Indented Paragraphs and Text Boxes/Frames

K

Kim Tangey

I have a number of Word documents (originally Word97 format) which have a
frame on the left-hand side of the first page. The frame is used to prevent
paragraphs on the first page of a letter printing over some graphics on
pre-printed letterhead, while subsequent pages print on plain paper.

In Word97, indented paragraphs on the first page appear on screen as they
print - ie correctly indented. However, the same documents in Word2000 or
WordXP do not display on screen as indented paragraphs. They do however
print correctly.

I have done a fair bit of testing and changing compatibility settings to try
and get the WordXP documents displaying as they print - to no avail. I
cannot find a setting which will show an indented paragraph which is beside
a frame or text box as indented on screen.

Can anyone help with this problem?

Thanks

Kim
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

I can only confirm what you're seeing, but count yourself lucky: some users
not only don't see the indents, they also don't get them when they print (or
else perhaps none of them have tried it). This is definitely a bug, and I
don't think it's corrected in Word 2003, either.
 
C

Cindy M -WordMVP-

Hi Kim,

I don't think I can help (maybe, but not sure); I can sort of explain what the
problem is, however. It comes from the way text flow is handled around
graphical objects; basically, indents aren't supported/allowed. I do find it
interesting that they print, even though the screen doesn't display them.

The only way I've ever found to get around this problem is to apply numbering
(with indents, but without numbers) to such a paragraph. I really hate doing
it, but it does usually work...

1. format/Bullets and Numbering/Outline
2. Select a preview, click "Customize"
3. Click "More"
4. For Level 1, set the "Number style" to "None"
5. Delete any text in the "Number format" box
6. Set the "Aligned at" and "Indent" to the same value
7. "Follow number with" should be "Nothing"
8. "Link level to style": this could be "(no style)" or the style you use for
body text. I advise the latter.
In Word97, indented paragraphs on the first page appear on screen as they
print - ie correctly indented. However, the same documents in Word2000 or
WordXP do not display on screen as indented paragraphs. They do however
print correctly.

I have done a fair bit of testing and changing compatibility settings to try
and get the WordXP documents displaying as they print - to no avail. I
cannot find a setting which will show an indented paragraph which is beside
a frame or text box as indented on screen.

Can anyone help with this problem?
Click to expand...

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep 30 2003)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :)
 
K

Kim

Thanks for replying Suzanne. I can get indented paragraphs printing
correctly by checking the "use Word 6.x/95 border rules" compatibility
setting. I guess I'll just have to tell the users to check normal view if
they need a visual confirmation of the indent settings on screen.

I appreciate your response.

Kim
 
K

Kim

Thanks for the response Cindy and the tip re numbering. I hadn't thought of
this. I did discover that a bulletted paragraph is displayed correctly, but
if I try to apply the same level of hanging indent to another paragraph
myself without using the Bullets and Numbers command, this does not display
correctly. I'm sure there's some logic to this anomoly somewhere!

I will try the numbering trick you suggest. I have responded to Suzanne's
post with the setting I found allows the indents to print correctly.

Thanks for your help.

Kim
 
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