WD2000: AutoCorrect Incorrectly Formats Some Characters When Using Right-to-Left Formatting (231405)

NOTE: This article discusses complex scripts functionality. Complex scripts functionality is available when you use the Office Language Settings tool to enable a language, such as Arabic or Hebrew, that requires this functionality. For more information about multilingual features, click Microsoft <I BRACKET="YES">your Office product</I> Help on the Help menu, type multilingual features in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics that are returned.

SYMPTOMS

If AutoCorrect is turned on, and you type in a right-to-left paragraph, neutral characters (such as fractions) lose their correct formatting, causing the text to flip.

For example, if you type 9 1/2 from right-to-left using the English (U.S.) keyboard, AutoCorrect converts it to 1/2 9.

WORKAROUND

To type neutral characters and maintain the correct reading order in right-to-left paragraphs, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Turn Off AutoCorrect

On the Tools menu, click AutoCorrect.
Click the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
Clear all of the check boxes under Replace as you type.

Method 2: Run the RtlRun or LtrRun Macro

Select the neutral character that flipped.
On the Tools menu, click Macro and then click Macros.
On the Macros in list, click Word commands.
If you want the text to be right-to-left, select the RtlRun macro and then click the Run button.
If you want the text to be left-to-right, select the LtrRun macro and then click the Run button.

The macro restores the correct layout to the selected text.

Method 3: Insert the Character Manually

Position your insertion point where you want to insert the character.
On the Insert menu, click Symbol.
In the Font list, click (normal text), and in the Subset list, click Latin-1.
Select the correct symbol and click Insert.