Ask a new question

autotext help

Hi all - I am having a similar problem to many others with the AutoTexts in Word 2010. About half the time when I start typing to enter an Autotext, the AutoComplete suggestions do not pop up. This causes problems as I want to be sure I am entering the correct Autotext. Also, when pressing F3, it does not always pick the correct Autotext entry.

 

I do have "Show AutoComplete suggestions" checked in my options. I have tried renaming my BulidingBlocks.dotm. I have tried saving my document. I have closed Word (and Outlook) completely and restarted.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks so much!

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

AutoComplete fires when you have typed at least four characters of the entry name. More characters may be required if more than one entry name begins with the same letters. Since you are observing that you sometimes get the wrong entry when you press F3, I suspect that you do have entries that begin the same. If you don't want to have to type enough letters to uniquely identify the entry, then perhaps you should rename the similar entries so that the first four letters are different.
Microsoft MVP (Word) since 1999
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://ssbarnhill.com
http://wordfaqs.ssbarnhill.com
Screen shots captured with TechSmith's Snagit

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

I have typed the first several letters. I am used to typing until the box AutoComplete pops up and then I hit Enter. I really don't like having to use the F3 key to populate the AutoComplete as I can't be sure what is being entered before I enter it.

 

RiIght now, the AutoComplete never pops up, even when I have almost typed the entire word. Is there some way to change an option so that it will work?

 

Thanks for the help!

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

You indicated that you already have "Show AutoComplete suggestions" checked in the Options, so I don't know what else to suggest.
Microsoft MVP (Word) since 1999
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://ssbarnhill.com
http://wordfaqs.ssbarnhill.com
Screen shots captured with TechSmith's Snagit

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

The autocomplete tip will only happen if the entries are stored in the autotext gallery of the normal template - building blocks.dotx stored entries do not produce the autocomplete tip text, but can produce naming conflicts.

Use the building blocks organizer to move the entries to the normal template.

There has then also to be sufficient unique text to activate the prompt.
Graham Mayor (Microsoft Word MVP 2002-2019)
For more Word tips and downloads visit my web site
https://www.gmayor.com/Word_pages.htm

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

I checked to be sure, but they are in the Autotext gallery, and in the normal.dotm template. I tried renaming the building blocks.dotx template and it didn't change anything. It was a 0 kb file also so I am certain there is nothing in there causing naming conflicts.

 

For example - I have Autotexts named "Hunter" "HunterDischarge" and "HunterHistory"

 

I typed "HunterHist" and there is nothing that comes up.

 

I have Autotexts named "originally typed by" and "/originally typed by" (these worked in Word 2003 and until yesterday worked usually in Word 2010). Normally, I typed "/orig" and hit Enter to get the second entry listed above. It doesn't work at all now. If I type "/orig" and his F3, I get the entry for "originally typed by"

 

Any other suggestions?

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

I have just allocated three pieces of text to autotext entries in the normal template with the three names exactly as you quote

Type "hunter" and the first text is offered and a 'd' - 'hunterd' and the second is offered. backspace and add  'h' - 'hunterh' and the third text is offered.

I cannot explain why you are not seeing this. What you could try is to open the VBA editor ALT+F11. Type CTRL+G to open the immediate window and then type in that window

Application.DisplayAutoCompleteTips = True

and press enter. This should not be necessary as you sometimes see the tips. Setting that value to False certainly stops the tips, so setting it to True may just wake it up :)

Graham Mayor (Microsoft Word MVP 2002-2019)
For more Word tips and downloads visit my web site
https://www.gmayor.com/Word_pages.htm

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Thanks for the suggestion. Just tried that and still nothing. Hmm...

 

Guess I'll just have to deal with it for now. I really appreciate all the help!

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

I would suggest using entry names that are entirely unique. Although what you're using should work (and obviously does for Graham), if it's not working for you, then perhaps assigning different names will solve the problem.
Microsoft MVP (Word) since 1999
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://ssbarnhill.com
http://wordfaqs.ssbarnhill.com
Screen shots captured with TechSmith's Snagit

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

I have tried with autotexts that are completely different and they don't work either. I have rebooted my computer, restarted Word, etc. and still cannot get the AutoComplete to start working again.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Did you try Graham's macro?
Microsoft MVP (Word) since 1999
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://ssbarnhill.com
http://wordfaqs.ssbarnhill.com
Screen shots captured with TechSmith's Snagit

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

 
 

Question Info

Last updated January 28, 2023 Views 1,265 Applies to: