How do I group a Word 2003 graphic and a drawing object?

[Kate]

I prepare training aids. I often take a screen capture of a step, paste it
into Word 2003, and then use a red bordered drawing object to call attention
to the relevant part of the graphic. Problem is that when I add or delete
text above the graphic, the drawing object is no longer where it belongs; it
wanders off. I want to group the graphic and the drawing object, but cannot
make it work. Help, please!

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If the graphic is In Line With Text, you can't group the drawing object with
it, but if the drawing object is anchored to the graphic (with In Front of
Text wrapping), its position should be expressed relative to the paragraph
the graphic is in, and it will then move with the graphic.

 

[Kate]

Thanks, Suzanne. I changed the layout of the graphic (screen cap) to "In
front of text". This got me the "pearl" handles. I then did the same thing
on the drawing object (rectangle) and also got "pearl" handles. Now that
they both have pearl handles, I was able to use CTRL to choose both and group
them. I can move the graphic all over the place now, and the rectangle stays
exactly where it belongs.

Thank you so much for your insight,
Kate

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The disadvantage to having the graphic wrapped is that it may tend to
wander. It's almost always preferable to leave graphics inline if you don't
have a pressing need to wrap text around them.

Another option is to put both graphic and shapes in a drawing canvas (I
*think* this can be done) and leave the canvas inline (all the contents are
still in the drawing layer).

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

You can also group the objects (even in the absence of the drawing
canvas)--whereupon they essentially become a single object to Word--and then
set the group's wrapping to In line with text.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Ah, useful to know.

You can also group the objects (even in the absence of the drawing
canvas)--whereupon they essentially become a single object to Word--and then
set the group's wrapping to In line with text.

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com