Drawing a transparent rectangle around text in Word 2008

[Crito]

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

In Word 2004, there was a simple way to draw flow charts: just arrange the words on the page, then draw transparent rectangles around those words to create boxes, then draw arrows between the boxes. It wasn't a perfect method, but it worked reasonably well; text, boxes, and arrows all moved together, most of the time. Now I can't seem to draw transparent rectangles around already typed words in Word 2008. Has this functionality disappeared?

 

[John McGhie]

No, the function has not disappeared. It's exactly where you left it

You can use Borders in the Toolbox to apply a border to the word, and reveal
the Drawing toolbar to put lines in. Or you can draw text boxes and put the
words in them. If you do, you can use the "Connector" lines that will glue
themselves to the hot points on the text boxes.

Don't forget to "Group" the whole thing when you have finished so it doesn't
fly apart if you edit the document.

However, if you have a sniff through the SmartArt, I think there's a
flowchart model in there, or at least one you can make look like what you
want.

Hope this helps

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

In Word 2004, there was a simple way to draw flow charts: just arrange the
words on the page, then draw transparent rectangles around those words to
create boxes, then draw arrows between the boxes. It wasn't a perfect method,
but it worked reasonably well; text, boxes, and arrows all moved together,
most of the time. Now I can't seem to draw transparent rectangles around
already typed words in Word 2008. Has this functionality disappeared?

--
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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]

 

[CyberTaz]

.... In fact, similar capabilities are available in 2004 as well. and it's
great if the method you describe worked for you, but it sure seems like a
cumbersome waste of time even to "just arrange the words on the page".