VBA Word: I would like to find a phrase, select the words before it, and italicise the text -

i'm having trouble vba commands find phrase, select 1 or 2 words before it, , italicize entire thing.

i'm able use selection.find, font.italicise, , wdextend commands independently of eachother, when combine them perform task, macro crashes. help?

selection.find.clearformatting  selection.find      .text = "michael"      .replacement.text = "michael"      .forward = true      .wrap = wdfindstop      while .execute() = true          selection.typeparagraph          selection.moveleft unit:=wdword, count:=2, extend:=wdextend          selection.find.replacement.font.italic = true          selection.font.bold = true          selection.collapse direction:=wdcollapseend      loop  end 

the following code want. however, wrote in such way think enable best understand it.

private sub selfind()     ' 08 apr 2017      dim rng range     dim fnd boolean      set rng = selection.range     rng.find         .clearformatting         .execute findtext:="michael", forward:=true, _                  format:=false, wrap:=wdfindstop         fnd = .found     end      if fnd = true         rng             .movestart wdword, -2             .font                 .italic = true                 .bold = true             end         end     end if end sub 

start imagining characters in document strung single line, interspersed formatting codes treated characters. long string of characters called range, in code, activedocument.range.

you can select part of document's entire range. selection.range which, ranges, has start (the first byte) , end (the last byte. start , end properties of range represented numbers, counting first byte. code creates new range object called rng. selection.range assigned new object. rng , selection.range identical @ point, manipulate rng object, selection.range not change.

the code looks "michael" in rng object. syntax setting search perfect. used different syntax because find easier grasp. .found property returns true if search successful. in case search range changed include found sub-range. had search been conducted in selection.range see "michael" highlighted on screen. since search conducted in memory (on rng object) selection.range remains unchanged while rng object contains word "michael".

so, going activedocument.range, of rng part, move start property 2 words left. positive number move 2 words right. there no need extend because command clear: "move start", meaning end remains is.

now rng object starts 2 word before "michael" , ends word "michael". can copy range or delete it, or modify wish. bear in mind screen still shows original selection.range. ms word not allow assign set selection.range = rng, there easier way realign display code has done. adding line .select after modifying font (before outer end with), modified rng become selection.