How does one make objects behave.

[DocBrown]

When I insert objects, pictures, or graphic objects or use the drawing tools
to create objects, They seem to have a mind of their own as to where they are
located. I can get them located by dragging them or using the Position
dialog, but many times after I've done that they will jumb to some other
place on the page when I try to manipulate them. The anchor also jumps to
other paragraphs when I don't expect it.

There are many ways I've found to coral them but there's still times when
wierd things happen to them.

Anyone else see this behavour and how do you solve it.

Things I do to:
- make sure the graphic is not forced to the next page, but enter a manual
page break before the object while I construct it.
- TRY to use the drawing canvas, but it, to, jumps around on me.
- When I finish the drawing, GROUP all elements into one object.

I tend to use the 'Wrap top and bottom' on most of my objects.

I'm using Word 2003 in Office 2003 installed on Win XP Pro.

Thanks,

 

[Jezebel]

Display the object properties dialog and explore the options on the Layout
and Advanced tabs. There are several settings that affect the object's
position and its propensity to move. Invest some time in experimenting with
the dialog settings so you understand what they do. It's really not complex,
just that the dialogs are badly designed.

Anchors: by default, Word anchors the object to the nearest paragraph - so
if you move the object, the anchor moves also. You can lock the anchor to a
given paragraph. A useful trick is to lock the anchor to the heading on a
page -- since that is usually fixed as the first paragraph on the page.

Position, set on the Advanced tab, may be absolute or relative. If relative,
the object will move when the anchor paragraph moves. Positioning is also
affected by 'allow overlap' -- ie, what happens if there is more than one
graphic. This is where it can get very confusing: paragraph A moves, causing
object B to move, which interferes with object C, etc.

 

[DocBrown]

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I have been playing with all of the settings that you mentioned. I have
not experimented much with 'Lock Anchor', but I will. Inspite of all that, I
still find the object don't behave well.

I am very good at deciphering an applications (including Word) behavour and
figuring out what various settings do but it just seem like since I was
forced to migrate to Word 2003 by my corporate IT, in this version of Word,
the graphics behavour is very unpredicitable and what seems like to me, down
right broken. Things I used to do routinely in previous version of Word, now
are extremely frustrating. It could be that there is some hidden data or
setting that is interfering but I have no idea where to start.

I am aware to pay attention to the wrap setting, and the paragraph that the
component object is anchored to. When I create a compound object, one of the
first things I do is to reserve the approximate space by creating a thin box
at the left margin with 'Top Bottom wrap' to form a place where all the rest
of the elements go.

Just today I copied and pasted a compound object that had been 'grouped' and
when I pasted it, it became anchored 5 paragraphs above the current insertion
point. I did it multiple times making sure the insertion point and my mouse
cursor was where I wanted the object to go. It didn't help.

Also, in the past, when I copy and paste an autoshape, the paste would
happen slightly right and below the copied object. Now the location of the
paste is totally unpredictable. There are many other graphic behavours that
seem like they are erratic.

Anyway, does it feel like the graphics behavour is more erratic in Word 2003
to anyone else?

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Tony Ray,

If you start a new document, type =rand(50,5) {Enter}
then use Insert=>Picture From file, double click the
graphic and lock the anchor do you see the locked
anchor?

Can you then drag the graphic from the last page
to another page in Word while the anchor is locked?


Is the object anchor display turned on in
Tools=>Options=>View

(Anchors are not visible in print layout view
if the graphic is formatted as 'inline with text'.
If the graphic layout is switched to inline and
then to a non-inline wrapping the anchor is again
unlocked.)

======
I too find that "Lock anchor" does not lock anchors as pre-2003 Word did.
When I check the Lock anchor box, no padlock appears with the anchor as it
previously did. Then when I then move the object, its anchor moves with it,
and a look back at Format Picture/Layout/Advanced shows that the Lock anchor
box has been cleared. Does Lock anchor not work in Word 2003? >>

 

[TonyRay]

Hi Bob,
Thanks. Entering =rand(50,5) {Enter} as you suggested has now made Word
2003 show anchored graphics with an anchor symbol and they are indeed
anchored, even in new documents that I create. THANKS.

Can you briefly explain, though, why your suggestion fixed things? Curious
and very much so curious. Thanks again.

Tony Ray