How to insert a straight apostrophe instead of a curly one? Thread poster: Hepburn
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Hepburn 
France
Local time: 00:30
English to French
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I was very surprised to be asked to replace all my "normal" curly apostrophes with straight ones, in a long file.
But I did not think much of it until I tried to do so.
I have no straight apostrophe symbol on my keyboard and I have as yet found no way to search and replace curly signs with straight ones, as the "replace function" does not allow copy and paste.
I tried - unsuccessfuly to create a shortcut, but to no avail.
There must be a way. The ta... See more I was very surprised to be asked to replace all my "normal" curly apostrophes with straight ones, in a long file.
But I did not think much of it until I tried to do so.
I have no straight apostrophe symbol on my keyboard and I have as yet found no way to search and replace curly signs with straight ones, as the "replace function" does not allow copy and paste.
I tried - unsuccessfuly to create a shortcut, but to no avail.
There must be a way. The target text is in French.
Thank you for your help.
Claudette ▲ Collapse
| | | | Margreet Logmans (X)
Netherlands
Local time: 00:30
English to Dutch
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| Adjustment of settings in Word | Feb 14, 2007 |
Hi Claudette,
there is a setting in Word that has to do with 'curly' and 'straight' apostrophes. Word automatically makes them curly. To disable this, you need to adjust the settings.
I use Word in Dutch, so the terms may not be correct, but in the menu 'Extra', 'Options for Auto-correction', choose 'Auto- layout while typing'. Then search and replace.
Hope this helps!
Regards,
Margreet
| | | | Attila Piróth
France
Local time: 00:30
Member
English to Hungarian
+ ...
| Solution during typing | Feb 14, 2007 |
Claudette Hepburn wrote:
I was very surprised to be asked to replace all my "normal" curly apostrophes with straight ones, in a long file.
When you type, a straight apostrophe / quote appears for a fraction of a second, and then the Automatic correction function of Word replaces it with a curly one. If you undo this (by Alt + Backspace, for example), you get back your straight apostrophes.
This solution is useful if you have a few opf them in the document, and want to use the Automatic correction function. Otherwise Margreet's solution is probably what you need.
Kind regards,
Attila
[Edited at 2007-02-14 14:24]
| | | | | Try using "replace" "symbol" and boxes | Feb 14, 2007 |
I assume you are using "Word".
When in your document use "Edit" + "Replace"
When the replace box appears "Insert" + "Symbol" to get the symbol box to appear.
Find a box in "symbol" with the curly apostrophe. Click on it to highlight it.
Move the cursor to the "replace line and click"
Take the cursor back down to the symbol box and click on "insert" at the bottom. The curly apostrophe should appear in the "replace what" box.
... See more I assume you are using "Word".
When in your document use "Edit" + "Replace"
When the replace box appears "Insert" + "Symbol" to get the symbol box to appear.
Find a box in "symbol" with the curly apostrophe. Click on it to highlight it.
Move the cursor to the "replace line and click"
Take the cursor back down to the symbol box and click on "insert" at the bottom. The curly apostrophe should appear in the "replace what" box.
Repeat process to insert a straight apostrophe in the "replace with" box.
Click on "replace all".
I've never done with with apostrophe's but have with other symbols.
Good luck. ▲ Collapse
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| Why not copy and paste? | Feb 14, 2007 |
Claudette Hepburn wrote:
I have as yet found no way to search and replace curly signs with straight ones, as the "replace function" does not allow copy and paste.
If you are talking about MS Word why would copy and paste not work?
You can copy any object, symbol, text, or character by highlighting it and then pressing CTRL + C (or CTRL + X to cut it out). Then you can paste it with CTRL + V. This works almost anywhere in Windows, even if there is no context menu available.
I always use this to search and replace special characters, because it's faster than looking for them in the symbols' list.
Before replacing the special symbols in your text you still need to deactivate the respective auto formatting option as described in the postings above, otherwise the replaced symbols will be re-formatted when they are replaced. What a vicious circle! 
[Bearbeitet am 2007-02-14 14:41]
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My previous was how to correct your existing text. If in future you wish a text to have straight apostrophes do the following:
click on "tools"
in the dropdown that will appear click on "autoformat"
In the box that appears click on "autoformat as you type"
in the box that will then appear there is a click-box marked "replace straight quotes with smart quotes". If it has a check mark in it, click on the click box to make it disappear. You will ... See more My previous was how to correct your existing text. If in future you wish a text to have straight apostrophes do the following:
click on "tools"
in the dropdown that will appear click on "autoformat"
In the box that appears click on "autoformat as you type"
in the box that will then appear there is a click-box marked "replace straight quotes with smart quotes". If it has a check mark in it, click on the click box to make it disappear. You will now get straight quotes and apostrophes.
