Copying Deleted Text in Word 2002

[Madawc]

Working on a Word document using 'Track Changes', I found I needed a Reference Number from a block of code that had been deleted. As usual, I used Cut-And-Paste to get the Reference Number - except the system was too "smart" to let me. It kept producing an error box saying This section is marked as deleted text, along with that nice [OK] box that gives you a choice of agreeing with them or agreeing with them.

I switched to the 'Original Text' display, but the system was too clever for me, knowing infallibly that I didn't want to do what I wanted to do.

I found a work-round: take the entire block of text, including non-deleted. Paste Special as Text, which loses the 'deleted text' function. Trim back the pasted text to the bit you want. But it still seemed absurd.

The text in question was under another User ID, but I experimented and found it did the same with deleted text under my current User ID. (The multi-colour option for User ID is a genuinely clever option, incidentally.) What I found, though, was that User ID made no difference.

Does anyone know of a simpler work-round? And has it been fixed in more recent versions?



Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK). Using Windows XP & Crystal 10

 

[mintjulep]

I don't have 2002, but some things to try:

Cut, paste into a "dumb" app, like notepad, cut then paste where you want.

Reject the deletion, cut, paste, redelete the original.

 

[Madawc]

Thanks. That works, but I was wondering why Microsoft have such a rule.

Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK). Using Windows XP & Crystal 10

 

[TonyJollans]

I do agree it seems an odd restriction but I think at least part of the reason is the confusion that would be caused by pasting deleted text - what type of change should it be considered to be?

A slightly easier workaround, perhaps, would be to select the deleted text you want to copy, reject the change, copy the text, undo the rejection of the change, and then paste wherever you want. Rejecting a change is not, by default, assigned to a key combination but you could manually assign one then, after selecting your text, all you would need to do would be press your new key combo, then Ctrl+C, then Ctrl+Z - OK, it's a bit more than just Ctrl+C, but not too onerous.

Enjoy,
Tony

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[Madawc]

Thanks, that's another method.

Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK). Using Windows XP & Crystal 10