Word Spike (Ctrl-F3) doesn't work

Hello dbustell,

For Spike, you use Ctrl+Shift+F3, not just Ctrl+F3...

Regards,

Patrick

You use Ctrl-F3 to pick up (equivalent to cut) the text and Ctrl-Shift-F3 to put it back down (equivalent to paste). The problem is, Ctrl-F3 doesn't pick it up. On the machines that work, when you highlight text and hit Ctrl-F3, the highlighted text disappears and can be put back in the document with Ctrl-Shift-F3.

This machine does nothing when you hit Ctrl-F3.

Does it work in Word safe mode (Start > run > type winword /a and hit enter)? If so, try this:
http://howtotroubleshoot.blogspot.com/2007/08/how-to-clean-word.html

Nope.
Start>Run> winword /a didn't do it.

BTW, I have already tried 'Detect and Repair'.

More ideas?
Thx
D-

I had to go back and look up exactly what the spike did (I didn't think anyone actually used that feature :)

I'd check to see if ctrl+F3 is mapped to a different functionality (although, it should have worked in winword /a because in that mode, Word has all customizations bypassed). Still, you can check by going to Tools > Customize > Commands tab > Click the Keyboard button > for any command, put the cursor in the "Press new shortcut key" box and hit ctrl+F3. If it shows that it's currently mapped to spike, then this is a non-issue.

Since /a doesn't work, then I'd start looking at an external-to-word issue like maybe a keyboard driver (try windows safe mode).

I just discovered the spike from the Woody's Office for Mere Mortals newsletter. I'd never heard of it. I'm trying to get it to the Word Power User in the office - she was pretty excited about the idea - had never heard of it either. But wouldn't you know: her machine is the one that is balking.

I'm headed home now so will try your suggestions tomorrow.

Thx
D-

Well I finally got back to trying to figure this one out.

I played around removing and resetting the keyboard in Tool > Customize > Commands > Keyboard and the stupid thing still won't work. The really weird part is that the Control keys and the F3 key both work independently but Ctrl+F3 does nothing.

I suppose the only things left are reinstalling Office and the keyboard driver - - unless someone has some other ideas.

Thx
D-

Oh, another thing . . .

It appears, as I read it, that the keyboard maps may be in the Normal.dot.

Do you suppose forcing that to recreate might work?
And how do you recreate Normal.dot? Just hide it so a new one is built on the next open?

D-

If you rename/delete/remove normal.dot,Word will recreate a new one when it next opens. But, if it doesn't work in Word safe mode (winword /a), then a new normal won't work either because in /a mode, it doesn't use the normal.dot.

Do you have a standard US keyboard installed (also, reinstalling the keyboard driver isn't a bad idea)? When you were in the keyboard customization dialog, would it let you set up a key combination for Ctrl+F3? Also, have we tried Windows safe mode yet? Further, is this a fancy pants USB keyboard with super extra buttons? Perhaps the keyboard software just needs to be updated (you could try uninstalling it first).

Because it's Autotext just type the word "Spike" plus ENTER to paste the copied text from Spike.