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[wnorred]

I think I shall win a prize for Most Newbie Question Ever on this, but I don't see an answer anywhere.

I got a response from the USPTO, complaining about my spec, which I wrote long ago, before I realized that it needed to be double-spaced. It is easy enough to fix, but I don't see how to show in my mark-up spec to give to the USPTO the additional lines. I supposed that I could add spaces to the lines and then underline them, but that seems stupid.

The obvious thing to do is to just tell the USPTO that I've amended the spec to be double-spaced in a remarks section, and then file the clean copy, but that leaves me open to a complaint that I didn't provide a mark-up spec.

Anyone know the right answer? What I hope to read is that I'm overthinking this, and the office doesn't need a mark-up spec when I'm not changing a single word.

Thank you!
Warren

[Robert K S]

The Patent Office will not require a changes copy if all you are doing is double-spacing, and you certify so in a cover letter submitted with the amended spec.

[khazzah]

I got a response from the USPTO, complaining about my spec, which I wrote long ago, before I realized that it needed to be double-spaced.

I agree with Robert KS that you don't need to provide a Marked Up Copy ... but exactly what you do to take care of this depends on exactly what kind of "response" you received from the PTO.

Notice of Missing Parts? Notice of Omitted Items? Office Action?

[Robert K S]

What difference does it make?  You upload a clean copy spec, provide some explanation as to what you're doing, and you're done.

[khazzah]

What difference does it make?  You upload a clean copy spec, provide some explanation as to what you're doing, and you're done.

Not much of a difference at all. Didn't mean to suggest there was. At a high level, you follow the procedure you noted above regardless of what triggered your need to file a substitute spec.

The reason I bring it up is that the unit which handles Missing Parts (OIPE) can be picky about exactly what you submit and what you call it. The first time I had a situation like OP's -- a spec which needed only formatting changes -- I was thrown for a loop by the explicitly stated requirement in the Notice to file a marked up copy.

[wnorred]

It was a Notice to File Corrected Application Papers.

Thanks to all who responded!

W