Capitalize first letter of sentence problem

petermcwerner · External Since: Feb 22, 2006 Posts: 5

Word XP automatically capitalizes the first letter whenever I enter a <CR>
(Enter) even if it is not a new sentence. Example

This is
Not a new sentence

How to change this behaviour?

Charles Kenyon · External Since: Apr 25, 2006 Posts: 1406

Don't use Enter to end a line. Use word wrap and set your margins and
indents so that it works for you.
You can insert a manual line break instead of a paragraph break with
Shift-Enter.
You can hit Ctrl-Z (Undo) immediately after the capitalization.

There is an old book called "The Mac Is Not A Typewriter." I would suggest
you find a copy of it or of "The Word Processor Book." I believe they were
both written by Peter McWilliams.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

"petermcwerner" <petermcwerner.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:57BF62E1-0201-4B99-9610-85E5222DFE31@microsoft.com...
> Word XP automatically capitalizes the first letter whenever I enter a <CR>
> (Enter) even if it is not a new sentence. Example
>
> This is
> Not a new sentence
>
> How to change this behaviour?

John Doue · External Since: Dec 20, 2004 Posts: 38

petermcwerner wrote:
> Word XP automatically capitalizes the first letter whenever I enter a <CR>
> (Enter) even if it is not a new sentence. Example
>
> This is
> Not a new sentence
>
> How to change this behaviour?
Tools, Autocorrect options, Autocorrect Tab, uncheck the corresponding
choice.

Regards

--
John Doue

petermcwerner · External Since: Feb 22, 2006 Posts: 5

Thank you John,

> Tools, Autocorrect options, Autocorrect Tab, uncheck the corresponding
> choice.

If I do that, then it will not correct real capitalization errors. Is there
no way that I can exclude only the capitalization on New Lines when there was
no full stop on the previous line?

Regards
Peter

petermcwerner · External Since: Feb 22, 2006 Posts: 5

Thank you Charles for your tips

> You can insert a manual line break instead of a paragraph break with
> Shift-Enter.

I guess I shall have to resort to this method. It is not very practical
because you have to be very attentive and it slows down the workflow
significantly.

I consider this a bug. You do not expect a word processor to create new
errors instead of correcting yours.

There should be an option (better, it should be default behaviour) not to
capitalize after a <CR> if the previous line did not end with a [.] or [?]
etc.

Thierry Fontenelle [MSFT] · External Since: May 22, 2005 Posts: 7

Peter,
Most people would not consider this a bug, I think. I guess most users would
expect the line starting after a <CR> to be capitalized since in most cases,
if it did not end with a full stop, the stuff before the <CR> is in fact a
title, a heading, a sub-title, etc. When you write a report, you tend to
write something like "Introduction", then <CR>, then you expect the beginning
of your paragraph to be capitalized. If this is not the case, then follow
Charles' tips.

I hope it helps,

Best wishes,

Thierry

Thierry Fontenelle [MSFT]

"petermcwerner" wrote:

> Thank you Charles for your tips
>
> > You can insert a manual line break instead of a paragraph break with
> > Shift-Enter.
>
> I guess I shall have to resort to this method. It is not very practical
> because you have to be very attentive and it slows down the workflow
> significantly.
>
> I consider this a bug. You do not expect a word processor to create new
> errors instead of correcting yours.
>
> There should be an option (better, it should be default behaviour) not to
> capitalize after a <CR> if the previous line did not end with a [.] or [?]
> etc.

Charles Kenyon · External Since: Apr 25, 2006 Posts: 1406

The Enter key is a command to Word to begin a new paragraph. By definition,
this begins a new sentence. I again urge you to check out the McWilliams
books. It will save you a lot of time and frustration. You are using your
computer and word processor as if they were typewriters. They are not.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

"petermcwerner" <petermcwerner DeleteThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7AC6AF78-02D7-4FFB-B846-11BE2A16F8B0@microsoft.com...
> Thank you Charles for your tips
>
>> You can insert a manual line break instead of a paragraph break with
>> Shift-Enter.
>
> I guess I shall have to resort to this method. It is not very practical
> because you have to be very attentive and it slows down the workflow
> significantly.
>
> I consider this a bug. You do not expect a word processor to create new
> errors instead of correcting yours.
>
> There should be an option (better, it should be default behaviour) not to
> capitalize after a <CR> if the previous line did not end with a [.] or [?]
> etc.

petermcwerner · External Since: Feb 22, 2006 Posts: 5

Charles,

Allow me to disagree. First, I am not a word processor professional and for
me Word has to be a tool to get my work done simply and efficiently. I am not
interested in the philosophy behind it and I expect an interface that will
allow me to do so with a minimum of study and effort. I have used WordStar
before PCs were invented, then WordPerfect and Ventura Publisher before
switching to various successive versions of Word. I am using Dreamweaver for
creating/editing web pages, so I would think I am not a beginner as far as
word processors and editors are concerned.

