Grouping pictures with their captions

[Thadeus Sholto]

I've searched the internet for answers to this question, and I can't believe
there isn't a simpler answer. Here's my workflow:

I draw my pictures in Powerpoint. I go into Word 2007, into my document,
place the cursor where I want the picture, and do a 'paste special (Windows
Metafile)' to insert the picture. Sizing/layout is relatively easy. Now I
want to add a caption - and I'd like to use Word's captions so they will
update automatically, etc. So, I select the picture, right click on 'Add
Caption', etc. and I get a nice caption under the picture.

Now, if I don't breathe or look cross-eyed at the screen, everything is
fine. But, if I attempt to move the picture, the caption doesn't move with
it. Worse, sometimes adding the caption screws up how text flows around the
picture and on the page. For example, adding a caption to one picture
removed my ability to do widow/orphan control on the paragraph that followed.

Question: Is there a way to do 'the obvious' and simply create a caption
that simply sticks to the picture, and 'becomes part of the picture' such
that the formatting I'm doing on the picture isn't affected?

My research so far: From what I've read, what I want (1) used to be there in
previous versions (2) simply isn't there anymore (3) requires the use of
things like 'frames'. I've tried figuring frames out and don't understand
step-by-step how to do what I want. For example, I don't know how to create
frame and then place both the picture and text in a grouped way into the
frame such that it all becomes one unit from a formatting perspective.

My workaround: I manually add the text 'Figure X' into all of my Powerpoint
figures. Then I cut/paste the picture with that reference in them. Gives me
100% of what I want except the numbers won't update automatically, and I
don't get styles-based control over the font.

My opinion: (Assuming I haven't missed something obvious here...) Come on
Microsoft!!! I am such a basic user of Word -- and this can't be anything
exotic. Pictures with captions where captions stick to the pictures. In
fact, I can't imagine any reason why you would even want captions that didn't
stick with pictures. Or if there is, make a check box called 'Stick to
Pictures' that is on by default.

If I've missed something, please let me know, and I'll apologize for my rant.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The best solution, when possible, is to insert both images and captions In
Line With Text, using appropriate styles for both. The style for the upper
thing (whether it's the image or the caption) should be formatted as "Keep
with next."

If it is necessary to wrap text around the image and its caption, then by
far the best solution is to put both in a single frame and wrap the text
around that. This requires that both image and caption be In Line With Text
to start with. You then select both of them and use Insert Frame. The only
tricky part about that is the difficulty of accessing the Frame command in
Word 2007. If you have the Developer tab displayed, you can find it in the
Legacy Forms palette. Once you know what it looks like (assuming you'll be
using it a lot), your next step is to find it in the Customize dialog
(you'll find it listed as Insert Horizontal Frame in the All Commands list)
and add it to the QAT.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org