How to remove a 'column' from text in a document?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robert Macy
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Robert Macy

Is there a simple way to remove a column from a document of text?

For example, I have a document with a column of superflous information
either a tab character, or some repeated useless words. I'd like to
remove that section out from between everything that's there. The
present work around is time consuming: place the cursor at the start
of the column on each line, shift ctrl-arrowright until too much is
blue, shift ctrl-left, and THEN delete. Repeat on each line.

Is there an easy way to do this in Notepad, Worpad, or Word?

Robert
 
Is there a simple way to 'insert' a column?
In case I want to ADD a set of tab characters
 
I use Replace to add tab characters.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

Is there a simple way to 'insert' a column?
In case I want to ADD a set of tab characters
 
Thank you for your help. But, several experiments have failed, so need
step by step instructions.

When I marked a column, used replace, and tried to add a tab
character; all I got was kicked out of replace.

Repeat attempt trying to add three spaces and still nothing happened.

If doing a simple remove characters, must be careful that wraparound
doesn't place characters I want to keep into the section that gets
removed.

My workaround for total control is very awkward. Convert to text
only. store as a file that has 8.3 filename format. Open using an
old DOS editor, WordStar. Completely do everything in column mode,
save file, open with Notepad, and paste back into the Word doc file.
Cumbersome.
 
Well, if you have columns created with tabs, then you can replace ^t with
^t^t. Instead of Replace All, use Find Next to add tabs only where needed.
But it would make a lot more sense to convert the text to a table, then add
a column to the table.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

Thank you for your help. But, several experiments have failed, so need
step by step instructions.

When I marked a column, used replace, and tried to add a tab
character; all I got was kicked out of replace.

Repeat attempt trying to add three spaces and still nothing happened.

If doing a simple remove characters, must be careful that wraparound
doesn't place characters I want to keep into the section that gets
removed.

My workaround for total control is very awkward. Convert to text
only. store as a file that has 8.3 filename format. Open using an
old DOS editor, WordStar. Completely do everything in column mode,
save file, open with Notepad, and paste back into the Word doc file.
Cumbersome.
 
You can also search for the end of a row (stop followed by a return or just
a return) and replace with stop/return/tab or Return/Tab. But as Suzanne
suggests, convert text to table and then use Add a Column Before. Fill the
new column with Tabs and then convert Table to Text.
 
I got the impression the column was to be added in the middle of the line,
but of course I could be misinterpreting. This whole thread has been too
vague for my taste.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org
 
I got the impression the column was to be added in the middle of the line,
but of course I could be misinterpreting. This whole thread has been too
vague for my taste.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USAhttp://word.mvps.org
Click to expand...

Yes, added ANYWHERE. Or delete anywhere.

Well, for me, the description proferred for 'replace' was so vague I
couldn't get it to work.

So far DELETE has been no problem. Thank you for this powerful tool.

But inserting a column some where I didn't see anyway to do until
mentioning text to table to text

Will try.
 
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