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02 June 2008

Microsoft Word Drives Me Nuts, Chapter 43. Anyone care to help with a little merge & compare mystery?[More:]
So I need to compare two versions of an essay -- Version A (the older version) and Version B (the updated version).

When I merge them, however (per the useless instructions on the Word help menu, as well as this*), all insertions and deletions show up exactly the same -- as insertions.

In other words, even though my "track changes" preferences are set to show deleted text as red strikethrough and inserted text as blue underline, everything's showing up as blue underline, even text that should be red strikethrough. So it's impossible to differentiate between what is new text that's been introduced vs. what is old text that's been removed. This happens regardless of the "direction" I do the merge in -- whether I merge B into A or A into B.

There's probably some stupid box that needs to be toggled on some stupuid sub-sub-sub-menu, but damned if I can find it. I CAN HAZ HALP BUNNIES PLZ?

*incidentally, I just love the "evil people" crack about editors. Yeah, fuck you too, Your Royal Special Snowflakeness. Just trying to make sure you don't go into print with all your participles dangling out of your pants. You're welcome.
Hey scody, I've never done this in word but I tried diff doc (it's free) two weeks ago and it did the job.

Open old version in one panel, new in the next and it will show what's deleted and what's been inserted in different colors.
posted by special-k 02 June | 14:25
PS: I just tried what you did in word and worked for me. What version are you using? 2007?
posted by special-k 02 June | 14:32
Nope, we've still got Word 2003.

I'll try diff doc, though -- thanks!
posted by scody 02 June | 14:54
Damn, can't use diff doc -- I'm at work, so can't download anything.
posted by scody 02 June | 15:09
Is it just me || So like two weeks ago

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