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Selection Members (Word)

Represents the current selection in a window or pane. A selection represents either a selected (or highlighted) area in the document, or it represents the insertion point if nothing in the document is selected. There can be only one Selection object per document window pane, and only one Selection object in the entire application can be active.

Methods

Name

Description

BoldRun

Adds the bold character format to or removes it from the current run.

Calculate

Calculates a mathematical expression within a selection. Returns the result as a Single.

ClearCharacterAllFormatting

Removes all character formatting (formatting applied either through character styles or manually applied formatting) from the selected text.

ClearCharacterDirectFormatting

Removes character formatting (formatting that has been applied manually using the buttons on the ribbon or through the dialog boxes) from the selected text.

ClearCharacterStyle

Removes character formatting that has been applied through character styles from the selected text.

ClearFormatting

Removes text and paragraph formatting from a selection.

ClearParagraphAllFormatting

Removes all paragraph formatting (formatting applied either through paragraph styles or manually applied formatting) from the selected text.

ClearParagraphDirectFormatting

Removes paragraph formatting that has been applied manually (using the buttons on the ribbon or through the dialog boxes) from the selected text.

ClearParagraphStyle

Removes paragraph formatting that has been applied through paragraph styles from the selected text.

Collapse

Collapses a selection to the starting or ending position. After a selection is collapsed, the starting and ending points are equal.

ConvertToTable

Converts text within a range to a table. Returns the table as a Table object.

Copy

Copies the specified selection to the Clipboard.

CopyAsPicture

The CopyAsPicture method works the same way as the Copy method.

CopyFormat

Copies the character formatting of the first character in the selected text.

CreateAutoTextEntry

Adds a new AutoTextEntry object to the AutoTextEntries collection, based on the current selection.

CreateTextbox

Adds a default-size text box around the selection.

Cut

Removes the specified object from the document and moves it to the Clipboard.

Delete

Deletes the specified number of characters or words.

DetectLanguage

Analyzes the specified text to determine the language that it is written in.

EndKey

Moves or extends the selection to the end of the specified unit.

EndOf

Moves or extends the ending character position of a range or selection to the end of the nearest specified text unit.

EscapeKey

Cancels a mode such as extend or column select (equivalent to pressing the ESC key).

Expand

Expands the specified range or selection. Returns the number of characters added to the range or selection. Long.

ExportAsFixedFormat

Saves the current selection as PDF or XPS format. .

Extend

Turns on extend mode, or if extend mode is already on, extends the selection to the next larger unit of text.

GoTo

Moves the insertion point to the character position immediately preceding the specified item, and returns a Range object (except for the wdGoToGrammaticalError, wdGoToProofreadingError, or wdGoToSpellingError constant).

GoToEditableRange

Returns a Range object that represents an area of a document that can be modified by the specified user or group of users.

GoToNext

Returns a Range object that refers to the start position of the next item or location specified by the What argument. If you apply this method to the Selection object, the method moves the selection to the specified item (except for the wdGoToGrammaticalError, wdGoToProofreadingError, and wdGoToSpellingError constants).

GoToPrevious

Returns a Range object that refers to the start position of the previous item or location specified by the What argument. If applied to a Selection object, GoToPrevious moves the selection to the specified item. Range object.

HomeKey

Moves or extends the selection to the beginning of the specified unit. This method returns an integer that indicates the number of characters the selection was actually moved, or it returns 0 (zero) if the move was unsuccessful.This method corresponds to functionality of the HOME key.

InRange

True if the selection to which the method is applied is contained within the range specified by the Range argument.

InsertAfter

Inserts the specified text at the end of a range or selection.

InsertBefore

Inserts the specified text before the specified selection. .

InsertBreak

Inserts a page, column, or section break.

InsertCaption

Inserts a caption immediately preceding or following the specified selection.

InsertCells

Adds cells to an existing table.

InsertColumns

Inserts columns to the left of the column that contains the selection.

InsertColumnsRight

Inserts columns to the right of the current selection.

InsertCrossReference

Inserts a cross-reference to a heading, bookmark, footnote, or endnote, or to an item for which a caption label is defined (for example, an equation, figure, or table).

