Labels-single spacing - how to make default Word 2007

[Beth Melton]

I pointed this out to you in my previous reply regarding the behavior of
lables in Word 2007 but I'll mention it again. ;-)

On your page you have this note:

"Microsoft appears to have retained the default use of the 'normal'
paragraph style to format tables; however, in Word 2007, the normal
paragraph style has added spacing. This will result in extra spacing between
the lines of the addresses on the labels when created using the label
tool..."

Technically this statement is incorrect. By default, Word 2007 does not add
any additional spacing, not between paragraphs or line spacing, on labels
you create using the Labels command on the Mailings tab. Now, if *you*
modify your Normal style and add extra spacing then in this scenario that
spacing will also be added to the labels. I suspect this is why you are
seeing this behavior.

Note that one of the beta versions did include the additional space but due
to feedback they received this behavior was changed in RTM.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Graham Mayor]

This is not the behaviour I see here - at least not consistently

Here the default setting for the Normal paragraph style is to have 10 points
of space after, and multiple line spacing is set to 1.15.

There is another style in the default set called 'No Spacing' which is what
I would have expected 'Normal. to be.

Normal style is used by default in tables - and this isn't a beta copy of
Word (I skipped the beta process entirely) and is tested for the purpose of
clarification in its safe mode - so tables have added space.

However there is some additional behaviour going on here, which seems a tad
hit and miss. Sometimes when you insert and address into the labels tool
window, the address is posted into the label (new document) with added space
and then it is reformatted to remove the extra padding. Other times it
doesn't do that and the spacing remains. It all seems a tad flaky to me.

I will however return to that disputed paragraph and make some change based
on what I find.

Removing the space from the normal style and creating a new style with the
spacing (I renamed the No Spacing style after I added the spacing to it)
removes the anomaly, and as this was how Word was setup through its recent
versions, I fail to see why they changed it to complicate matters.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Graham Mayor]

I have now re-written the offending paragraph -
http://www.gmayor.com/merge_labels_with_word_2007.htm#Note:
which should now cover what is supposed to happen and what I see happening


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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Graham Mayor]

1. Hold down the CTRL key to start Word in its safe mode (thus eliminating
outside issues)
2. Open a new blank document, because safe mode doesn't open any document
space.
3. From the Labels button pick a label from Options (I am using 5264 from
Avery Letter for this experiment)
4 Create a new document from the labels tool (this will give you a new
document and is essentially the same as starting from a label template).
5. On the Mailings Tab click > Select Recipients > and pick Select From
Outlook Contacts
6. Pick an available contacts list
7. Click Start Merge and choose 'labels'.
8. Cancel the label dialog - we already have the label selected and this
will make available the mailing label functions.
9. Use the Insert Mergefield Button to add fields to your first label (the
tiny arrow at the button will allow you to insert the fields one at a time.
Press enter after each row of fields. The fields now have no padding.
10. Click Update Labels - this propagates the first label content to the
others and adds Next record fields as appropriate. (still no padding added).
11. Click 'Finish and Merge' and choose the option to Edit Individual
Documents. This merges to a new document. Still no padding.

While this process does not follow the logical progression left to right
along the Mailings tab of the ribbon as you would if creating labels from
resident templates, it would be a logical process if the merge is to start
from a label template eg one downloaded from Avery or created yourself for a
specific purpose.


--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Beth Melton]

Okay, I see what the difference is now, you are cancelling the Label Options
dialog box which, as we previously discussed, doesn't execute the procedure
that adds the extra spacing.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Beth Melton]

Now, the note wasn't offending. ;-)

This is one of those areas I fought hard for during the beta. Originally,
the new default spacing infiltrated *everything*. Labels, envelopes, you
name it. Thankfully Microsoft did listen to the feedback and changed the
behaviors. I suspect there were a few areas that were missed (I'm still
wondering what happened to labels when you use mail merge...) but as a whole
I'm happy with the changes they made. I suspect that's why I wanted to see
the corrections made to your page since it is a 'win' for user feedback.

