Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Comparing Strings.
It is not uncommon to compare strings in a macro. For instance, you may need to compare what a user typed with some pre-determined value. If you do this directly, you must take into consideration that the user may not have typed his (or her) string in the same way as you expected. Particularly vexing is the fact that they user may have mixed upper and lower case in their response.
The quickest and easiest way around this is to use either the UCase or LCase function on their input before you do the comparison. For instance, let's assume you prompt the user for the word "yes" to verify they want an action done. The following code will check the input, regardless of how the user typed it.
If LCase(UserIn) = "yes" then DoIt = True
The trick is to make sure your test string is either all uppercase or all lowercase, and then convert the user's input to that same case.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1124) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Comparing Strings.
Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!
You may need to determine the numeric value of a character in a macro. You can do that using the Asc function, described ...
Discover MoreFormulas created in a macro have a specific order in which operations are performed. This is known as precedence, as ...
Discover MoreNeed to do some macro processing of documents in the user's My Documents folder? First step is to figure out where the ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: 
Comments