Shading Text (fill color)

[shadow]

I've read a lot of the comments regarding the "fill color" shading no longer
working and I have to admit I'm having the same problem and none of the
solutions offered have worked for me. (I'm using Word 2003) What I'm trying
to do is just highlight (shade) some plain text. I'm not using a table -
just a text document. When I use the Format/Borders & Shading it highlights
(shades) the entire line - not the two words of text I want to highlight. I
used to be able to use the "fill color" button on the "Formatting" toolbar
for this purpose but now when I click on that button all the colors are
greyed out. Is there some default I've accidentally turned on. I've tried
using the help features but they haven't been of any help.

I'd appreciate any suggestions. This should be a simple thing to do but I'm
ready to pull my hair out here!

Thanks.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Make sure that "Text" is selected for "Apply to," and the shading should be
applied to just the selected text. Note that Fill Color and Shading Color
are not the same (though the buttons use the same icon); Fill Color is for
AutoShapes and other drawing objects, and the colors are available only when
a drawing object is selected.

 

[CyberTaz]

It's understandably confusing but let's try to clarify - If I even
understand it, myself:

1 - There is no Fill Color button on the Formatting Toolbar (unless you add
one yourself) - there is a Font Color button & a Highlighter,

2- The issue isn't Fill Color, anyway - Fill Color refers to filling
*shapes* with color, not filling text,

3- Text can be "shaded" in either of 3 ways (that I'm aware of) other than
Format>Borders & Shading - which is applied to paragraphs;

a) select text, change the font color (for which there is a button on both
the Formatting as well as the Drawing Toolbars),

b) select text, use the Shading Color button on the Tables & Borders
Toolbar, which basically does the same thing as...

c) either select text & use the Highlighter button on the Formatting
Toolbar *or* select the Highlighter Tool by clicking the same button, then
selecting the text to be highlighted.

Where the confusion seems to stem from is that the *same* Paint Bucket Icon
is used for *two* separate & distinctly *unrelated* commands:

On the Drawing Toolbar it is the Fill Color Button
On the Tables & Borders Toolbar it is the Shading Color button

Combine that with the fact that many people freely intermix the terminology
(shading, fill, highlight, etc.) when referring to something other than that
to which it pertains... Well, I think you get my drift

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

 

[RajKohli]

Word is shading the entire line because while making a selection you are also
selecting the hidden paragraph mark.

Click on Show/Hide button [¶] from Standard Toolbar. Now, select your text
but not the Paragraph Mark [¶]. Apply any shade through Format - Border and
Shading. You will notice that this time the shade will only apply to selected
text not the entire line.

As said by "Suzanne", both Fill Color and Shading are different from each
other. You can not apply Fill Color to text. However, you can use Highlight
command from Format Toolbar but this is also different from both Shading and
Fill Color.

Hope this help, let us know!
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