closing brace. So the field you get looks
like this:
{EQ \o(0,/) }
That may seem like a nit but it isn't. The field that Word gives to you
produces a slashed zero, followed by a space. There's nothing you can do
about the space. If you use this field to print a number like
$10,043
you end up with
$10 ,0 43
(with all the zeroes slashed, of course).
See how there's an extra space after every zero? It's ridiculous. But if
you take what Word gives you (or follow "Crabby's" botched instructions),
that's what you'll always see.
In order to get rid of the trailing space, you have to go back into the
field code and change it - get rid of that extra space. Here's how:
> Select the slashed zero, right-click on it and Toggle Field Codes
> Delete the space immediately after the ) right paren.
> Right-click again and Toggle Field Codes
That will produce a field you can use.
Somehow, "Crabby" read my tip in WOW 8.08 and figured it was sufficient to
Toggle Field Codes on and then off - and that Word would magically remove
the space that it so indelicately inserted.
No way.
You, personally, have to go in and delete the space. Otherwise, you end up
with a field that is virtually unusable.
_____________
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3. ADVANCED {EQ \O()}
For those of you who want to go beyond the basics, here's the rest of what
I know about the \o overstrike parameter in the {EQ} field.
The comma, parenthesis, and backslash are interpreted as control characters
in an {EQ} field. Word lets you superimpose the comma, parens, or
backslash, but you need to precede them with a backslash:
a comma becomes \,
a left paren is \(
a right paren is \)
a backslash is \\
For example, if you want to superimpose a B with a backslash, use the field:
{EQ \o(B,\\)}
And remember - if you use Word's Insert Field command, you need to take out
the extra space.
_____________
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_____________
4. THAT'S BUSINESS CONTACT MANAGER
Last issue I made a mistake. When I was discussing the sneaky ways spammers
get your email address, I said:
"Some Customer Relationship Management packages use unique identifiers like
this one in the Subject line. It helps people in call center (or customer
support groups) keep track of correspondence. Increasingly, that's going to
become a no-no: mail will some day be bounced if it has an oddball unique
identifier. Office 2003's Business Contact Manager has already come under
fire for this faux pas."
I should have said "Microsoft's Customer Relationship Manager has already
come under fire for this faux pas." (see
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-991690.html ) Customer Relationship Manager
is from Microsoft's Business Solutions Division. Business Contact Manager
is from Microsoft's Information Worker Division. Yikes. Hard to keep the
players straight.
_____________
5. HOW DOES MICROSOFT RESPOND?
What will Microsoft do to make amends for "Crabby's" transgressions?
Do you think there's any chance Microsoft will update the Crabby Office
Lady's Slashed Zero tip - maybe correct the tip so it works, and give
credit where due by linking to our site, www.woodyswatch.com?
We'll see.
_____________
6. KEEP MERE MORTALS ALIVE AND FREE
If you like the no-nonsense style you see in this newsletter - the straight
scoop, whether Microsoft likes it or not, dished out in a way that won't
put you to sleep - get one of my books!
"Windows XP All-In-One Desk Reference For Dummies", Hungry Minds
http://www.woodyswatch.com/l.asp?0764515489
"Special Edition Using Microsoft Office XP" with Ed Bott, Que
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"Special Edition Using Microsoft Office 2000" with Ed Bott, Que
http://www.woodyswatch.com/l.asp?0789718421
"Woody Leonhard Teaches Office 2000", Que
http://www.woodyswatch.com/l.asp?0789718715
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Copyright 2003 by Peter Deegan. All rights reserved. ISSN 1443-7252.
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