4kids4me Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Can anyone help? I'm not even sure I can word this properly to explain what's going on...let's see...whenever I bring up a document, new or old, after each return I see a light gray backwards double P. In between words I see a faint dot. I think it's in my template because I've brought up a few documents and it does it in all of them. How can I get this off??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristinaBreece Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 It's showing every key stroke. I don't remember how to turn it off, but it won't print that way, if that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allearia Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 It is set to show paragraph markings. Which version of Word do you have? I know in 2007 you can press Control+* to turn them on and off, it may work in previous versions I can't remember so give it a try. It is just showing spaces and hard returns and will not affect the document otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kids4me Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 It is set to show paragraph markings. Which version of Word do you have? I know in 2007 you can press Control+* to turn them on and off, it may work in previous versions I can't remember so give it a try. It is just showing spaces and hard returns and will not affect the document otherwise. 2004...the Control+* doesn't work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 There should be a button at the top of the page that looks like the backwards P. Click it to toggle the marks on and off. It is showing the "hidden commands" that control how Word formats things. Sometimes it is very handy to see those marks, because it helps you understand why things are formatted the way they are. They won't print. If you can't find the button, check out the pull-down menus. I can't remember which one it's under, but VIEW is a good one to check if I remember correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kids4me Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 There should be a button at the top of the page that looks like the backwards P. Click it to toggle the marks on and off. It is showing the "hidden commands" that control how Word formats things. Sometimes it is very handy to see those marks, because it helps you understand why things are formatted the way they are. They won't print. If you can't find the button, check out the pull-down menus. I can't remember which one it's under, but VIEW is a good one to check if I remember correctly. Dear askPauline (appropriate name, given this circumstance), I see no button that looks like a backwards P and I cannot figure out on the menu what would control this! I've even searched it using the HELP button (which was no help) and nothing. Could someone fly to Canada to help me???? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 (edited) Try these instructions? http://www.fanhow.com/knowhow:Show_or_Hide_Formatting_Marks_in_Word_32462958 The backwards P people are talking about looks like what is on this page (A paragraph mark): -- this button allows you to toggle these hidden marks on so you can see the text with and without them. http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/show-or-hide-formatting-marks-HP005189641.aspx It is on the Standard Toolbar (View Toolbars, standard) if it has not been modified to remove it :) Personally, I like having all my formatting showing. It shows me where tabs have been used versus spaces, where hard paragraph marks are and where soft ones are. But I know it distracts a lot of people and makes it harder for them to see what they are doing. Here is a link that explains more what this option does, shows more examples. And if you click on "Recommended Settings" tells you how to get to your Word looking like theirs: http://www.officearticles.com/word/show-hide_button_in_microsoft_word.htm Edited March 29, 2011 by vonfirmath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kids4me Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 Try these instructions?http://www.fanhow.com/knowhow:Show_or_Hide_Formatting_Marks_in_Word_32462958 The backwards P people are talking about looks like what is on this page (A paragraph mark): -- this button allows you to toggle these hidden marks on so you can see the text with and without them. http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/show-or-hide-formatting-marks-HP005189641.aspx It is on the Standard Toolbar (View Toolbars, standard) if it has not been modified to remove it :) Personally, I like having all my formatting showing. It shows me where tabs have been used versus spaces, where hard paragraph marks are and where soft ones are. But I know it distracts a lot of people and makes it harder for them to see what they are doing. Here is a link that explains more what this option does, shows more examples. And if you click on "Recommended Settings" tells you how to get to your Word looking like theirs: http://www.officearticles.com/word/show-hide_button_in_microsoft_word.htm :party:We have had success!!!!!!!!! This is what askPauline was talking about but I didn't know where to find it...I had to bring up the STANDARD toolbar and there, in front of my eyes, was the P that needed to be clicked!!!!!! I can't do enough !!!!!! to show my excitement! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Yay!!! When you have a little time, play around with the stuff on the pull down menus, or get a nearby teenager to give you some tips. There's always more to learn and there's SO much that can make life easier once you know how to use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 We once actually DID accidentally change our "new document" template (well my husband did), and of course he had no idea how he did it. Thing is, the NEW template was HIS "LETTER FROM SANTA" to the kids! I mean really, what are the chances that the ONLY thing we wouldn't want the kids to see on the computer is now the automatic template -- complete with entire letter every time you create a new document? It took me a while to figure out how to undo it, too. It remained that way for a few weeks (with us quickly erasing the letter every time we needed to create something) until I had a chance to google around and get advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kids4me Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 We once actually DID accidentally change our "new document" template (well my husband did), and of course he had no idea how he did it. Thing is, the NEW template was HIS "LETTER FROM SANTA" to the kids! I mean really, what are the chances that the ONLY thing we wouldn't want the kids to see on the computer is now the automatic template -- complete with entire letter every time you create a new document? It took me a while to figure out how to undo it, too. It remained that way for a few weeks (with us quickly erasing the letter every time we needed to create something) until I had a chance to google around and get advice. LOL, quite the coincidence! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kids4me Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 Yay!!!When you have a little time, play around with the stuff on the pull down menus, or get a nearby teenager to give you some tips. There's always more to learn and there's SO much that can make life easier once you know how to use it. You mean you can do more than just type up a document and change the font/bold/italic??? LOL!!!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 You mean you can do more than just type up a document and change the font/bold/italic??? LOL!!!! :lol: Outlines Multiple levels of styles Automatically setting the style of the next paragraph to what you want it to be Changing the spacing both within and between paragraphs to make it look better on the page (and to prevent leaving orphans on one page -- or titles on one page and the text on the next) Automatically numbering lists (in many different ways) Keeping the formatting of a document consistent across an entire report Footnotes/endnotes that automatically renumber themselves when you add a sentence and a new note in the middle of the paper Equation notation Changing text to all caps to put into a database Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kids4me Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 Outlines Multiple levels of styles Automatically setting the style of the next paragraph to what you want it to be Changing the spacing both within and between paragraphs to make it look better on the page (and to prevent leaving orphans on one page -- or titles on one page and the text on the next) Automatically numbering lists (in many different ways) Keeping the formatting of a document consistent across an entire report Footnotes/endnotes that automatically renumber themselves when you add a sentence and a new note in the middle of the paper Equation notation Changing text to all caps to put into a database So what you're saying, really, is that I've got some work ahead of me??? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 So what you're saying, really, is that I've got some work ahead of me??? :D Depends on what you want to do. I've only scratched the surface on what Word can do -- but I went out and figured out the stuff I needed and what I know DOES make it easier. Honestly, it would be a tremendous job skill for your kids if you give them the opportunity to learn how to use more of Microsoft Word's specialized units -- making them faster at doing the stuff they need to get done in their jobs, as well as being the "go-to" person at their office when people have problems. My experience is that MOST people who use Word have no idea what a powerful program it really is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4kids4me Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 Depends on what you want to do. I've only scratched the surface on what Word can do -- but I went out and figured out the stuff I needed and what I know DOES make it easier. Honestly, it would be a tremendous job skill for your kids if you give them the opportunity to learn how to use more of Microsoft Word's specialized units -- making them faster at doing the stuff they need to get done in their jobs, as well as being the "go-to" person at their office when people have problems. My experience is that MOST people who use Word have no idea what a powerful program it really is. Good idea...it'd be excellent for the older kids, especially. Do you have a recommended way to get to know it better? A course or a book??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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