How do I create continuous section breaks within columns?

T

Travis Bryant

I have a unique request, I believe. If I have started with a two-column
layout and create a continuous section break, the section break cuts across
both columns and any text in column 1 (on left-side) that was below the
section break snakes across to column 2. Is it possible to create a
continuous section break *within* column 1 so that the snaking continues
unabated at the bottom of the page?

I'm sure the first question will be "why would you want to create a
continuous section break within a column when the whole purpose of a
continous section break is to change the columnar layout of a different
section?" (or something to that effect). The answer is that I'M not doing it,
a PROGRAM is - it generates a document from multiple sections of language,
and each section of language is wrapped in continuous section breaks. I want
these sections of langauge to continue in the traditional columnar layout
without having the section break cut across both columns.

Hope this makes sense, and someone may have a cool trick.

-Travis Bryant
[email protected]
 
S

Stefan Blom

On the Tools menu, click Options. Click the Compatibility tab. Check
the option to "Don't balance columns for Continuous section starts"
and click OK.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message
news:[email protected]...
 
T

Travis Bryant

Hello -

Thanks for the quick response Stefan. Unfortunately, I didn't acheive the
behavior I was looking for. When using that option as you suggested, after
creating the Continuous Section Break, column 2 (the right column) moves text
down to line up with the section break that was created. Basically, the
behavior is the same as adding a Column Break. Is there a way to create that
section break within the column *without* moving the text in the right column
downwards (i.e. no white space in the second column)?

Thanks again.
-Travis
 
S

Stefan Blom

Apparently, I misunderstood your first post. Is the following what you
want (using numbers to indicate text flow)?


1 13
2 14
3 15
4 16
5 17
6 (and so on, until the page is full)
<break>
7
8
9
10
11
12

Assuming that I understood correctly this time, I have to say that it
isn't possible. The reason is that text in any section will always be
"isolated" from the other sections of a document.

What you can get is the following:

a) With the Compatibility option cleared:

1 5
2 6
3 7
4 8
<continuous section break>
9 13
10 14
11 (text flows to the next page when the current is full)
12

b) With the compatibility option checked:

1
2
3
4
5
6
<continuous section break>
7 13
8 14
9 (text continues on the next page
10 when this column is full)
11
12

Couldn't you just delete the section breaks in the document after it
has been generated? You can use Edit>Replace, specify ^b for "Find
what" and nothing in the "Replace with" box, and click Replace All.
Alternatively, replace with column breaks (use ^n in the "Replace
with" box).

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message
 
Top