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XL2000: AutoCorrect Uses Curly Apostrophes, Not Straight Apostrophes

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This article was previously published under Q214340

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Symptoms

In Microsoft Excel, the AutoCorrect feature uses curly (smart, or typographer's) apostrophes when it corrects text. This may cause difficulties if you expect the corrected text to contain straight apostrophes.

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Cause

This behavior occurs because the entries in the AutoCorrect list contain curly apostrophes, not straight apostrophes. The following entries are affected: 
   aren't            it'll       what's
   can't             it's        where's
   can't have been   it's a      who's
   company's         it's not    who've
   couldn't          it's the    won't
   didn't            let's       wouldn't
   doesn't           she'll      you'd
   don't             shouldn't   you're
   don't know        that's      you're a
   hadn't            they'll     you're an
   hasn't            they're     you're her
   haven't           they've     you're here
   he'll             wasn't      you're his
   here's            we'd        you're my
   I'm               we'll       you're the
   I'd               we're       you're their
   I'll              we've       you're your
   isn't             weren't     you've

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Workaround

If, as a result of using the AutoCorrect feature, your worksheet contains a number of curly apostrophes, you can replace them with straight apostrophes. To do so, follow these steps:
  1. On the Edit menu, click Replace.
  2. Place the insertion point in the Find what box. Hold down the ALT key while you type 0146, using the number keys on the numeric keypad. Release the ALT key. This enters a curly apostrophe in the edit box.
  3. In the Replace with box, type an apostrophe (').
  4. Click Replace All.
All of the curly apostrophes in the worksheet are replaced by straight apostrophes.

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More information

The AutoCorrect feature in Microsoft Excel is designed to help correct common typing mistakes. For example, if you accidentally type "hte" instead of "the," AutoCorrect automatically changes the incorrect text to "the." To view or make changes to the AutoCorrect list, click AutoCorrect on the Tools menu.

Because the AutoCorrect list is shared among multiple programs (Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and so on), some of the entries in the list are designed to take advantage of features in the different programs, such as curly quotation marks and apostrophes.

As a result, the entries in the list that contain apostrophes use curly apostrophes, not straight apostrophes. In Microsoft Excel 2000, the code for curly apostrophes is 0146.

The difference in appearance between curly and standard apostrophes is relatively minor, so you may not notice when this behavior occurs.

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Keywords: KB214340, kbprb

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Article Info
Article ID : 214340
Revision : 4
Created on : 9/27/2003
Published on : 9/27/2003
Exists online : False
Views : 245