InsertDateTime

Inserts the current date or time, or both, either as text or as a TIME field.

InsertFile

Inserts all or part of the specified file.

InsertFormula

Inserts an = (Formula) field that contains a formula at the selection.

InsertNewPage

Inserts a new page at the position of the Insertion Point.

InsertParagraph

Replaces the specified selection with a new paragraph.

InsertParagraphAfter

Inserts a paragraph mark after a selection.

InsertParagraphBefore

Inserts a new paragraph before the specified selection or range.

InsertRows

Inserts the specified number of new rows above the row that contains the selection. If the selection isn't in a table, an error occurs.

InsertRowsAbove

Inserts rows above the current selection.

InsertRowsBelow

Inserts rows below the current selection.

InsertStyleSeparator

Inserts a special hidden paragraph mark that allows Microsoft Word to join paragraphs formatted using different paragraph styles, so lead-in headings can be inserted into a table of contents.

InsertSymbol

Inserts a symbol in place of the specified selection.

InsertXML

Inserts the specified XML into the document at the cursor, replacing any selected text.

InStory

True if the selection to which this method is applied is in the same story as the range specified by the Range argument.

IsEqual

True if the selection to which this method is applied is equal to the range specified by the Range argument.

ItalicRun

Adds the italic character format to or removes it from the current run.

LtrPara

Sets the reading order and alignment of the specified paragraphs to left-to-right.

LtrRun

Sets the reading order and alignment of the specified run to left-to-right.

Move

Collapses the specified selection to its start or end position and then moves the collapsed object by the specified number of units. This method returns a Long value that represents the number of units by which the selection was moved, or it returns 0 (zero) if the move was unsuccessful.

MoveDown

Moves the selection down and returns the number of units it has been moved.

MoveEnd

Moves the ending character position of a range or selection.

MoveEndUntil

Moves the end position of the specified selection until any of the specified characters are found in the document.

MoveEndWhile

Moves the ending character position of a selection while any of the specified characters are found in the document.

MoveLeft

Moves the selection to the left and returns the number of units it has been moved.

MoveRight

Moves the selection to the right and returns the number of units it has been moved.

MoveStart

Moves the start position of the specified selection.

MoveStartUntil

Moves the start position of the specified selection until one of the specified characters is found in the document. If the movement is backward through the document, the selection is expanded.

MoveStartWhile

Moves the start position of the specified selection while any of the specified characters are found in the document.

MoveUntil

Moves the specified selection until one of the specified characters is found in the document.

MoveUp

Moves the selection up and returns the number of units that it has been moved.

MoveWhile

Moves the specified selection while any of the specified characters are found in the document.

Next

Returns a Range object that represents the next unit relative to the specified selection.

NextField

Selects the next field.

NextRevision

Locates and returns the next tracked change as a Revision object.

NextSubdocument

Moves the selection to the next subdocument.

Paste

Inserts the contents of the Clipboard at the specified selection.

PasteAndFormat

Pastes the selected table cells and formats them as specified.

PasteAppendTable

Merges pasted cells into an existing table by inserting the pasted rows between the selected rows. No cells are overwritten.

PasteAsNestedTable

Pastes a cell or group of cells as a nested table into the selection.

PasteExcelTable

Pastes and formats a Microsoft Excel table.

PasteFormat

Applies formatting copied with the CopyFormat method to the selection.

PasteSpecial

Inserts the contents of the Clipboard.

Previous

Moves the selected text by the specified number of units, and returns a Range object relative to the collapsed selection.

PreviousField

Selects and returns the previous field.

PreviousRevision

Locates and returns the previous tracked change as a Revision object.

PreviousSubdocument

Moves the selection to the previous subdocument.

ReadingModeGrowFont

Increases the size of the displayed text one point size when the document is displayed in Reading mode.

ReadingModeShrinkFont

Decreases the size of the displayed text one point size when the document is displayed in Reading mode.

RtlPara

Sets the reading order and alignment of the specified paragraphs to right-to-left.

RtlRun

Sets the reading order and alignment of the specified run to right-to-left.

Select

Selects the specified text.

