Line Spacing in 2007

[J. Gaze]

In the new version of Word, the way line spacing works seems different than
in previous versions.

Working in Microsoft Word 2005, when I highlight a portion of text and
change the line spacing, say to 1.5 lines, the extra space is equally
distributed on top and on bottom of the text.

In Microsoft Word 2007, however, when I change the line spacing all of the
extra space is put underneath the text.

This is normally not a problem, but it causes trouble in tables, text that
is shaded, etc.

I write textbooks for an ESL program and am required to do all of my own
formatting, so what seems like a small problem is quickly becoming a big one
for me, and I'm tempted to switch back to Word 2005.

Thanks for whatever help you can give me.

 

[Graham Mayor]

Word 2005?

Word 2007 doesn't appear to change the line spacing any differently from
2003. Are you sure it is line spacing you are changing and not 'space
before'?

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[J. Gaze]

Thanks for your reply -

Wow, you're quite right that it's not 2005. I don't know where that
confusion came from.

When I use Word 2007 to open a document that I created in the older version
of Word, the spacing appears as I want it - equally distributed. However,
when I create a new document in Word 2007, using the line spacing drop down
menu in the tool bar, all of the space gets put after the text.

Could there somehow be something wrong with my version of Word? To do a
dramatic test, when I highlight a section of text and then set the spacing to
something ridiculous, like 4.0, the highlighting extends for four spaces to
the bottom of the text.

I can't seem to find any setting in the line spacing options that would fix
this.

Thanks for whatever other help you can give me!

 

[Luc]

J. Gaze,
Word 2007 has 1.15 line spacing and 10 pt after the paragraph by default.
There are two things you can do to solve your problem. On the Home ribbon,
in the styles section, click on the second thumbnail in the styles box. This
will give you the old Word 2003 settings no line spacing and no space after.
If you want to change it permanently, click on the dialogue starter button
in the styles group, in the task pane, click on the last icon at the bottom
of the pane, choose the last tab in the dialogue, set everything the way you
want, don't forget to click the radio button at the bottom to let Word apply
the new settings to all document based on the template.
That's how I would do it but that said, maybe there is a better way, if so,
someone else will jump in and set me straight.

 

[J. Gaze]

Thank you, also, for your reply..

I did manage to change the default setting, however this doesn't seem to
change the problem when I want to change the line spacing. Still, all of the
spacing is distributed at the bottom of the text.

It's one of those things that seems like it should have a fantastically
simple answer, yet it continues to elude me.

Thanks,
J.G.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

In Word 2003, double spacing places all the extra spacing below the text
baseline. "Exactly" spacing puts the extra leading above the text.
Apparently Word thinks that it is "centering" these lines because there is a
Compatibility Option, "Don't center 'exact line height' lines." When that is
enabled, the space is added below the line, which makes it easier to mix
Exact and Multiple spacing.

Thank you, also, for your reply..

I did manage to change the default setting, however this doesn't seem to
change the problem when I want to change the line spacing. Still, all of the
spacing is distributed at the bottom of the text.

It's one of those things that seems like it should have a fantastically
simple answer, yet it continues to elude me.

Thanks,
J.G.