Q. I have a long Word document with parts that I want to cut and paste into a different file. Not all the paragraphs I want to use are near each other, and I think there will be a lot of back-and-forth between the two files, but is there a way to select random parts of the original document all at once? .
A. While the basic cut-and-paste maneuver just grabs one chunk of contiguous text from a file at a time, recent versions of Microsoft Word include a helpful feature called the "Spike" that may help here. The Spike is sort of a longer-term storage area within Word. By using the Spike, you can select and cut non-contiguous text from around the original document. Then paste it all as one big batch into the new location.
To use the Spike feature in Word for Windows, highlight the first batch of text you want to move and press Control-F3. In the Mac version of Word, press Command-F3 instead. Keep highlighting the text and images you want from around the file, pressing Control-F3 or Command-F3 to snag each chunk.
When you have the content you want from the first document, switch to the new location and click the cursor where you want the material to go. In Windows, press Control-Shift-F3 to empty all the content from the Spike into the new file; on a Mac, press Command-Shift-F3. If you want to paste the contents of the Spike without clearing it, you can follow these 3 steps:
To avoid damaging the original copy, make sure you do not save it when you close the file or work from a copy.
This tip applies to Word versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007 | 2010.
Much of this information came from J.D. Biersodorfer of Gadgetwise. For a more advanced use and understanding of Spike, try "MY TechTeam's" information where you can learn how to see what is in the Spike if you have version 2007 or 2010. Click here.
To use the Spike feature in Word for Windows, highlight the first batch of text you want to move and press Control-F3. In the Mac version of Word, press Command-F3 instead. Keep highlighting the text and images you want from around the file, pressing Control-F3 or Command-F3 to snag each chunk.
When you have the content you want from the first document, switch to the new location and click the cursor where you want the material to go. In Windows, press Control-Shift-F3 to empty all the content from the Spike into the new file; on a Mac, press Command-Shift-F3. If you want to paste the contents of the Spike without clearing it, you can follow these 3 steps:
- Position the insertion point where you want the Spike contents pasted.
- Type spike. (Spike will disappear after you press F3.)
- Press F3. (I know this method works in PC. Try it in Mac and let me know.)
To avoid damaging the original copy, make sure you do not save it when you close the file or work from a copy.
This tip applies to Word versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003 | 2007 | 2010.
Much of this information came from J.D. Biersodorfer of Gadgetwise. For a more advanced use and understanding of Spike, try "MY TechTeam's" information where you can learn how to see what is in the Spike if you have version 2007 or 2010. Click here.