SelectCell

Selects the entire cell containing the current selection.

SelectColumn

Selects the column that contains the insertion point, or selects all columns that contain the selection.

SelectCurrentAlignment

Extends the selection forward until text with a different paragraph alignment is encountered.

SelectCurrentColor

Extends the selection forward until text with a different color is encountered.

SelectCurrentFont

Extends the selection forward until text in a different font or font size is encountered.

SelectCurrentIndent

Extends the selection forward until text with different left or right paragraph indents is encountered.

SelectCurrentSpacing

Extends the selection forward until a paragraph with different line spacing is encountered.

SelectCurrentTabs

Extends the selection forward until a paragraph with different tab stops is encountered.

SelectRow

Selects the row that contains the insertion point, or selects all rows that contain the selection.

SetRange

Sets the starting and ending character positions for the selection.

Shrink

Shrinks the selection to the next smaller unit of text.

ShrinkDiscontiguousSelection

Cancels the selection of all but the most recently selected text when a selection contains multiple, unconnected selections.

Sort

Sorts the paragraphs in the specified selection.

SortAscending

Sorts paragraphs or table rows in ascending alphanumeric order.

SortDescending

Sorts paragraphs or table rows within the selection in descending alphanumeric order.

SplitTable

Inserts an empty paragraph above the first row in the selection. .

StartOf

Moves or extends the start position of the specified range or selection to the beginning of the nearest specified text unit. This method returns a Long that indicates the number of characters by which the range or selection was moved or extended. The method returns a negative number if the movement is backward through the document.

ToggleCharacterCode

Switches a selection between a Unicode character and its corresponding hexadecimal value.

TypeBackspace

Deletes the character preceding a collapsed selection (an insertion point).

TypeParagraph

Inserts a new, blank paragraph.

TypeText

Inserts the specified text.

WholeStory

Expands a selection to include the entire story.

Properties

Name

Description

Active

True if the selection in the specified window or pane is active. Read-only Boolean.

Application

Returns an Application object that represents the Microsoft Word application.

BookmarkID

Returns the number of the bookmark that encloses the beginning of the specified selection. Read-only Long.

Bookmarks

Returns a Bookmarks collection that represents all the bookmarks in a document, range, or selection. Read-only.

Borders

Returns a Borders collection that represents all the borders for the specified object.

Cells

Returns a Cells collection that represents the table cells in a selection. Read-only.

Characters

Returns a Characters collection that represents the characters in a document, range, or selection. Read-only.

ChildShapeRange

Returns a ShapeRange collection representing the child shapes contained within a selection.

Columns

Returns a Columns collection that represents all the table columns in a selection. Read-only.

ColumnSelectMode

True if column selection mode is active. Read/write Boolean.

Comments

Returns a Comments collection that represents all the comments in the specified. Read-only.

Creator

Returns a 32-bit integer that indicates the application in which the specified object was created. Read-only Long.

Document

Returns a Document object associated with the specified selection. Read-only.

Editors

Returns an Editors object that represents all the users authorized to modify a selection within a document.

End

Returns or sets the ending character position of a selection. Read/write Long.

EndnoteOptions

Returns an EndnoteOptions object that represents the endnotes in a selection.

Endnotes

Returns an Endnotes collection that represents all the endnotes conatined within a selection. Read-only.

EnhMetaFileBits

Returns a Variant that represents a picture representation of how a selection or range of text appears.

ExtendMode

True if Extend mode is active. Read/write Boolean.

Fields

Returns a read-only Fields collection that represents all the fields in the selection.

Find

Returns a Find object that contains the criteria for a find operation. Read-only.

FitTextWidth

Returns or sets the width (in the current measurement units) in which Microsoft Word fits the text in the current selection. Read/write Single.

Flags

Returns or sets properties of the selection. Read/write WdSelectionFlags.

Font

Returns or sets a Font object that represents the character formatting of the specified object. Read/write.

FootnoteOptions

Returns FootnoteOptions object that represents the footnotes in a selection.

Footnotes

Returns a Footnotes collection that represents all the footnotes in a range, selection, or document. Read-only.

