default formatting on basic shapes

[judykrol]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)

When I try to insert a "basic shape" such as a bracket into a word document the line width is 3.5, the shape is blue, and the shape does not sit on top of the text. Instead it moves text out of the way and creates a large blank space. I can re-format the shape (change the line width and color and distribution) so that it behaves as I want it to; but this is a real pain. In my older Word, the defaults for the basic shapes had narrow, black lines and the shape did not displace other things on the document. They just sat where I put them. (I also had a problem with an inserted textbox that moved things around in the document because it was not sitting on top of the text.) How can I change the defaults for these objects?

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Judy -

Office 2008 uses a different graphics engine than what was used in earlier
versions. The good/bad news is that the AutoShapes are "richer" & there is
no way to make a global change to the default settings [AFAIK]. The only
suggestion I can offer is that once you create a shape & format it as you
want you can then Control/Right-Click it & select Set AutoShape Defaults.
Any additional shapes created by same tool *in that document* will employ
the same settings. But that's only part of your issue...

You're also dealing with the default Text Wrapping for AutoShapes which is
Tight, and although the Text Wrapping can be changed for any shape the Text
Wrapping property isn't picked up by the above technique:-( However, you can
go to Word> Preferences> Edit and set the Insert/Paste Pictures as: property
to In Front of Text. This will determine the Text Wrapping style with which
any shapes, pictures, etc. are formatted when inserted into any document.

One additional suggestion: If you use any specific shape formatted a certain
way frequently you can add it to the Scrapbook & insert it from there rather
than creating a new one each time.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[judykrol]

Thank you, Cyber Taz. Your suggestions will work for me. The one about text wrapping on shapes was easy and fixes all the problems I had with that. The suggestion about putting frequently used shapes into the scrapbook (after I have modified them to suit me) will work too; but it is somewhat cumbersome. I am wondering why the authors of Word decided to make the AutoShapes "richer". It seems to me that for most users, the plain shapes with a thin black line would be the preferable ones for the majority of Word documents.

Hi Judy -

Office 2008 uses a different graphics engine than what was used in earlier
versions. The good/bad news is that the AutoShapes are "richer" & there is
no way to make a global change to the default settings [AFAIK]. The only
suggestion I can offer is that once you create a shape & format it as you
want you can then Control/Right-Click it & select Set AutoShape Defaults.
Any additional shapes created by same tool *in that document* will employ
the same settings. But that's only part of your issue...

You're also dealing with the default Text Wrapping for AutoShapes which is
Tight, and although the Text Wrapping can be changed for any shape the Text
Wrapping property isn't picked up by the above technique:-( However, you can
go to Word> Preferences> Edit and set the Insert/Paste Pictures as: property
to In Front of Text. This will determine the Text Wrapping style with which
any shapes, pictures, etc. are formatted when inserted into any document.

One additional suggestion: If you use any specific shape formatted a certain
way frequently you can add it to the Scrapbook & insert it from there rather
than creating a new one each time.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)

When I try to insert a "basic shape" such as a bracket into a word document
the line width is 3.5, the shape is blue, and the shape does not sit on top of
the text. Instead it moves text out of the way and creates a large blank
space. I can re-format the shape (change the line width and color and
distribution) so that it behaves as I want it to; but this is a real pain. In
my older Word, the defaults for the basic shapes had narrow, black lines and
the shape did not displace other things on the document. They just sat where I
put them. (I also had a problem with an inserted textbox that moved things
around in the document because it was not sitting on top of the text.) How can
I change the defaults for these objects?