Knowledge Base

WD: Ampersand Displays Incorrectly in Drop-Down Form Field

Article ID: 125892

Article Last Modified on 8/16/2005


APPLIES TO


This article was previously published under Q125892

SYMPTOMS

If you are creating a drop-down form field and one of your list items includes an ampersand (&), the resulting item in the drop-down list is missing the ampersand, and the character adjacent to the ampersand may be underlined. For example, "AT&T" may appear in the drop-down list as:
   ATT
     -
				
If you try to work around the problem by adding a second ampersand, the drop-down list correctly appears as "AT&T" (without the quotation marks), but when you select "AT&T," it appears in the form field box as the following:
   AT&&T
				
NOTE: Adding && results in "AT&T" in the drop-down display; however, when AT&T is selected, it appears as ATT and prints out as ATT on hard copy.

In Word 98 Macintosh Edition, use of the ampersand has the following effects:
  • Using a single ampersand, as in AT&T, does not cause the ampersand to appear, nor is the character next to the ampersand underlined, as in the following:

    ATT

  • Using a double ampersand, as in AT&&T, causes a single ampersand to appear, as in the following:

    AT&T

    The character next to the ampersand is not underlined. In both cases, pressing T does not select AT&T from the drop-down list.

CAUSE

By design, the ampersand is used to designate the shortcut key in drop-down lists for quick keyboard access. The shortcut key is underlined.

Additional query words: form field incorrect underlined underline drop down drop-down dropdown

Keywords: kbui kbforms kbprb kbfield KB125892