Word 2008 Margin settings trouble

[Banks]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

I'm currently working on my graduate thesis, a document for which there are arcane, yet strictly enforced, formatting requirements. One of these requirements is that the bottom margin of each page be between 1" and 1.25". Any margin falling outside of that range is not acceptable.

The problem that I am having is that margins in Word appear to print accurately up to .9". Once the margin is advanced above .9", there is a discontinuity between the set margin size and the actual printed margin, resulting in printed margins of 1.35" for a setting of 1". This makes my required margin size unattainable, as the jump from .9 to 1.35" encompasses the entirety of the allowable range.

I have experienced this problem now using three different laser printers and one inkjet. Has anyone else encountered this difficulty, and is there any solution?

 

[John McGhie]

I am not sure how you are measuring the margin?

You can set the margin anywhere you like in a Word document, but you need to
be aware of the way it works.

The "margin" setting sets the distance from the edge of the paper to the
bottom of the "print image".

Within that, the "Footer" measurement measures the distance from the edge of
the paper to the outside (bottom!) of the footer text.

If the margin is not big enough to contain the footer and maintain that
"From Edge" distance, Word will automatically expand the margin inwards to
accommodate the footer.

None of these measurements will be accurate unless you have the printer
connected that you are going to print to, because Word derives its
measurements from the printer driver.

However, if you are measuring to the bottom row of the text, you may get
variable results, because Word will compute where to break the paragraph so
as not to produce an ugly result.

Please tell me how you are measuring these dimensions and I can be of more
help to you.

Cheers

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

I'm currently working on my graduate thesis, a document for which there are
arcane, yet strictly enforced, formatting requirements. One of these
requirements is that the bottom margin of each page be between 1" and 1.25".
Any margin falling outside of that range is not acceptable.

The problem that I am having is that margins in Word appear to print
accurately up to .9". Once the margin is advanced above .9", there is a
discontinuity between the set margin size and the actual printed margin,
resulting in printed margins of 1.35" for a setting of 1". This makes my
required margin size unattainable, as the jump from .9 to 1.35" encompasses
the entirety of the allowable range.

I have experienced this problem now using three different laser printers and
one inkjet. Has anyone else encountered this difficulty, and is there any
solution?

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

Just *one* of the influencing factors John is referring to is Widow/Orphan
Control which prevents the first line of a paragraph from being stranded at
the bottom of a page & prevents the last line of a paragraph appearing alone
at the top of a page.

This as well as other formatting renders a net result which you can
interpret as: The margin setting only determines the *limit* to which the
text can go, it doesn't force the content to go that far.

Not to interfere with John's sage advice - he'll provide the specific
guidance you may need - but in addition you may find this article useful:

http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/BottomLine.htm