AutoCaptions & Pictures in Word 2003

[EugenioB]

I am having trouble with AutoCaptions for Figures (inserted pictures)
separating from the images. The document's text slips into the gap between
the caption and pictures when fine-adjusting picture position. Sometimes this
results in the Caption ending up on the page following the picture.
The text flow is set for Top&Bottom wrapping, with 0.4cm gap each. The
AutoCaption Position is set to Below Item.
Manually-inserted Captions do not do this, because the Caption is inserted
into a frame, with no gap to the picture.

 

[Doug Robbins]

May not be the only way, but what I do is put the picture and its caption
into a table.

--
Please respond to the Newsgroup for the benefit of others who may be
interested. Questions sent directly to me will only be answered on a paid
consulting basis.

Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If both graphic and caption are in the drawing layer, it should be possible
to group them. Note, however, that if your caption is in a text box (Word's
default when the graphic is wrapped), it will not be picked up for a List of
Figures. For this reason, it is generally preferable to insert both graphic
and caption in line with text, then select both and insert a frame. Text can
be wrapped around the frame, and the frame can be positioned relative to a
paragraph or the page.

 

[EugenioB]

All I can guess is that:
I have not explained the problem sufficiently, or
everyone has missed something in reading my original post, or
the AutoCaption feature works differently for me than it does for others.

I'll try to address the first possibility.

I presume that this feature was designed to save time/effort in creating a
separate caption for each insertion and to ensure consistency of
format/position/etc of all the figure/table/equation captions in a document.
It certainly is not saving me any time.

When I activate it for the insertion of graphics files, specifying the
built-in settings "figures" and "below", what it seems to do when I
Insert-Picture-FromFile is to place an extra line of left-justified text in
"Caption" style (with no frame or other formatting) a couple of vertical line
spaces below the graphic. This line contains the text: "Figure n"
(n=sequential number of the insertion). This text does not appear to have any
"special" characteristics that I can see/rollover/click on (even if I reveal
the formatting codes), but does have some "magical" properties, since I can
insert cross-references to it elsewhere in the document.

After re-sizing the graphic and setting the text flow and layout properties
(at the moment Top&Bottom flow with 0.4cm gaps and centred in a column), I
centre the Caption text line and all seems fine. If I then shift the graphic
up or down a couple of lines within the document, one or two lines of text
flow into the gap between the graphic frame and the caption. Yes: between the
graphic and its caption. There is no frame around the caption to adjust.
There is nothing but the graphic for the "Select Objects" tool to select for
grouping.

By "playing around" with positioning, I have so far managed to avoid this
problem, making the text flowing into the gap end up just as a single blank
line, but I have now ended up in a situation I cannot change, where the
caption has flowed onto the page following the one where the graphic is
located. Again: the graphic and its caption end up on different pages. Moving
the graphic higher brings the caption back onto the same page, but apart from
this position not being acceptable for this particular document's logic, one
or two lines of text always seem to remain between the graphic and its
caption. If I force the graphic to go onto the next page, it ends up aligned
with the top edge of the "virtual paper" and its caption drops to a couple of
lines below the first text. Any further manipulation causes the graphic to
end up somewhere else in the document, sometimes a couple of pages away,
sometimes behind another graphic (even though the properties of both graphics
initially have the "Allow overlap" unchecked), and I end up having to Undo to
find it.

What a mess, MS!

I wish I could attach an example to illustrate the above explanation.

EB

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If you will insert your graphics in line with text instead of wrapped, then
the caption will also be inline instead of in a text box. You can then
select both graphic and caption and insert a frame to contain them both,
wrapping text around the entire frame. Word will not see captions in text
boxes, anyway, so if you plan to generate a List of Figures, you need to get
the caption out of the text box.

 

[DKP]

How EXACTLY does one do this? There doesn't seem to be an "Insert Frame"
option on the menu and the Frames toolbar isn't intuitive either. There's an
option in Format Textbox that allows you to convert a textbox to a frame, but
I'm guessing you need to have the textbox populated with the information
first (but that's not what you described). Based on your description below,
it sounds like there's another way.

I could really use the help. We just switched to Word 2003 and I've spent a
whole day (and $40 on a book!) just trying to do the same things I did in
about 10 minutes using Word 2000. I don't think the upgrade was worth it.

Thanks!
Donna

 

[prattdk]

How EXACTLY does one do this? I was unable to find an "Insert Frame" menu
option, and the Frames toolbar didn't do anything with my selection when I
chose "New Frame". I know that I can convert a text box to a frame, but that
means I need to paste the caption and graphic into the text box and then
convert it, right? Is there some other SIMPLE way to do this?

I'd appreciate any help with this. We just upgraded to Word 2003 and I've
spent all day (and $40 on a book) trying to do the same things that took 10
minutes in Word 2000.

Thanks,
Donna

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Format both caption and graphic as In Line With Text (that is, the text is
plain text, and the graphic is in a text paragraph). Select them both and
use the Insert Frame button on the Forms toolbar. You can then use Format |
Frame to set the wrapping and, if wrapped, the position. If you decide you
like the effect, you can add Frame to the Insert menu using Tools |
Customize.