Strange field-code???

[ErikJan]

I received a WORD file the other dat which appeared to be Dutch. When I switched on the paragraph-codes (and more) display (which is what I always do), much to my surpirse the document appeard to be multi lingual as also an English text was available. The field codes look like "{0>" at the start, "<}100{>" between and "<0}" at the end of the two languages.
Each line is first Dutch then English. I thought I knew Word but I've never seen this. Anyone who knows what this is and how this works?? (this functions in 2003 and 2007 for sure)...

[HansV]

Could you post a copy of the document with most of the text removed (but make sure that at least some of the fields remain)?

[ErikJan]

It looks like these are hidden fields...

[HansV]

The document doesn't contain any fields. The text that you mentioned is "simply" hidden text - a property that you can specify in the Format Font dialog:

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The "codes" {>0, <}100{> and <0} are plain text, they don't have a special significance in Word. I suspect that the document has been generated from another application, and that these codes are markers used by that application to separate the different languages.

[ErikJan]

I have yet another example like this and re-investigated... I believe there's more to this... For instance: the codes {} disappear in normal mode but appear when I swich on display of field codes. Seems they are not 'just' text. Also playing with the hidden feature is stange and seems to behave oddly. I'll try to find some more info...

[HansV]

If you wish, you can attach a stripped down copy of the document again.

[ErikJan]

Difficult as that document is more complex, the behavior is similar to the file I added earlier...

[HansV]

In the previous document, the { and } were plain text, they were not affected by showing/hiding field codes. In the newer one, you claim they are only visible if you show field codes. So the behavior is not the same, there must be a difference.

[ErikJan]

Sorry, I didn't mean field code, but the show paragraph marks option. I looked at it again and maybe it is just hidden text... This was pulled from HTML and it is strange to finf the small, subscript, hidden "{0>" and "<}" codes (which do resemble field codes) surrounding the alternate language text...
I'm convinced no human being created the document like this; some tool must have created these somehow... As I am facing translation of a document in English (from Dutch) this 'in place' looking option looks appealing

[HansV]

In the previous document, the English text plus the {0> and <0} surrounding it is formatted as hidden. If you ordinarily do not display hidden text, the English text will be hidden/unhidden with the ¶ button.

The text might well have been generated by some kind of code or tool, but I have no idea what or which.

[ErikJan]

Yes, you are right. Now I have to find such a tool maybe.

But is I expand my question then maybe: I need a Dutch and and English version of a document. They need to be identical; using two news-paper like columns is cumbersome. So now I opted to maintain two documents side-by-side. Are there ways I can do this in a more clever way? Thinking VBA and programming I could think of special codes surrounding text and VBA-code to hide one, the other (or none if I need to make changes and see both). Adding the codes and maintaining and running all of that seems like more work than maintaining them side by side maybe. Anyone with suggestions, ideas here maybe?

[here's one, what if the codes would not be required and the VBA-code would read language settings per paragraph and hide or show these based on that? But what then if I have figures and tables? Maybe say 'don't spell check' and then always display? It's an idea, someone must have thought about that before - I hope]

[DaveA]

Have a look here http://www.translationsoftware4u.com/tr ... office.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But it ain't free