Inserting Special Spaces

In other WordTips you learned different ways you can insert em spaces and en spaces in your documents. (These types of spaces are used for typographical purposes to insert wider-than-normal white space in a line of text.) You learned how you can use the numeric keypad, as well as use the Symbol option from the Insert menu.

If you use special spaces quite frequently, you may find it bothersome to continually use these two common methods of inserting the characters. Thus, you may have resorted to inserting them once and then using copy and paste to place them in other places. There is an even easier way, however--simply add tools to your toolbar to easily insert em spaces and en spaces with a single click. Follow these steps if you are using Word 97 or later versions:

1. Choose Customize from the Tools menu. Word displays the Customize dialog box.
2. Make sure the Commands tab is selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. In the Categories list, select Insert.
4. In the Commands list, select Insert Em Space.
5. Use the mouse to drag the selected command to the position you want it to occupy on your toolbars.
6. In the Commands list, select Insert En Space.
7. Use the mouse to drag the selected command to the position you want it to occupy on your toolbars. (Typically this will be right beside the command you placed in step 5.)
8. Click on Close to dismiss the Customize dialog box.

If you are using Word 6 or Word 95, the process is just a bit different:

1. Choose Customize from the Tools menu. Word displays the Customize dialog box.
2. Make sure the Toolbars tab is selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. In the Categories list, select All Commands.
4. In the Commands list, select InsertEmSpace.
5. Use the mouse to drag the selected command to the position you want it to occupy on your toolbars.
6. Word displays the Custom Button dialog box, asking you to pick a button to use for the command you are adding to the toolbar. Make your choice, as desired.
7. In the Commands list, select InsertEnSpace.
8. Use the mouse to drag the selected command to the position you want it to occupy on your toolbars. (Typically this will be right beside the command you placed in step 5.)
9. Word again displays the Custom Button dialog box, asking you to pick a button to use for the command you are adding to the toolbar. Make your choice, as desired.
10. Click on Close to dismiss the Customize dialog box.

Now, just click on the new tools to insert the em or en spaces you need.