Comma in Quoted Text Causes Conversion to Two Columns in Table
ID: Q89831
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The information in this article applies to:
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Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.1a, 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
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Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
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Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
SUMMARY
In a Word for Windows comma- or tab-delimited document, when a quoted
text field contains a comma (used as punctuation), Word for Windows
breaks the quoted text into two columns when you convert it to a
table. The text to the left of the comma is placed in the first column
and the text to the right of the comma is placed in the second column.
This occurs because Word for Windows does not differentiate between
commas used as delimiters and commas used as punctuation.
When you convert such text to a table, you must merge the two columns
with the Merge Cells command.
MORE INFORMATION
The following is a sample comma-delimited data document:
Andy Slagg,"Ashland, OR",97520
Walt Moore,"Santa Monica, CA",97007
Dave Fay,"Bellevue, WA",98005
The following table resembles the table you would get by selecting the
text above and choosing Insert Table from the Table menu (in versions
1.0, 1.1 and 1.1a of Word for Windows, choose Table from the Insert
menu):
----------------------------------------------
|Andy Slagg |"Ashland |OR" |97520 |
|Walt Moore |"Santa Monica |CA" |97007 |
|Dave Fay |"Bellevue |WA" |98005 |
----------------------------------------------
If Word for Windows converted the text in quotation marks correctly,
the table would look like this:
-------------------------------------------
|Andy Slagg |Ashland, OR |97520 |
|Walt Moore |Santa Monica, CA |97007 |
|Dave Fay |Bellevue, WA |98005 |
-------------------------------------------
WORKAROUND- In the comma-delimited data file, select all the data records.
- From the Table menu, choose Insert Table.
- To merge the two columns that contain the separated data, select
both columns and choose Merge Cells from the Table menu. Note that
Word for Windows inserts a paragraph mark in the text of the merged
columns.
- From the Edit menu, choose Replace. In the Find What box type ^p. In the Replace With box type , . Choose the Replace
All button.
- In the Find What box, type a quotation mark ("). Clear the contents
of the Replace With box (it should be blank). Choose the Replace
All button. Choose the Close button.
REFERENCES
"Word for Windows User's Guide," version 2.0, pages 257-258, 265, 314-
318
Additional query words:
6.0 2.0 7.0 word95 word7 word6 winword 1.0 winword2 1.10a split breaks broken word97
Keywords : kbmerge kbtable
Version : WINDOWS:1.0,1.1,1.1a,2.0,2.0a,2.0a-CD,2.0b,2.0c,6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0,7.0a; :
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :
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