Columns option missing from Format dropdown list on Word Menu bar

[registrar]

Columns option is missing from the dropdown list under Format on the Word menu bar. I have tried: 1. following drag and drop directions in Help, 2. trying to Customize the Menu bar under Tools, and 3. resetting the Format Menu going the same route. Any other suggestions? It was there at one point yesterday but gone this morning. What could be deleting it?

 

[A Friend]

You don't mention which version of Word you are using, but assuming it's Word 2008, might you be in Publishing Layout View (or even in Word 20004, Notebook Layout View)? You wont find the"Columns" menu item on the Format menu in those views - that's expected behavior.

Remember - not all commands are available in all views in Word.

If you're in some other view...you'll need to provide some more details (what version of Word, what view you're in, what version of the Mac OS, etc.).

Hope that helps.

 

[registrar]

I have Microsoft Word X for Mac. No year listed, but I think it is 2001. I looked in both Page Layout and Normal views. It still is not there. I have also tried to add Columns to the dropdown menu with Word open but no document open.

I tried to update Word, but Mactopia shows update available for OS X through 10.1.9 (I think it is). Mine is now 10.4.11.

It's good to know that "someone out there" wants to help. Thank you so much. Do you think that re-installing Word would fix it?

 

[Beth Rosengard]

No! Reinstalling seldom helps with this kind of problem. I'm not clear on
whether you have Word X or Word 2001 but you may be able to find the answer
here: <http://word.mvps.org/Mac/Word2001Menus.html> Post back if not.

By the way, you can find your version of Word by going to Word menu> About
Word.

--
***Please always reply to the newsgroup!***

Beth Rosengard
Mac MVP

Mac Word FAQ: <http://word.mvps.org/Mac/WordMacHome.html>
My Site: <http://www.bethrosengard.com>

 

[John McGhie]

No: Re-installing Word will make it worse

Follow the instructions Beth gave you ‹ you need to use
Tools>Customise>Customise Toolbars and Menus to Reset your Format Menu

Cheers

I have Microsoft Word X for Mac. No year listed, but I think it is 2001. I
looked in both Page Layout and Normal views. It still is not there. I have
also tried to add Columns to the dropdown menu with Word open but no document
open.

I tried to update Word, but Mactopia shows update available for OS X through
10.1.9 (I think it is). Mine is now 10.4.11.

It's good to know that "someone out there" wants to help. Thank you so much.
Do you think that re-installing Word would fix it?

--
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, Consultant Technical Writer
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50

 

[Guest]

Beth and John - I have followed those steps through clicking on All Commands. A copy of the Menu bar has appeared just below the Menu bar. But nothing happens when I drag "Format Columns" to the word "Format" on the Menu bar copy. I even tried dragging the word "Columns" which appears earlier in the All Commands list.

There must be some reason that Columns has disappeared the dropdown list more than once.

 

[John McGhie]

Not the "Format" menu on the menu bar, the "Format" menu on the "Customise
Menus" menu bar that appears when you go into Format>Toolbars and Menus...

Not the "main" Format menu, the "other" format menu that will appear when
you go into Customise ...

And yeah, you're probably hitting Command + Shift + - at some point in your
work. If you do, the next menu command you hit disappears

While you are in Customise, you might want to remove the keystroke from the
"ToolsCustomiseRemoveMenuCommand" command, so you don't hit it again.

Cheers

Beth and John - I have followed those steps through clicking on All Commands.
A copy of the Menu bar has appeared just below the Menu bar. But nothing
happens when I drag "Format Columns" to the word "Format" on the Menu bar
copy. I even tried dragging the word "Columns" which appears earlier in the
All Commands list.

There must be some reason that Columns has disappeared the dropdown list more
than once.

--
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, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]