I expect from a software that it can be adapted to my way of working and
having to use an unusual combination of keys (Shift-Enter of Ctrl-Z) to
achieve an often needed simple result is just not efficient. It considerably
slows down my workflow if I have to continually correct the mistakes Word
introduces in a document by this “Feature” instead of concentrating on the
text and relying on the spell-checker to correct MY mistakes.

When I write, the following cases that provoke these errors often happen:

- I want to break to line to have a web address in a new line and not within
the text flow of the paragraph:

*************
You will find an in-depth analysis of this phenomenon on
Http://www.xyz.com/xxxx/lllll/12354
*************

- I want to enter an email address:

*************
John Doe
John.doe DeleteThis @example.com
*************

In both cases, Word introduces this disturbing capitalization error that I
have to watch out for.

Well, I think all has been said about this “Feature”. I will have to live
with this “bug” and manually correct the errors introduced by Word into my
texts.

"Charles Kenyon" wrote:

> The Enter key is a command to Word to begin a new paragraph. By definition,
> this begins a new sentence. I again urge you to check out the McWilliams
> books. It will save you a lot of time and frustration. You are using your
> computer and word processor as if they were typewriters. They are not.
> --
> Charles Kenyon
>
> Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word
>
> Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
> Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide
>
> See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
> --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
> This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
> and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
> from my ignorance and your wisdom.
>
>
> "petermcwerner" <petermcwerner DeleteThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:7AC6AF78-02D7-4FFB-B846-11BE2A16F8B0@microsoft.com...
> > Thank you Charles for your tips
> >
> >> You can insert a manual line break instead of a paragraph break with
> >> Shift-Enter.
> >
> > I guess I shall have to resort to this method. It is not very practical
> > because you have to be very attentive and it slows down the workflow
> > significantly.
> >
> > I consider this a bug. You do not expect a word processor to create new
> > errors instead of correcting yours.
> >
> > There should be an option (better, it should be default behaviour) not to
> > capitalize after a <CR> if the previous line did not end with a [.] or [?]
> > etc.
>
>
>

John Doue · External Since: Dec 20, 2004 Posts: 38

petermcwerner wrote:

> Charles,
>
> Allow me to disagree. First, I am not a word processor professional and for
> me Word has to be a tool to get my work done simply and efficiently. I am not
> interested in the philosophy behind it and I expect an interface that will
> allow me to do so with a minimum of study and effort. I have used WordStar
> before PCs were invented, then WordPerfect and Ventura Publisher before
> switching to various successive versions of Word. I am using Dreamweaver for
> creating/editing web pages, so I would think I am not a beginner as far as
> word processors and editors are concerned.
>
> I expect from a software that it can be adapted to my way of working and
> having to use an unusual combination of keys (Shift-Enter of Ctrl-Z) to
> achieve an often needed simple result is just not efficient. It considerably
> slows down my workflow if I have to continually correct the mistakes Word
> introduces in a document by this "Feature" instead of concentrating on the
> text and relying on the spell-checker to correct MY mistakes.
>
> When I write, the following cases that provoke these errors often happen:
>
> - I want to break to line to have a web address in a new line and not within
> the text flow of the paragraph:
>
> *************
> You will find an in-depth analysis of this phenomenon on
> Http://www.xyz.com/xxxx/lllll/12354
> *************
>
>
> - I want to enter an email address:
>
> *************
> John Doe
> John.doe RemoveThis @example.com
> *************
>
>
> In both cases, Word introduces this disturbing capitalization error that I
> have to watch out for.
>
> Well, I think all has been said about this "Feature". I will have to live
> with this "bug" and manually correct the errors introduced by Word into my
> texts.
>
>
>
>
> "Charles Kenyon" wrote:
>
>
>>The Enter key is a command to Word to begin a new paragraph. By definition,
>>this begins a new sentence. I again urge you to check out the McWilliams
>>books. It will save you a lot of time and frustration. You are using your
>>computer and word processor as if they were typewriters. They are not.
>>--
>>Charles Kenyon
>>
>>Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word
>>
>>Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
>>Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide
>>
>>See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
>> --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
>>This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
>>and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
>>from my ignorance and your wisdom.
>>
>>
>>"petermcwerner" <petermcwerner RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>news:7AC6AF78-02D7-4FFB-B846-11BE2A16F8B0@microsoft.com...
>>
>>>Thank you Charles for your tips
>>>
>>>
>>>>You can insert a manual line break instead of a paragraph break with
>>>>Shift-Enter.
>>>
>>>I guess I shall have to resort to this method. It is not very practical
>>>because you have to be very attentive and it slows down the workflow
>>>significantly.
>>>
>>>I consider this a bug. You do not expect a word processor to create new
>>>errors instead of correcting yours.
>>>
>>>There should be an option (better, it should be default behaviour) not to
>>>capitalize after a <CR> if the previous line did not end with a [.] or [?]
>>>etc.
>>
>>
>>
Dear Peter,

