The Problem:
When I try to delete a word I've selected, Word shows "Delete Block? No (Yes)" in the status bar instead of simply deleting it.
The Solution:
Help for WordPerfect Users is turned on. To turn it off, choose Tools » Options, click the General tab, uncheck the "Help for WordPerfect users" box, and click the OK button.
Set Realistic Expectations for AutoSummarize
The Problem:
I needed to produce a summary of my thesis quickly, so I used the Tools » AutoSummarize commandand got complete drivel. Correctly spelled drivel, mind you, but the text seemed to be chosen at random.
The Solution:
Well, what did you expect? AutoSummarize has no idea what your document is about. It doesn't understand the contents. All it does is count the relative frequency of nouns, verbs, and so on and decide which are the most "important" based on frequency. Your chances of getting a usable summary for your thesis using AutoSummarize are negligible.
This suggests AutoSummarize is uselessbut that's not entirely so. Say someone dumps a hundred-page report on you 10 minutes before the meeting at which you're supposed to elaborate on itand the report is completely unformatted, so you can't skim through it and read the headings. You might try siccing AutoSummarize on the report and seeing what it produces. It doesn't take long, and you have nothing to lose.
Get an Instant Word Count
The Problem:
I'm not paid by the word (though I'd love to be), but I use the Word Count feature to track my progress. The problem is, I'm getting bored with choosing Tools » Word Count to open the Word Count dialog box each time I want to check.
The Solution:
All you need do is display the Word Count toolbar (see Figure 3-20): go to View » Toolbars or right-click any displayed toolbar and click the Word Count item. To force a recount, press Alt+C or click the Recount button.
Figure 3-20. Keep the Word Count toolbar openor copy its controls to the menu bar or a toolbarso that you can quickly see how many words your document contains.
If you don't want to waste space by leaving the Word Count toolbar open, Ctrl+Alt-drag its controls to the menu bar (if there's space) or another toolbar that you keep open all the time. When you close the document or exit Word, save your changes to the template if Word prompts you to do so.