WD97: Wildcard Calculates Search and Replace Text Improperly (231807)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q231807

SYMPTOMS

When you find or replace text using wildcard criteria of any character occurring from n to m occurrences (?{n,m}), Word may find or replace text that exceeds m.

In the text example:

sample a 123
sample ab 123
sample abc 123
sample abcd 123

to find all occurrences of text beginning with the word "Sample ", followed by just one to three characters and ending with " 123", you would build a wildcard search criteria of:

Sample (?{1,3})( 123)

in the Find what box (in the Find and Replace dialog box on the Edit menu).

This criteria, however, will find the last line in the example above, which contains more than three characters.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about find and replace, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type find and replace in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

For additional information about wildcard search or replace, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

198047 WD97: Can't Find Text Using Wildcards with Find or Replace

198370 WD97: Find/Replace with Wildcard Finds All Punctuation

176776 WD: Searching for Special Characters When Use Wildcards Selected

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/14/2000
Keywords:kbbug KB231807
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