I have tried to look further into your problem. If I understand
correctly the issue, you object to the fact that to achieve the intended
result, you have to hit Shift-Enter instead of Enter.

I am not sure I would be able to write it, but I think a macro would
solve your problem. The idea would be for the macro to check, when you
hit a certain key (since I am not sure a macro can be assigned to
"Enter") if the previous character is or is not a character marking the
end of a sentence. Depending on the answer, the macro would enter a
Return or a shift-Enter return.

Of course, if as I suspect, it is not possible to assign such a macro to
the Enter key, you might want to assign it to the nearest key, like
Right Ctrl, that I suspect nobody ever uses. Or you could create a
button in the menu bar that would launch the macro.

You mention the fact that you used to use Wordperfect. I just check on
WP12 and indeed, it seems to behave the way you want it to.

Hope this helps a little bit.

--
John Doue

petermcwerner · External Since: Feb 22, 2006 Posts: 5

Thank you for your suggestion.

>Of course, if as I suspect, it is not possible to assign such a macro to
>the Enter key, you might want to assign it to the nearest key, like
>Right Ctrl

I fear this would not change the issue. I would always have to be careful
and use a special key (e.g. Right Ctrl instead of Shift Enter). The problem
is that - whatever workaround one chooses - it always involves alertness as
to the fact that Word will create an error and this slows down considerably
the workflow.

>You mention the fact that you used to use Wordperfect. I just check
> on WP12 and indeed, it seems to behave the way you want it to.

All the other editors I currently use, do not have this behaviour:
Dreamweaver, the Visual Studio Editor, Notepad. Of course they do not have a
spelling checker. I sometimes import text I wrote with Notepad or Dreamweaver
into Word to spell check and - pronto - I get a number of spelling errors
shown due to this behaviour of Word.

In this case it is not too bad, I can just ignore these "errors". When I use
Word to write a text, I have to remember that Word behaves differently from
all the other editors I use. I can of course turn off Capitalization
checking, but then Word will not correct legitimate errors either.

Thank you again for your suggestion. I do not see a solution to this problem
and I guess I shall have to live with this error.

John Doue · External Since: Dec 20, 2004 Posts: 38

petermcwerner wrote:

> Thank you for your suggestion.
>
>
>>Of course, if as I suspect, it is not possible to assign such a macro to
>>the Enter key, you might want to assign it to the nearest key, like
>>Right Ctrl
>
>
> I fear this would not change the issue. I would always have to be careful
> and use a special key (e.g. Right Ctrl instead of Shift Enter). The problem
> is that - whatever workaround one chooses - it always involves alertness as
> to the fact that Word will create an error and this slows down considerably
> the workflow.
>
>
>>You mention the fact that you used to use Wordperfect. I just check
>>on WP12 and indeed, it seems to behave the way you want it to.
>
>
> All the other editors I currently use, do not have this behaviour:
> Dreamweaver, the Visual Studio Editor, Notepad. Of course they do not have a
> spelling checker. I sometimes import text I wrote with Notepad or Dreamweaver
> into Word to spell check and - pronto - I get a number of spelling errors
> shown due to this behaviour of Word.
>
> In this case it is not too bad, I can just ignore these "errors". When I use
> Word to write a text, I have to remember that Word behaves differently from
> all the other editors I use. I can of course turn off Capitalization
> checking, but then Word will not correct legitimate errors either.
>
> Thank you again for your suggestion. I do not see a solution to this problem
> and I guess I shall have to live with this error.
Peter,

My suggestion of a macro would not require alertness since the macro
will make the right choice depending on what character it finds when you
run it. But it would require you to always use a key combination instead
of Enter which, I agree, is not very desirable.

Regards

--
John Doue