WD: Can't Choose "Find Whole Words Only" with More Than One Word

ID: Q106622

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, version 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

The Find Whole Words Only option becomes unavailable (dimmed) when you type more than one word in the Find What box of the Edit Find or Edit Replace dialog box. This behavior differs from that of Word versions 1.x and 2.x for Windows.

CAUSE

The use of the plural "words" in "Find Whole Words Only" refers to finding multiple instances of the word in the document.

WORKAROUND

Click to select the Use Pattern Matching check box when you want to find whole words and you are searching for more than one word.

MORE INFORMATION

Find Whole Words Only instructs Word to find complete words only, and not to find words that only contain what you type. For example, if you type the word "boat" in the Find What box, and do not select Find Whole Words Only, Word will find "boat," "boathouse," and "sailboat."

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, Chapter 3, "Finding and Replacing," "Using Advanced Search Criteria" section

Keywords          : word8 macword98 winword macword word6 word7 word95 
Version           : WINDOWS:6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0,7.0a;MACINTOSH:6.0,6.0.1,6.0.1a,98
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb kbinfo

Last Reviewed: December 16, 1998