WD: Word Count Does Not Count Spaces

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Word, when you use the Word Count command on the Tools menu, the result for characters does not include the number of spaces and tabs in your document.

If you choose Summary Info from the File menu and click Statistics, the result for characters also doesn't include spaces and tabs.

The character count feature includes alphabetic and numeric characters including punctuation marks and special symbols, such as periods and commas, but excludes spaces and tabs.

WORKAROUND

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   Sub MAIN
      If IsMacro() Then
         MsgBox "This will not run in a macro window."
      Else
         ScreenUpdating
         EditBookmark .Name = "NumCharPlaceHolder", .Add
         EditSelectAll
         Number = Len(Selection$()) - 1
         StartOfDocument
         If SelInfo(12) <> - 1 Then
            EditGoTo .Destination = "t"
         EndIf
         While SelInfo(12) = - 1
            If SelInfo(12) = - 1 Then
               Rows = SelInfo(15) * 2
               While SelInfo(13) <> SelInfo(15)
                  NextCell : Count = Count + 2
               Wend
               Count = Count + (SelInfo(18) * 2)
            End If
            Number = Number - Count - Rows
            count = 0
            EndOfRow 1
            CharRight 2
            EditGoTo .Destination = "t"
         Wend
         EditBookmark .Name = "NumCharPlaceHolder", .Goto
         EditBookmark .Name = "NumCharPlaceHolder", .Delete
      End If
      MsgBox "Character Count:" + Str$(Number)
   End Sub

MORE INFORMATION

This functionality is different in Word 2.x for Windows, which includes spaces, tabs, and paragraph marks in the count.

In Word 97 for Windows and Word 98 Macintosh Edition, the count of characters includes spaces but not tabs.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, page 101