Positioning a table

[Matt Baretich]

I'm working on a book chapter. Here's the problem. Suppose I have a table
(about one-half page long) that I want to appear at the first available space
after the paragraph that refers to the table.

This could be immediately below the paragraph if there's enough room left on
the page. Then the next paragraph would start right after the table.

However, if there's not enough room left on the page I would want the table
to go to the top of the next page. And I would want the next paragraph to
immediately follow the reference paragraph (not leave a bunch of white space
on the page).

That seems like a very basic text layout function but I can't figure out how
to do it in Word. I could manually position the table but I hate to have to
check each table and, if necessary, reposition it just because I do some
editing early in the document.

Help! Thanks!

- Matt

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The best you can do in current Word versions is to position the (wrapped)
table as Top or Bottom Relative to Margins. It will always be on the same
page as the paragraph to which it is anchored (which should be the one in
which it is referenced), but if you position it as Top, it may be above the
text reference.

 

[Matt]

Thanks, Suzanne.

Unfortunately, that technique can cause a break (and a bunch of white space)
on the previous page. Rather frustrating! Here is this expensive, widely used
word-processing program that can't automatically position tables (and other
objects) in a standard manner. Maybe Microsoft will change it in a future
version.

Regardless, thank you for your assistance!

- Matt

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

No, you have misunderstood me. If you wrap text around the table (or put it
in a frame), then the table will appear at the top of the page where it is
referenced, but text will flow around it. If the text reference flows back
to the previous page, the table will go with it. The problem, of course, is
that there may be room for the reference but not the table, in which case
you would have to move the anchor to a paragraph on the following page so
that it would be at the top of that page.

Personally, I find wrapped objects difficult to deal with, and I avoid them
except when I need to wrap text to the side of an object. My preferred
approach is to avoid positioning objects until editing is complete, then go
through the document from start to finish, adjusting placement of (inline)
objects in the edited pages.

 

[Matt]

Well, I respect your knowledge but it just doesn't work that way for the
situation I'm dealing with. I imagine that I'm not explaining things well. I
wish it were possible to show you a sample file. Thanks for your help.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I understand exactly what you're trying to do. I'm telling you that Word
cannot do exactly that. I have described a situation that is the closest you
will get under current conditions.

 

[Matt]

I apologize if my frustration has been showing through. I think I understand
what you're telling me and it's consistent with my understanding of how Word
works. My frustration is not with your excellent assistance; my frustration
is with Microsoft for not addressing this fundamental issue. If I have to do
a bunch of manual formatting on a book-length project then I might as well
move to a program like LaTeX. Alas!

Thanks for your help. Keep up the good work!

- Matt

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Thanks for understanding. Just keep in mind that we're all equally
frustrated. FWIW, every book I've typeset (well, at least every one that had
pictures) was a carefully handcrafted production for just this reason.