• Apostrophe before two digit year

    • This topic has 5 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 15 years ago.
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    #468333

    In Word 2002 SP3 I’m trying to put an apostrophe before two digit year designations (e.g., ’65 for 1965), but I want to use “Smart quotes,” so I need a close single quote. Is there a way to seach and replace these two digit numbers and place a close single quote before them (Word always puts an open single quote)?

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    • #1219586

      Unfortunately, the Find and Replace function gets involved with the Autoformatting function and changes the single quote, even if you copy and paste a smart quote into the replace field. However, if you turn off the “Replace as you type” “Straight quotes with smart quotes” in the AutoCorrect / AutoFormat As You Type dialog box, then it will preserve your single open quote symbol. FYI, you can create that single open quote by holding down the CTRL key and pressing ‘,” – it is difficult to see from the Insert ‘ Symbols / Special Characters however, as that last character looks like a double quote but is actually two single quotes.

    • #1219648

      In Word 2002 SP3 I’m trying to put an apostrophe before two digit year designations (e.g., ’65 for 1965), but I want to use “Smart quotes,” so I need a close single quote. Is there a way to seach and replace these two digit numbers and place a close single quote before them (Word always puts an open single quote)?

      In Word 2003, when you press space after the two digits, Word flips the quote around automatically. I love it. But that doesn’t help you, does it… it just makes it harder for me to work on your issue.

      First, turn off smart quotes. (Tools > AutoCorrect Options > AutoFormat as you Type tab)

      Next, do a wildcard find and replace for this:

      Find What: ‘([0-9]{2})
      Replace With: ’1

      (If the above does not paste correctly:) For the “open” apostrophe, use Alt+0145 (numeric keypad) and for the “close” using Altr+0146.

      Any luck?

    • #1220079

      No, the formula for Find/Replace didn’t work. But your advice to add a space after the two digits will make changing all these easier.

      • #1220085

        No, the formula for Find/Replace didn’t work.

        Hmmm, sorry to hear that. It tested out in Word 2003.

    • #1220107

      Try doing two search and replaces. This works on the premise that Word inserts a closing smart quote if there is a letter in front of it but doesn’t change the quotes direction if those preceding characters are deleted.

      First, with wildcards turned on. Note you may need to use a directional quote in the find box in order to find the right occurrences but the replace with box won’t need a directional quote if your smart quote autocorrect is turned on.
      Find ‘([0-9]{2}) and replace with aaaa’1

      Next, with wildcards turned off
      Find aaaa and replace with nothing

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