Converting drop-caps globally (Word 2007)

[Ian]

I've been working quite a bit with drop-caps, and in the project I'm
working on right now, there are an enormous number of them. Some of them
get cut off if they start on the last line of a page, because they're
set to drop two lines. I would like to be able to tell it to only drop
them one line, so this doesn't happen anymore, but don't want to do this
manually with thousands of drop-caps.

I have a simple understanding of macros, and no knowledge of VBA. I've
looked through the Word Options, and haven't found anything relating to
drop-caps.

I had a similar problem yesterday, and had to manually convert about a
hundred and fifty of them, which was quite the task.

Hope all are well.
Ian

 

[Lisa Wilke-Thissen]

Hi Ian,

I've been working quite a bit with drop-caps,

drop-caps are placed within "frames".

and in the project I'm working on right now, there
are an enormous number of them. Some of them
get cut off if they start on the last line of a page,
because they're set to drop two lines. I would like
to be able to tell it to only drop them one line,
so this doesn't happen anymore, but don't want
to do this manually with thousands of drop-caps.

Do you know, that (the format of) frames can be defined in styles? So
you only have to modify the style.

I have a simple understanding of macros, and no knowledge
of VBA. I've looked through the Word Options, and haven't
found anything relating to drop-caps.

You can select all drop-caps at once:
Ctrl + F | More | Format | Frame | Look for in (or similar)| Main
document

It would be a chance, to apply a style.

 

[Mark Tangard]

Ian - I can't duplicate the problem (drop cap cutting off), but if just changing
the drop to 1 line will help you, this should do it:

Sub ShortenDropCaps()
Dim p As Paragraph
On Error Resume Next
For Each p In ActiveDocument.Paragraphs
p.DropCap.LinesToDrop = 1
Next p
End Sub

Only thing is, a 1-line drop is actually almost no drop -- all it really does is
put the cap in a different font. If you mean a 2-line drop (i.e., the cap would
vertically span 2 lines), change the obvious line above.

=====
Mark Tangard
MS Word MVP 2001-2004

 

[Ian]

Only thing is, a 1-line drop is actually almost no drop -- all it
really does is put the cap in a different font. If you mean a 2-line
drop (i.e., the cap would vertically span 2 lines), change the obvious
line above.

Hi Mark. Yeah, I don't like changing it to one line. I would do this
mainly to preserve the drop-cap format, in case I change it again. I'm
putting together an eBook of the entire Bible, and every chapter number
is a drop-cap. Sometimes they end up on the bottom of the page, getting
cut off, and I can't figure out what to do about that. Probably what
I'll do is change them globally, and then, if I ever figure it out,
change them back.

Hope you're well.
Ian

 

[Ian]

You can select all drop-caps at once:
Ctrl + F | More | Format | Frame | Look for in (or similar)| Main
document

Thank you very much. I will save both of these responses.

Hope you're well.
Ian

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

That suggests that you're allowing a chapter to break after a single
line! If you turn on "Widow & Orphan" protection in Format Paragraph
(second tab), the problem will disappear and you can keep your two-
line drop cap chapter numbers.