Replacing Invisible Characters in ClarisWorks (WP)

This is a portion of an article that originally appeared in the ClarisWorks Journal, the monthly publication of the ClarisWorks Users Group, Box 701010, Plymouth, MI 48170; (313) 454-1969; Fax: (313) 454-1965. Copyright ClarisWorks Users Group; reprinted with permission.

This information was provided by Claris Corporation on 16 March 1998, and incorporated into Apple Computer's Tech Info Library.

ClarisWorks and ClarisImpact can find and replace tabs and returns. You can use this feature to replace a series of spaces with a tab or to delete "hard returns" from a document. That makes it easy to convert spaces to tabs in tables and remove blank lines or "hard returns" from documents you prepare or import into ClarisWorks.

The trick is to enter a Command-Tab or Command-Return after you invoke the Find Command. ClarisWorks will insert a "\\t" or "\\p" in the Find/Change Dialog Box (see Figure 1).

Replacing Spaces with a Tab

Follow these steps to replace a series of spaces with a tab:

1. Put the cursor at the beginning of a document and press Command-F (or select "Find/Change" from the Edit Menu).

2. Click in the Find Box and press the Space Bar to enter the number of spaces you will replace. Work carefully, because nothing will appear on your screen.

3. Click in the Change Box and enter a Command-Tab. The box will display a "\\t" (see Figure 1).

4. Click on "Find Next" and then change all of the strings of spaces to tabs.


Deleting Hard Returns

You create a blank line in Claris programs by entering two returns. The following procedure replaces two consecutive returns with a single return; thus this procedure deletes all blank lines from the document. Follow these steps:

1. Put the cursor at the beginning of the document.

2. Press Command-F to call up the Find Dialog Box.

3. Click in the Find Box and press Command-Return twice. That tells Claris programs to search for two consecutive Returns. The box will contain "\\p\\p" (see Figure 2).

4. Click on the Change Box and press Command-Return. The box will contain one "\\p".

5. Click on "Change All". Claris porgrams will replace all double returns with single returns, and the entire document will now be single spaced."

Figure 1

Figure 2

Published Date: Feb 18, 2012