Also, as for changing everything back to the way it was, instead of
modifying styles and such, you can simply switch to the Word 2003 style set.
This is available under Change Styles/Style Sets. After you select "Word
2003" in the Style Set list, if you want to use it as your default then
click the Change Styles button again and then click "Set as Default".

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Graham Mayor]

I take your point about style sets, and maybe that needs another note, but I
was working from the basis that the user had default settings (something not
many of us have for very long). Either way, the end result is really all
that matters and I think the page will end up with the user having the
required results for his/her purpose. Certainly the page has had a lot of
hits since I posted it and I have had no feedback from the site to suggest
that users are having problems with it...... yet

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[COSMO]

Good response re MSloth thinking we should follow their piper.

Unfortunately, I am stuck in a campus environment using MSloth 2007, and
I am a true died-in-the-wool user of Corel WordPerfect---have been since
before they were known as WP.

cosmo

 

[COSMO]

IF YOU DON'T LIKE PROVIDING COURTEOUS SERVICE TO THE NUMEROUS QUESTIONS
ASKED, LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB.

If my business found out an employee was treating a customer in the inane
fashion you did by telling them to use another product, that employee would
be terminated for cause, and immediately escorted out by security forces.

Having a bad day? Don't come to work and take it out on the valued customer
that used/purchased your MSloth products.

Indeed, have you no shame?


Cosmo

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Please note that Graham is not a Microsoft employee. We are all volunteers
here. I see nothing discourteous in Graham's reply, which was actually quite
informative.

 

[Graham Mayor]

No-one here works for or speaks for Microsoft.

I provide Word support for users both in these forums and on my web site at
my own expense and in my own time. Neither do I have much time for anonymous
whingers, who jump into someone elses thread to make their own petty points,
or for Word Perfect users who come here to report how hard done to they are,
by having to work for an organisation that makes them use a different
product. If you have an issue with your employers take it up with them.

If you want free user peer group support you take on the rough and tumble of
the user forums. If you want manufacturer's help desk support then I am sure
Microsoft would be happy to take your money.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Beth Melton]

Continued responses such as these will paint you as nothing more than a
troll and we don't feed trolls around here. Not even those who find
themselves with a problem and come crawling back seeking help. Once a troll
always a troll.

Now, if you aren't a troll and have come here seeking help then my
suggestion to you is to stop behaving like one. We aren't a bunch of
Microsoft cheerleaders. We're nothing more than users, just like you, who
are here to learn more about the applications we are using, either by
personal preference or forced usage. At the same time we don't want a bunch
of negative bs being tossed around. This is a friendly environment and we
strive to keep it that way.

So it's your choice, change the attitude and you'll be welcome here. There a
several around here that are or were in your shoes so I'm sure you'll fit
in.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton

 

[mist]

Now, the note wasn't offending. ;-)

This is one of those areas I fought hard for during the beta. Originally,
the new default spacing infiltrated *everything*. Labels, envelopes, you
name it. Thankfully Microsoft did listen to the feedback and changed the
behaviors. I suspect there were a few areas that were missed (I'm still
wondering what happened to labels when you use mail merge...) but as a whole
I'm happy with the changes they made. I suspect that's why I wanted to see
the corrections made to your page since it is a 'win' for user feedback.

Also, as for changing everything back to the way it was, instead of
modifying styles and such, you can simply switch to the Word 2003 style set.
This is available under Change Styles/Style Sets. After you select "Word
2003" in the Style Set list, if you want to use it as your default then
click the Change Styles button again and then click "Set as Default".

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[NANABANANA]

I've set my default template/document in Word 2007 to single space for all
new documents. However, this doesn't seem to hold true when trying to do a
mail merge with labels??!!?? I can't seem to find a way to change the
default label document - if there is such an animal.... I want all my
documents to be single spaced - labels, envelopes, letters etc. - I want it
to be the default (don't want to manually change each and every document I
create). If I choose to change to a different paragraph style, I will! I
don't want MS to choose for me.

Help!?!?!
Thanks.
LT