Connector problems

[Ignatooch]

When trying to use connectors between a picture and textbox I cannot get the
connectors to be usable, even if I put a couple of auto shape objects on the
page. What do I have to do to make them an option?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

In recent Word versions you must use a drawing canvas in order to use
connectors.

 

[Timboo]

Hi Found this topic when I could not use connectors myself, and then wondered
WHY? To have to use a canvas seems to obscure what was an excelent feature,
unless Im missing the point of the drawing canvas - (auto draw canvas was a
feature I turned off almost immediately as it always put a huge canvas in the
way of an object that I wanted to intergrate into my document).

To suggest the use (prompt) of a canvas is one thing to disable the feature
if a canvas is not used is another.

thanks Tim.

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Tim,

The feature isn't 'disabled'

The active Word connectors have always used
MS Draw (now the MS Drawing canvas) to be active.
It's the 'addin' that contains the ability to
'activate' the connectors and the rerouting feature,
not the underlying Word document engine.

=======
Hi Found this topic when I could not use connectors myself, and then wondered
WHY? To have to use a canvas seems to obscure what was an excelent feature,
unless Im missing the point of the drawing canvas - (auto draw canvas was a
feature I turned off almost immediately as it always put a huge canvas in the
way of an object that I wanted to intergrate into my document).

To suggest the use (prompt) of a canvas is one thing to disable the feature
if a canvas is not used is another.

thanks Tim. >>

--
Let us know if this helped you,

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

Office 2003 Editions explained
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/office/editions.mspx

 

[Timboo]

Hi Bob, thanks, yes disbled was an incorrect term, "more difficult to get to"
would be more appropriate, as from memory if you drew an object in older
versions of word, you could then use the connectors without being aware that
you were using the draw canvas, as it all seemed to happen in the same zone.

I agree it all seems logical when you realise the canvas is necessay, but my
point is why do you need a canvas when you have the page? If we try to mimic
the everyday tools of the non-IT world (pen and paper) you dont need a
different paper to add a drawing to your text, so why add in this element on
a pc?

By the way I love Word, and use it all the time, and have tried all the
cheaper options but come back to word, which indcates Microsoft got a huge
amount of it just right, its just some enhancements dont seem to do that much
enhancing!

cheers Tim.

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Tim,

In earlier versions you needed the MS Draw add-in
(which was still Insert=>Picture=>New Drawing
to use the connectors in Word.

The 'canvas' approach was (is?) one of MS's initiatives
of 'things of the future' where the entire computer
screen would be a 'write/type/draw/etc' surface,
sort of what the handhelds and tablet PCs are evolving
into and the first 'canvas' in Office was the drawing
one with the handwriting one being called a 'pad'

The canvas, especially with the connectors, has somewhat
of an advantage in that it sort of contains the chart
you're working on and avoids having connectors 'connect'
and reroute frequently if the objects were just lying
on spots on the page

======
Hi Bob, thanks, yes disbled was an incorrect term, "more difficult to get to"
would be more appropriate, as from memory if you drew an object in older
versions of word, you could then use the connectors without being aware that
you were using the draw canvas, as it all seemed to happen in the same zone.

I agree it all seems logical when you realise the canvas is necessay, but my
point is why do you need a canvas when you have the page? If we try to mimic
the everyday tools of the non-IT world (pen and paper) you dont need a
different paper to add a drawing to your text, so why add in this element on
a pc?

By the way I love Word, and use it all the time, and have tried all the
cheaper options but come back to word, which indcates Microsoft got a huge
amount of it just right, its just some enhancements dont seem to do that much
enhancing!

cheers Tim. >>
--
Let us know if this helped you,

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

Office 2003 Editions explained
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/office/editions.mspx