How to do search for hyphens

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I’m using Word 2010 (Windows 7). I converted a PDF to Word and I’m trying to clean things up. I have a lot of words with hyphens in the middle of them that shouldn’t be there. What sort of an expression would I use to search for these and replace what I find, minus the hyphen? Thanks.
Clark

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If it were me I’d just use the Edit, Find and Replace feature to delete the hyphens. Even with an expression or macro there will still remain the issue of whether the hyphen should actually exist in some instances, hopefully spell check or grammar check will see those.

Before you wonder "Am I doing things right," ask "Am I doing the right things?"

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Clark,

You can use the following regular expression in the Find what: box

Code:

()(-)(<[a-z,A-Z])

And this in the Replace with: box

Code:

13

Make sure to check the Use wildcards check box.
41265-FindandReplaceRegEx

Of course you'll try this on a COPY of your document!

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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If you don’t have any hyphens that you do want, just put a hyphen in the Find box and leave the Replace box blank. All hyphens will be replaced with…er, nothing.

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For a fully-fledged macro to clean up such documents, see: http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread//147425-Ms-Word-Join-paragraphs-without-punctuation-ONLY?p=859582&viewfull=1#post859582

Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

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