FormattedText

Returns or sets a Range object that includes the formatted text in the specified range or selection. Read/write.

FormFields

Returns a FormFields collection that represents all the form fields in the selection. Read-only.

Frames

Returns a Frames collection that represents all the frames in a selection. Read-only.

HasChildShapeRange

True if the selection contains child shapes. Read-only Boolean.

HeaderFooter

Returns a HeaderFooter object for the specified selection. Read-only.

HTMLDivisions

Returns an HTMLDivisions object that represents an HTML division in a Web document.

Hyperlinks

Returns a Hyperlinks collection that represents all the hyperlinks in the specified selection. Read-only.

Information

Returns information about the specified selection. Read-only Variant.

InlineShapes

Returns an InlineShapes collection that represents all the InlineShape objects in a selection. Read-only.

IPAtEndOfLine

True if the insertion point is at the end of a line that wraps to the next line. Read-only Boolean.

IsEndOfRowMark

True if the specified selection or range is collapsed and is located at the end-of-row mark in a table. Read-only Boolean.

LanguageDetected

Returns or sets a Boolean that specifies whether Microsoft Word has detected the language of the selected text.

LanguageID

Returns or sets the language for the specified object. Read/write .

LanguageIDFarEast

Returns or sets an East Asian language for the specified object. Read/write WdLanguageID.

LanguageIDOther

Returns or sets the language for the specified object. Read/write WdLanguageID.

NoProofing

True if the spelling and grammar checker ignores the specified text. Returns wdUndefined if the NoProofing property is set to True for only some of the specified text. Read/write Long.

OMaths

Returns an OMaths collection that represents the OMath objects within the current selection. Read-only.

Orientation

Returns or sets the orientation of text in a selection when the Text Direction feature is enabled. Read/write WdTextOrientation.

PageSetup

Returns a PageSetup object that's associated with the specified selection.

ParagraphFormat

Returns or sets a ParagraphFormat object that represents the paragraph settings for the specified selection. Read/write.

Paragraphs

Returns a Paragraphs collection that represents all the paragraphs in the specified selection. Read-only.

Parent

Returns an Object that represents the parent object of the specified Selection object.

PreviousBookmarkID

Returns the number of the last bookmark that starts before or at the same place as the specified selection or range; returns 0 (zero) if there is no corresponding bookmark. Read-only Long.

Range

Returns a Range object that represents the portion of a document that's contained in the specified object.

Rows

Returns a Rows collection that represents all the table rows in a range, selection, or table. Read-only.

Sections

Returns a Sections collection that represents the sections in the specified selection. Read-only.

Sentences

Returns a Sentences collection that represents all the sentences in the selection. Read-only.

Shading

Returns a Shading object that refers to the shading formatting for the specified selection.

ShapeRange

Returns a ShapeRange collection that represents all the Shape objects in the selection. Read-only.

Start

Returns or sets the starting character position of a selection. Read/write Long.

StartIsActive

True if the beginning of the selection is active. Read/write Boolean.

StoryLength

Returns the number of characters in the story that contains the specified selection. Read-only Long.

StoryType

Returns the story type for the specified selection. Read-only WdStoryType.

Style

Returns or sets the style for the specified object. To set this property, specify the local name of the style, an integer, a WdBuiltinStyle constant, or an object that represents the style. For a list of valid constants, consult the Microsoft Visual Basic Object Browser. Read/write Variant.

Tables

Returns a Tables collection that represents all the tables in the specified selection. Read-only.

Text

Returns or sets the text in the specified selection. Read/write String.

TopLevelTables

Returns a Tables collection that represents the tables at the outermost nesting level in the current selection. Read-only.

Type

Returns the selection type. Read-only WdSelectionType.

WordOpenXML

Returns a String that represents the XML contained within the selection in the Microsoft Word Open XML format. Read-only.

Words

Returns a Words collection that represents all the words in a selection. Read-only.

XML

Returns a String that represents the XML text in the specified object. .

XMLNodes

Returns an XMLNodes collection that represents the collection of all XML elements within a selection—including those elements that are only partially within the selection.

XMLParentNode

Returns an XMLNode object that represents the parent node of a selection.