> open a new word document and type
>

>   =rand (200,99)
>

> microsoft can't explain why it happens

i just tried it because i am sad and have nothing else to do on a saturday afternoon.  how on earth did you discover that?

My brother told me about it, obviously  some poeple take things a little too seriously from looking at another post and can't have any fun

I thought Mels explaination was very helpfull :)  It's still fun and I'm sure many people, like me, will still try it.

Thank you Isabel :) I also tried it because I hadn't seen it before

Obviously doesn't work on Microsoft Works :( :( Oh, well, will have to go and try it on a proper computer :D

Daisy

The rand function
The Microsoft Knowledge Base article How to Insert Sample Text into a Document in Word [212251] explains the use and syntax of the function:

Microsoft Word allows you to quickly insert sample text into a document. To do this, type =rand() in the document where you want the text to appear, and then press ENTER.

The inserted text is that hardy perennial: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog," which contains every letter in the English alphabet.

By default, the sample text contains three paragraphs, each containing five sentences. You can control how many paragraphs and sentences appear by adding numbers inside the parentheses, for instance:

=rand(3,4)

The first number is the number of paragraphs, and the second the number of sentences per paragraph. If you omit the second number, you get five sentences in each paragraph. So, for example:

=rand(3,4)

inserts three, four-sentence paragraphs, while:

=rand(10)

inserts ten, five-sentence paragraphs.

The maximum number for either parameter is 200 and may be lower depending on the number of paragraphs and sentences specified. For instance, if you specify 200 paragraphs, then the maximum number of sentences per paragraph you can specify is 99:

=rand(200, 99)

If you specify 200 sentences per paragraph, then the maximum number of paragraphs you can specify is 99.

Admittedly, this function serves a useful purpose for filling a page when you're designing a template and want to see how it will look with text in it. It's also easy to see how users can be alarmed and fear this is a virus when someone suggests they try "=rand(200,99)," which quickly blows up into a giant document! (Incidentally, part of the instructions in some versions is to "Make sure there is a space between = and rand and a space between rand and (200,99)." This actually makes no difference: the function works equally well with and without spaces.)

i just tried it too.
thats different aint it?
julie :-)

when you talk about people taking things too seriously i hope you were not offended by what i put, it was supposed to be a joke at my expense!

Love it :D  just like an Easter Egg :D :D :D

Just a thought tho,   DO NOT PRESS PRINT !!!!  or you'll get 385 pages of quick brown...   :D :D :D :D :D

no I wasn't offended by you,jilltee, it was because somebody else gave a long explanation as to how it happens and I thought it took the fun out of it a little.Maybe I am as sad as you for putting it on CD!!

Oh for heavens sake, just because I explained something to you there really is no need to keep harping on about it.

Melodysk, i haven't "harped" on about it, just answered someone else's query.I didn't actually need it explained, it was just for fun!!!

Sure, we didn't need it explaining, it was just a little bonus, another Easter Egg :D
...........leeeeeave it Mel ;)

I thought it was fun AND was interested in the explaination so I'm a happy Easter bunny. :-D

just tried it strange?

We tried it too and were grateful for the explanation. Cheers.

:D :D :D

Oh Melodysy, I thought it was funny that you spent so long and had such a high level of knowledge. Had visions of you sat there with your anorak on ;) Its the sort of useful information that most of us never bother to learn about microsoft products