Columns that stay on the same side with pictures & footnotes

[sjschmidtky]

I have an unusual formatting situation - I have a memoir written by my
Danish Great Grandfather and I want to present the translation in the
left column and the English translation on the right. I also want to
include footnotes and insert pictures throughout that help illustrate
parts of the memoir. I essentially want each column to not do an
automatic column break but continue on the same side for subsequent
pages. Then, the original text and the English translation would
appear on their own sides through subsequent pages. I want to insert
pictures in "artistic" ways on the pages and have the text surround the
picture wherever I may place it (in the middle or off-center on the page
of two columns).

I've investigated three options: columns, tables, text boxes. Columns
requires that I keep fiddling with manual pagination and putting in
column breaks - a pain in the neck. Tables work well, but I can only
put the pictures in one column or the other and I can't put them where
they might span columns. Text boxes requires that I put text boxes on
multiple pages (the text could span up to 30 pages), but then I can't
use footnotes in text boxes.

Anyone have any suggestions on how I might solve my problem and get
everything I want?

Would I be better served using Publisher (does it handle footnotes) or
another product that does everything I want?

Thanks, Steve

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Sjschmidtky,

I have a memoir written by my
Danish Great Grandfather and I want to present the translation in the
left column and the English translation on the right. I also want to
include footnotes and insert pictures throughout that help illustrate
parts of the memoir. I essentially want each column to not do an
automatic column break but continue on the same side for subsequent
pages. Then, the original text and the English translation would
appear on their own sides through subsequent pages. I want to insert
pictures in "artistic" ways on the pages and have the text surround the
picture wherever I may place it (in the middle or off-center on the page
of two columns).

Tables are really your only choice. Format the pictures Behind the text,
and put "empty" rectangles in front of them, anchored in the table cells,
to achieve the text flow.

One important tip for working with tables and lots of text: Split the
table occasionally, and insert rows regularly. Where ever there's a
natural break in the document text. That will reduce the chances of
structural damage and help Word to lay out the pages more quickly. You
might also want to work in the Normal, rather than Page Layout view,
except when you're inserting pictures.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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