How do I make Pages look/run like Word?

I've read a lot about Pages having a superior interface than Word. Though this may be true, as someone who has been using Word for over 10 years, I am accustomed to using Word shortcut keys and formatting buttons.

1) How can I convert Pages shortcut keys to Word shortcut keys? Some keys are the same, while others are different.

2) How can I move the formatting buttons to the top of the Pages document (like in Word) and not have them hovering as a palate off on the side? For example, I want a single button for adding bullets rather than having to go through multiple steps.

3) How can I add a formatting button for something like "superscript" and "subscript"? I am a scientist and frequently need to use these options.

Thanks!

macbook pro, Mac OS X (10.4.10), 2.33 GHz, 2 GB RAM

Posted on Sep 21, 2007 3:02 PM

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9 replies

Sep 22, 2007 6:40 AM in response to CPT_SCI

I'm also making a slow switch from Word to Pages.

While I don't know exactly what keyboard shortcuts you mean (all the ones I use regularly still work for me in Pages), you can put a formating bar on top of each document window. Go to "View" --> "show formating bar" you'll get what you need. The button all the way on the right will give you one click for adding bullets and lists.

As for a superscripts and subscripts-- maybe you can make a style for those so that it is one click away (don't know how that would work though).

I wouldn't recommend neo office. I tried it and found I preferred Word. Maybe it was me, but I found it buggy.

Sep 26, 2007 9:44 PM in response to CPT_SCI

Greetings,

Unless I'm not quite understanding the question correctly, for customized formatting buttons, simply click View -> Customize Toolbar to see a list of items you can populate your toolbar with, including a button for bullets, superscript and subscript. Also, at the bottom of the Customize Toolbar drop-down are options for showing either the icon and text, just the icon or just text. There's also an ability to use a smaller icon size.

Sep 22, 2007 9:38 AM in response to CPT_SCI

captainscience wrote:
1) How can I convert Pages shortcut keys to Word shortcut keys? Some keys are the same, while others are different.


There's no simple way to switch en masse. For certain annoyances, though, you could experiment with customizing your key equivalents via *System Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard Shortcuts > Application Keyboard Shortcuts*. Click the + button to add new shortcuts. Select "Pages" as the Application and set up a key equivalent you want. Be aware that you may run into conflicts. I think that when you have two menus with the same key equivalent, the first one found "wins", so you may need to add other equivalents just to get rid of conflicts.

3) How can I add a formatting button for something like "superscript" and "subscript"? I am a scientist and frequently need to use these options.


Control-click in the main toolbar at the top of the window and select "Customize Toolbar..." Superscript and Subscript are among the choices there. Drag each of them up into your toolbar at the location you want them.

Sep 27, 2007 11:49 AM in response to Thomas Wright1

Thomas,

You're talking about the tool bar, the colorful icons across the top of a document, & those are customizable in several ways - small/large, text/no text/text only. I'm talking about the small row of icons below the tool bar, known as the formatting bar. These icons change automatically depending on the task. These icons are not customizable at all. They remain small, you cannot change the order or even which icons will appear.

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How do I make Pages look/run like Word?

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