Smart text select is not smart

[mem.namefix]

is there a way to disable smart text selection in outlook/ word/ office.

Quite often I need to select specific parts of a string but infuriatingly office "corrects" my selection for me.

Examples:

String 'C:\test\file.txt'

trying to select: C:\test\file.txt autocorrects to: 'C:\test\file.txt'

trying to select: \test\file.txt auto corrects to: :\test\file.txt'

and a few other undesired behaviors.

It seems to depend what format the text is in, I usually experience the issue in outlook or word when someone has copied and pasted a webpage error to me. If I copy to notepad (what I have to do constantly atm) I can select correctly. If The text is typed out instead of being copy and pasted (usually from a webpage) it also works.

I also try using the method of: click start, hold shift, click end but it still results in the same behavior.

Why anyone thought this kind of behavior would be desirable is beyond me, surely a user is competent enough to select their own text ?