Putting a text box around a selection of text: Word 2003 and 2007

[Bruce]

Hi

I have written a document that includes sections that I want to have
in text boxes. In Word 2003 I can select the text, and then insert a
text box, and the text box is fitted around the selection (but see
below for question about margin problem). In Word 2007, if I select a
block of text and try to insert a text box around it, I just get a
silly message about typing a quote from the document, i.e., the box
isn't put around the selection.

Question 1: is there a way of putting a text box around a selection in
Word 2007?

In Word 2003 I can get the box around the selection. However, there is
always a large section of white space between the bottom line of text
and the bottom border of the box. It is much larger than the top
margin, even though they are both set the same (0.13c). Even if I
reduce both of them to zero, there is still much more space at the
bottom. I don't want to manually resize each box to get the bottom
border closer and even if I try that, as I move the bottom border
closer to the bottom line of text, the text font starts to shrink,
even though it's still much further away than the top border. I use
the "automatically resize autoshape to fit text" option, but that
doesn't solve the problem. I thought I'd try Word 2007 to see if it
solved it, but as I said, I can't get a box around a selection.
Interestingly, if I use my old WordPerfect 10, the box borders are
perfect.

Question 2: how can I get truly even margins around text in a Word
2003 text box?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I've spent three frustrating
days on this one.

Many thanks
Bruce

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Are you referring to a text box AutoShape or a border?

 

[CyberTaz]

It's just a little deceptive because you're trying to use one of the
predesigned elements in the Text Box menu Once you select your text open
the Text Box menu but select the [oh, so intuitive] Draw Text Box command.

If you want to use one of the "fancy" ones I believe you'll have to create
it separately then cut/paste the text.

The reason for the extra space is the 10 pt. Space After attribute being
included in the Style applied to the paragraph.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Bruce]

Hi

I'm using text boxes, not borders, i.e., I select Text Box from the
Insert menu, in both Word 2003 and 2007.

Thanks

 

[Bruce]

Thanks for this. In Word 2007 I can now get the box around the
selection by using Draw Text Box. There doesn't seem to be as much
space at the bottom as there is in Word 2003, but one thing I've found
is that if I convert the box to a frame, the space disappears and the
edges of the box are where I would expect them to be. It's all very
confusing to graphics novices like me.

Bruce

It's just a little deceptive because you're trying to use one of the
predesigned elements in the Text Box menu Once you select your text open
the Text Box menu but select the [oh, so intuitive] Draw Text Box command.

If you want to use one of the "fancy" ones I believe you'll have to create
it separately then cut/paste the text.

The reason for the extra space is the 10 pt. Space After attribute being
included in the Style applied to the paragraph.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hi

I have written a document that includes sections that I want to have
in text boxes. In Word 2003 I can select the text, and then insert a
text box, and the text box is fitted around the selection (but see
below for question about margin problem). In Word 2007, if I select a
block of text and try to insert a text box around it, I just get a
silly message about typing a quote from the document, i.e., the box
isn't put around the selection.

Question 1: is there a way of putting a text box around a selection in
Word 2007?

In Word 2003 I can get the box around the selection. However, there is
always a large section of white space between the bottom line of text
and the bottom border of the box. It is much larger than the top
margin, even though they are both set the same (0.13c). Even if I
reduce both of them to zero, there is still much more space at the
bottom. I don't want to manually resize each box to get the bottom
border closer and even if I try that, as I move the bottom border
closer to the bottom line of text, the text font starts to shrink,
even though it's still much further away than the top border. I use
the "automatically resize autoshape to fit text" option, but that
doesn't solve the problem. I thought I'd try Word 2007 to see if it
solved it, but as I said, I can't get a box around a selection.
Interestingly, if I use my old WordPerfect 10, the box borders are
perfect.

Question 2: how can I get truly even margins around text in a Word
2003 text box?

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I've spent three frustrating
days on this one.

Many thanks
Bruce