spacing between paragraphs different than font size

[Robb]

I am using Word 97. I want to copy e-mails and articles from the Internet
and paste them into Word. I would like to minimize the space between
paragraphs so that I don't have large volumes of paper if I want to print the
articles.
For example, maybe have 12 pt type within the paragraph and then 4pt spacing
between paragraphs.
Also, sometimes the articles only use half the width of the page, which is a
real waste if you want to print them.
Is there a way that I can automate this? Is it possible to set up a
template to do this, and if so, how the heck do I go about doing it.
Sometimes the help directions are not that helpful.
Thanks for any help that anyone can provide.

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

I am using Word 97. I want to copy e-mails and articles from the Internet
and paste them into Word. I would like to minimize the space between
paragraphs so that I don't have large volumes of paper if I want to print the
articles.
For example, maybe have 12 pt type within the paragraph and then 4pt spacing
between paragraphs.

That's certainly a setting you can make in the template you're using for
these documents. Define your "Normal" style with 12pt in your desired
font and with 4pt spacing after.

You have to make sure that what you are pasting into Word is really
pasted in as normal text only (Edit | Paste special) or assign Normal to
it afterwards (CTRL SHIFT N).

Also, sometimes the articles only use half the width of the page, which is a
real waste if you want to print them.

Depends heavily on the underlying design of the HTML page you are
copying from. This could be a fixed-width table, for instance (then you
might or might not get a table in Word, too -- I don't have Word 97
anymore to test this).

Is there a way that I can automate this? Is it possible to set up a
template to do this, and if so, how the heck do I go about doing it.

If your biggest problem are unduly ended lines, then see the following
article:

Cleaning up text pasted from the Web (by Suzanne S. Barnhill and Dave Rado)
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Formatting/CleanWebText.htm

Sometimes the help directions are not that helpful.

That's certainly true -- just don't expect this to get any _better_ when
planning to upgrade to one of the currently existing versions ... ;-)

HTH
Robert