To go back to "smart" ("curly") quotes and apostrophes simply repeat the process.
You can use this function to change other formatting items.
Again, good luck. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Hepburn
France
Local time: 00:30
English to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Firt attempt : no luck | Feb 14, 2007 |
Margreet Logmans wrote:
Hi Claudette,
there is a setting in Word that has to do with 'curly' and 'straight' apostrophes. Word automatically makes them curly. To disable this, you need to adjust the settings.
I use Word in Dutch, so the terms may not be correct, but in the menu 'Extra', 'Options for Auto-correction', choose 'Auto- layout while typing'. Then search and replace.
Well, thank you very much for the idea , which I will work on when I have more time, as my attempt was not succesful and I am short of time right now.
I am sure I will manage. ..after many attempts.
| | | | Hepburn
France
Local time: 00:30
English to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Great! it works! | Feb 14, 2007 |
[quote]Attila Piróth wrote:
When you type, a straight apostrophe / quote appears for a fraction of a second, and then the Automatic correction function of Word replaces it with a curly one. If you undo this (by Alt + Backspace, for example), you get back your straight apostrophes.
This solution is useful if you have a few opf them in the document, and want to use the Automatic correction function. Otherwise Margreet's solution is probably what you need.
quote]
Many grateful thanks: it worked first time and that is all I need at the moment. I will investigate Margaret's technique later on.
Merci, merci, merci
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Hepburn
France
Local time: 00:30
English to French
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TOPIC STARTER | Another technique to be tried and tested | Feb 14, 2007 |
Thomas Ochiltree wrote:
I assume you are using "Word".
When in your document use "Edit" + "Replace"
When the replace box appears "Insert" + "Symbol" to get the symbol box to appear.
Find a box in "symbol" with the curly apostrophe. Click on it to highlight it.
Move the cursor to the "replace line and click"
Take the cursor back down to the symbol box and click on "insert" at the bottom. The curly apostrophe should appear in the "replace what" box.
Repeat process to insert a straight apostrophe in the "replace with" box.
Click on "replace all".
I've never done with with apostrophe's but have with other symbols.
Good luck.
| | | | Ken Cox
Local time: 00:30
German to English
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| another option | Feb 14, 2007 |
You can use a combination the suggestions made by Margreet and Thomas.
The settings Margreet mentions are in the Tools > Autocorrect widow. To get straight apostropes and quote marks instead of curly ones, disable ' "Straight quotes" with "smart quotes"' on the 'Autoformat As You Type' and 'Autoformat' tabs.
After making this change with an existing document, simply use the Find/Replace function to replaced all apostrophes with apostrophes (i.e. with a ' in the Find box... See more You can use a combination the suggestions made by Margreet and Thomas.
The settings Margreet mentions are in the Tools > Autocorrect widow. To get straight apostropes and quote marks instead of curly ones, disable ' "Straight quotes" with "smart quotes"' on the 'Autoformat As You Type' and 'Autoformat' tabs.
After making this change with an existing document, simply use the Find/Replace function to replaced all apostrophes with apostrophes (i.e. with a ' in the Find box and a ' in the Replace box).
Naturally, this will replace not only all single quotation marks but also all apostrophes in contractions and possesives with 'straigh' apostrophes, which is OK if that's what the client wants (but not OK in normal usage). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Hepburn
France
Local time: 00:30
English to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | another technique to be treid and tested (bis) | Feb 14, 2007 |
Thomas Ochiltree wrote:
I assume you are using "Word".
Thank you Thomas, Yes, I am using Word and finding it not too obedient.
I will keep your explanations for when I am not so short of time. And will let the forum know about it.
thanks again!
| | | | Hepburn
France
Local time: 00:30
English to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | all that will be put into practice | Feb 14, 2007 |
Ken Cox wrote:
You can use a combination the suggestions made by Margreet and Thomas.
Thank you Ken, I also keep a note of all these instructions and am very grateful for your input.
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tlmurray (X)
Local time: 18:30
English
You can can also press Alt+0039, using the numeric keypad. The nice thing about using the Alt key is that it works in all Windows programs.
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