Section break won't stay continuous

[Tobias Weber]

Hi,
in normal view my document look like this:

Text
<Section break (continuous)>
3 Columns
<Section break (continuous)>
Text
<Section break (next page)>
Text
<Section break (continuous)>
3 Columns

Things is, I want all of this on one page. But even if I insert another
continuous break and then delete the 3rd, the new one immediately
becomes "next page"!

 

[Elliott Roper]

Hi,
in normal view my document look like this:

Text
<Section break (continuous)>
3 Columns
<Section break (continuous)>
Text
<Section break (next page)>
Text
<Section break (continuous)>
3 Columns

Things is, I want all of this on one page. But even if I insert another
continuous break and then delete the 3rd, the new one immediately
becomes "next page"!

I didn't believe you till I tried it!
I think what happens is that you can easily get a sneaky hidden section
break, particularly at the end of justified text on narrow columns. Use
the forward delete key to rid yourself of section breaks after
positioning the insertion point to the left of a suspected lurking
section break. For instance after the last character of the rightmost
column before the text inexplicably leaps to the next page seems to be
a good hiding place.

I have to say that while I was testing this out, Word threw a bizarrity
at me. Forwarding the cursor through a left column dropped me to the
next page instead of the top of the second column on the current page.
That is, it appeared to be confused about where the page ended.

Slaying section breaks as above and re-inserting the correct flavours
did fix it though.

PS if you are using a lappy, forward delete is fn-ordinary delete.


Word never fails to surprise.

 

[Tobias Weber]

Text
<Section break (continuous)>
3 Columns
<Section break (continuous)>
Text
<Section break (next page)>
Text
<Section break (continuous)>
3 Columns

[/QUOTE]

I have to say that while I was testing this out, Word threw a bizarrity
at me. Forwarding the cursor through a left column dropped me to the
next page instead of the top of the second column on the current page.

Noticed that as well. But it only happens with cusor down, not using the
right arrow key, so it's probably intentional.

Slaying section breaks as above and re-inserting the correct flavours
did fix it though.

Did that and now the first break (which I never touched) became "next
page" with the first 3 columns spread over one page each with the last
on continuous with the next set of columns :-(

I looked into things like "keep with next" for paragraphs, but that
doesn't change anything.

 

[Elliott Roper]

I have to say that while I was testing this out, Word threw a bizarrity
at me. Forwarding the cursor through a left column dropped me to the
next page instead of the top of the second column on the current page.

Noticed that as well. But it only happens with cusor down, not using the
right arrow key, so it's probably intentional.[/QUOTE]
Hmm. Let's compare versions of Word and Mac OS X? Mine did it with the
right arrow key. And I can't reproduce it.

Did that and now the first break (which I never touched) became "next
page" with the first 3 columns spread over one page each with the last
on continuous with the next set of columns :-(

I still suspect there was an extra section break in there you could not
see.
I found it quite easy to have several sections with varying numbers of
columns on the same page.

I looked into things like "keep with next" for paragraphs, but that
doesn't change anything.

It would encourage a new page earlier, but should not cause what you
were seeing.

In the past I have had several whinges about multi-column setting, and
its general fragility, which is what prompted me into trying to
reproduce what you are seeing.

What happens when you try the same trick on a completely fresh
document?

 

[Tobias Weber]

Noticed that as well. But it only happens with cusor down, not using the
right arrow key, so it's probably intentional.

Hmm. Let's compare versions of Word and Mac OS X? Mine did it with the
right arrow key. And I can't reproduce it.[/QUOTE]

Word X on MacOS X.4.9 (but that's certainly irelevant). Definetly
reproduceable: at the end of a column down arrow goes to the next
section/page, right arrow to the top of the next column. Fine with me.

I still suspect there was an extra section break in there you could not
see.

I could make it work by removing *all* section breaks (thereby disabling
columns) and then restoring the column layout (and re-applying my custom
spacing). So thanks for your workaround. Damn Word.

 

[Elliott Roper]

Hmm. Let's compare versions of Word and Mac OS X? Mine did it with the
right arrow key. And I can't reproduce it.

Word X on MacOS X.4.9 (but that's certainly irelevant). Definetly
reproduceable: at the end of a column down arrow goes to the next
section/page, right arrow to the top of the next column. Fine with me.[/QUOTE]

I have a copy of v.X somewhere. I'll give it a try. I did my test on
2004. I think I might be even less bothered than you are by that.

I could make it work by removing *all* section breaks (thereby disabling
columns) and then restoring the column layout (and re-applying my custom
spacing). So thanks for your workaround. Damn Word.

Columns are slippery little devils are they not? My problems were about
their lack of respect for "suppress space before" at column tops. It
was not that it didn't. It was that it did sometimes.

I don't think anyone will fix it with a new version of Office reported
to be imminent. We'll get ready to beat them up if the new one is as
slippery shall we?