Insert Citation in Word 2007

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ladybugblue
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Insert Citation in Word 2007

Post by ladybugblue »

I am loving that Word 2007 includes citation functionality.

This is not a high-priority issue, but somewhat annoying and I thought I'd ask about it.

From the Reference pane, I click Insert, Citation, and select the source I'm interested in.
Word displays the citation. I then can click on it, and a drop-down appears that allows me to edit the citation, choosing the page numbers and so on. I can do this several times and Word behaves the same way.
However, as I keep working, I'll again insert a citation (using the same source as before - does that matter?), and suddenly the drop-down won't appear when I click or hover over it. I then need to right-click on the citation to add the same information.

It does appear that when I close Word and re-open, this functionality is restored, so it must just be a bug of some sort?

Thanks,
Angela

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HansV
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Re: Insert Citation in Word 2007

Post by HansV »

I don't work with citations extensively myself, so I haven't encountered this problem myself, but I can't find anything about it using Google either.
From your description it looks like Word is running out of resources. Do you have enough free memory?
Best wishes,
Hans

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ladybugblue
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Re: Insert Citation in Word 2007

Post by ladybugblue »

Jeepers! Good question - I'm not sure. How can I check?

(and I, too, tried Googling and came up empty... another reason to love Eileen's Lounge! )

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HansV
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Re: Insert Citation in Word 2007

Post by HansV »

Right-click an empty part of the Windows task bar.
Select Task Manager from the popup menu.
The Performance tab will show how busy the CPU is, and how much memory is used.
Best wishes,
Hans

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ladybugblue
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Re: Insert Citation in Word 2007

Post by ladybugblue »

You're a genius - I never would have thought of it being CPU-based rather than bug/functionality based. When I'm typing in a quote, I type quickly and then am spell-checking and editing quickly because I don't have to think much while I'm doing it. I left the Task Manager running while I did this just now and watched the CPU usage spike as I did it. I inserted a citation right away, and voila! No drop down. I closed and re-opened, and all was well again.

There must be something in Word that tracks this, because once it's been triggered, I can't get it back again no matter how slowly I go, unless I close & re-open.

Thank you - good to have mysteries explained!

Angela

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ladybugblue
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Re: Insert Citation in Word 2007

Post by ladybugblue »

Annnnd... I think I've found a different explanation.

It appears to have to do with the view in which I'm writing. If I switch the view to Draft mode, the drop-down box does not appear, but if I switch back to Print Layout view, it returns. I prefer draft mode when I'm writing as the page breaks take up a great deal of screen real estate, but apparently I need to decide what I want more - that, or the happy little drop-down boxes. I didn't catch it before because I didn't automatically go to Draft mode every time I opened the document. Word 2007 automatically reverts to Page Layout view when it opens, and I would only switch back to Draft when I hit a particularly annoying page break. Closing and re-opening had the effect of "resetting" the functionality, when really it was simply reverting to the original view.

Jeepers!

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HansV
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Re: Insert Citation in Word 2007

Post by HansV »

Ah yes - I hadn't noticed that! The dropdown is displayed in Print Layout and Web Layout view, but not in Draft, Outline or Full Screen Reading view.
Thanks for posting the 'real' explanation!
Best wishes,
Hans

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ladybugblue
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Re: Insert Citation in Word 2007

Post by ladybugblue »

Oh! Good find on Web Layout - that appears to give the best of both worlds. More room for text AND the drop-downs. Just hope it keeps unexplained html from clogging things up like it did occasionally in previous versions of Word!

(and of course! I'm guessing sooner or later someone else will have the same question and can perhaps stumble on this thread!)

Angela