Word's "AutoFit to Contents" feature causes words to break in two

  • Thread starter Albert Bickford
  • Start date
A

Albert Bickford

Word 2003 has a feature "AutoFit to Contains" in Table Properties that is
supposed to adjust the column width dynamically to fit the contents. I have
used tables to present interlinear text, which typically has just one word in
each cell (a single word in a foreign language with its translation in the
cell underneath). With such tables, AutoFit to Contents seems to
underestimate the column width required to fit the widest word in a column.
This results in the widest word having one or two letters broken off and
wrapping to the next line inside the cell. This does not happen all the time.
It seems to depend on the specific contents of the table, the font used, and
the typesize. Some combinations of these factors work as they are supposed
to, other combinations produce spurious line wrapping. The problem happens
with standard Windows fonts, so I think the problem is in Word, not in the
font metrics. I can follow up with a demonstration file if anyone is
interested (but I can't submit it through this interface).
 
T

TF

It is just as I see it too. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. It
really depends on the complexity of the table. If all the columns will
display just one row of text that fit across the page comfortably, Word
doesn't have a problem. But if more than one column has sufficient text to
require wrapping, Word isn't so good at deciding where to split. It was a
new feature in W2003: hopefully it will be improved.



message : Word 2003 has a feature "AutoFit to Contains" in Table Properties that is
: supposed to adjust the column width dynamically to fit the contents. I
have
: used tables to present interlinear text, which typically has just one word
in
: each cell (a single word in a foreign language with its translation in the
: cell underneath). With such tables, AutoFit to Contents seems to
: underestimate the column width required to fit the widest word in a
column.
: This results in the widest word having one or two letters broken off and
: wrapping to the next line inside the cell. This does not happen all the
time.
: It seems to depend on the specific contents of the table, the font used,
and
: the typesize. Some combinations of these factors work as they are supposed
: to, other combinations produce spurious line wrapping. The problem happens
: with standard Windows fonts, so I think the problem is in Word, not in the
: font metrics. I can follow up with a demonstration file if anyone is
: interested (but I can't submit it through this interface).
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

This was new in Word 2003? I thought it was introduced in Word 2000
(certainly it was available in Word 2002).
 
T

TF

I don't recall using it prior to W2K3: maybe I just didn't notice it or
didn't have a use for it. I certainly use it a great deal now and normally I
am happy with the results: just sometimes it screws up.

Terry

: This was new in Word 2003? I thought it was introduced in Word 2000
: (certainly it was available in Word 2002).
:
: --
: Suzanne S. Barnhill
: Microsoft MVP (Word)
: Words into Type
: Fairhope, Alabama USA
:
: Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup
so
: all may benefit.
:
: "TF" <terryfarrell%40%6d%73%6e%2ecom> wrote in message
: : > It is just as I see it too. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
: It
: > really depends on the complexity of the table. If all the columns will
: > display just one row of text that fit across the page comfortably, Word
: > doesn't have a problem. But if more than one column has sufficient text
to
: > require wrapping, Word isn't so good at deciding where to split. It was
a
: > new feature in W2003: hopefully it will be improved.
: >
: > --
: > Terry Farrell - Word MVP
:
: >
: > message : > : Word 2003 has a feature "AutoFit to Contains" in Table Properties that
: is
: > : supposed to adjust the column width dynamically to fit the contents. I
: > have
: > : used tables to present interlinear text, which typically has just one
: word
: > in
: > : each cell (a single word in a foreign language with its translation in
: the
: > : cell underneath). With such tables, AutoFit to Contents seems to
: > : underestimate the column width required to fit the widest word in a
: > column.
: > : This results in the widest word having one or two letters broken off
and
: > : wrapping to the next line inside the cell. This does not happen all
the
: > time.
: > : It seems to depend on the specific contents of the table, the font
used,
: > and
: > : the typesize. Some combinations of these factors work as they are
: supposed
: > : to, other combinations produce spurious line wrapping. The problem
: happens
: > : with standard Windows fonts, so I think the problem is in Word, not in
: the
: > : font metrics. I can follow up with a demonstration file if anyone is
: > : interested (but I can't submit it through this interface).
: >
: >
:
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

I'm too lazy to look, but I'm pretty sure I read about it in the training
docs we got on Word 2000. I've never been entirely clear whether it's the
same thing as auto resizing in Table Properties | Table | Options, but I
always turn that off.
 
A

Albert Bickford

I don't have Word 2000, but I too remember seeing it mentioned somewhere in
training materials for Word 2000. Word 97 had a feature called "AutoFit",
but it was just a button on the Column Width dialogue box that calculated the
current width required for a column, rather than dynamically adjusting it
like "Autofit to Contents" in the more recent versions. I'm pretty sure it is
the same as auto resizing.

At any rate, what I suspect is going on is that there is a round-off error
in the algorithm someplace, and that a slightly different formula is being
used for calculating the column width required from the one that is used for
actually rendering the text within the column (if that's clear). For many
tables, this isn't a great problem, because there are lots of different
places where the line can be broken. But, for interlinear text, there needs
to be one word per cell, the whole word fitting on one line within the cell,
with not a lot of extra space between it and the next word in the next
column. So, the problem becomes very obvious in tables like that.
 
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