Post by drcard on Nov 1, 2021 19:28:25 GMT -5
Create Hover (Hidden) Messages in Word
Overview:
A Screen Tip is a text box that opens with a message when the mouse pointer hovers over the icon or text. Microsoft Word© calls these Tool Tips as most users use this function to identify icons in the ribbon. Word allows the user to create their own Tool Tips, but these custom Tool Tips don’t have to be about tools and can be placed anywhere in the document. The reader will only see the pop up message when the mouse hovers over the trigger text, thus the message is hidden until the reader desires further information by hovering the mouse pointer. The following will explain how to create these custom tool tips and examples of using them.
Notice: This works on all versions of Word since 2010 with slight changes in exact location of the controls. These instructions were written with Word 2019.
Create Custom Tool Tips in Word:
In order to create and use custom tool tips, that function must be turned on. Usually it is on by default, but you can easily test to see if it is on by hovering the mouse pointer over an icon in the Ribbon at the top of an open document. If a tool tip text box doesn’t open when you hover for at least a count of 5 on a control icon in the Ribbon, this function must be turned off. If off, go to File > Options > Display and make sure Show document tooltips on hover is checked to turn this function on.
1. Select in the document where you want the visual text to be placed. The visual text will be the text that is seen in the document. When the mouse pointer hovers over this visual text, the pop up message will appear. The visual text can be one word, more than one word, in the middle of a sentence, or stand alone.
2. With the cursor at the place you want the visual text, click the Insert tab of the Ribbon. Locate the Explore Quick Parts icon in the Text group by hovering the mouse pointers over the icons in the Text group until the tool tip identifies it. Once you locate the Explore Quick Parts icon, click the down arrow to the right of the icon and select Field. This will open the Field window where the custom tool tip is created.
3. Make sure (All) is selected in the Categories: box. Select AutoTextList from the list in the Field names: box.
4. This will open the Field properties section. In the New value: box enter the word or words that will be the visual text seen in the document. Leave the Format: as (none).
5. In the Field options section, place a checkmark in the box to the left of Tooltip:. In the box to the right of Tooltip: enter the message you want to be in the pop up text box. There is a limit of 250 characters (spaces count as characters). You can copy the message and paste into the Tooltip: box.
6. Press the OK button to finish your custom tooltip. When you hover the mouse pointer over the word or words you entered as the New value the message you entered as a tooltip will display.
Example Uses For Custom Tooltips:
1. Instructions for novice and experienced users in the same document. Instructions for a novice requires more details that bore a more experienced user. Keeping the instructions short for the experienced users while providing more information for a novice user. Example: The text seen on the document would be: Ctrl+] – increase Font. Hold the mouse pointer over the Ctrl+] and the box will open with this statement: Hold down the Ctrl key and press the ] key. This will increase the Font size 1 pt. for each press of the ] key. The experienced user only need which keys to press while the novice needs to know what Ctrl+] means and how to do it.
2. Document that contains a lot of new terms can have the definition of each term as a not seen tooltip. The document is not clutter with definitions some may not need, yet readily available for those that do need to learn that term. Students are more apt to hover and read a quick definition than look the term up elsewhere, thus increasing their understanding.
3. One use I like is for Family Trees. The Family Tree shows all the relatives names on a single page. Hovering over a name displays all the vital dates and family info about that relative. Pages of data from a single page.
Overview:
A Screen Tip is a text box that opens with a message when the mouse pointer hovers over the icon or text. Microsoft Word© calls these Tool Tips as most users use this function to identify icons in the ribbon. Word allows the user to create their own Tool Tips, but these custom Tool Tips don’t have to be about tools and can be placed anywhere in the document. The reader will only see the pop up message when the mouse hovers over the trigger text, thus the message is hidden until the reader desires further information by hovering the mouse pointer. The following will explain how to create these custom tool tips and examples of using them.
Notice: This works on all versions of Word since 2010 with slight changes in exact location of the controls. These instructions were written with Word 2019.
Create Custom Tool Tips in Word:
In order to create and use custom tool tips, that function must be turned on. Usually it is on by default, but you can easily test to see if it is on by hovering the mouse pointer over an icon in the Ribbon at the top of an open document. If a tool tip text box doesn’t open when you hover for at least a count of 5 on a control icon in the Ribbon, this function must be turned off. If off, go to File > Options > Display and make sure Show document tooltips on hover is checked to turn this function on.
1. Select in the document where you want the visual text to be placed. The visual text will be the text that is seen in the document. When the mouse pointer hovers over this visual text, the pop up message will appear. The visual text can be one word, more than one word, in the middle of a sentence, or stand alone.
2. With the cursor at the place you want the visual text, click the Insert tab of the Ribbon. Locate the Explore Quick Parts icon in the Text group by hovering the mouse pointers over the icons in the Text group until the tool tip identifies it. Once you locate the Explore Quick Parts icon, click the down arrow to the right of the icon and select Field. This will open the Field window where the custom tool tip is created.
3. Make sure (All) is selected in the Categories: box. Select AutoTextList from the list in the Field names: box.
4. This will open the Field properties section. In the New value: box enter the word or words that will be the visual text seen in the document. Leave the Format: as (none).
5. In the Field options section, place a checkmark in the box to the left of Tooltip:. In the box to the right of Tooltip: enter the message you want to be in the pop up text box. There is a limit of 250 characters (spaces count as characters). You can copy the message and paste into the Tooltip: box.
6. Press the OK button to finish your custom tooltip. When you hover the mouse pointer over the word or words you entered as the New value the message you entered as a tooltip will display.
Example Uses For Custom Tooltips:
1. Instructions for novice and experienced users in the same document. Instructions for a novice requires more details that bore a more experienced user. Keeping the instructions short for the experienced users while providing more information for a novice user. Example: The text seen on the document would be: Ctrl+] – increase Font. Hold the mouse pointer over the Ctrl+] and the box will open with this statement: Hold down the Ctrl key and press the ] key. This will increase the Font size 1 pt. for each press of the ] key. The experienced user only need which keys to press while the novice needs to know what Ctrl+] means and how to do it.
2. Document that contains a lot of new terms can have the definition of each term as a not seen tooltip. The document is not clutter with definitions some may not need, yet readily available for those that do need to learn that term. Students are more apt to hover and read a quick definition than look the term up elsewhere, thus increasing their understanding.
3. One use I like is for Family Trees. The Family Tree shows all the relatives names on a single page. Hovering over a name displays all the vital dates and family info about that relative. Pages of data from a single page.