True parallel columns in Word

[Flavelle Ballem]

I finally have to produce a document that uses parallel columns in Word - one
side in English, the second side in French. In reading how to do this, the
only option appears to be through the use of linked Text Boxes, which is a
particularly ugly solution.

A far more elegant (and simple) solution would be allow the definition of
two (or more columns) that don't snake like a newspaper, but instead will go
to the next page automatically. If I need to enter text in the second column,
then I can move to the column (mouse click or keystroke) and start typing
away.

This surely cannot be this hard.

Regards,

Flavelle

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[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

For this purpose we mostly recommend a two-column (borderless) table,
breaking to a new row for each paragraph.

I finally have to produce a document that uses parallel columns in Word - one
side in English, the second side in French. In reading how to do this, the
only option appears to be through the use of linked Text Boxes, which is a
particularly ugly solution.

A far more elegant (and simple) solution would be allow the definition of
two (or more columns) that don't snake like a newspaper, but instead will go
to the next page automatically. If I need to enter text in the second column,
then I can move to the column (mouse click or keystroke) and start typing
away.

This surely cannot be this hard.

Regards,

Flavelle

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...9d7492bbd&dg=microsoft.public.word.pagelayout

 

[Flavelle Ballem]

Suzanne:

Thanks for the suggestion. Given the current capabilities of Word, this is
probably the best available suggestion. There are two ways to go - separate
rows for each paragraph or a table with a single row spanning multiple pages.
If vertical alignment of the same paragraph in each language is required,
then it's best done as one row per paragraph. If this is less of an issue,
then a single row table is probably better (not sure of the limitations of
how many pages can be spanned with a single row).

A three column table appears to be quite satisfactory. The middle column is
small and used to control the separation of the other two columns.

I still stand by my enhancement suggestion that the column capability of a
future version of Word should be enhanced to support newspaper or parallel
columns.

Flavelle

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Word becomes very uncomfortable with long single-row tables. It's best to
break to a new row at least once a page. It also helps to break to a new
table whenever possible (interspersing ordinary text paragraphs for
headings, for example).

You don't actually need the center column for spacing, as you can use either
paragraph indents or cell margins to control the amount of space between the
text in the two columns; a center column can be simpler, but it does mean an
extra Tab moving between columns.

The major drawback to using tables is that they make some types of
formatting unavailable (more trouble with wrapped graphics, for example) and
others more difficult (have to use Ctrl+Tab to tab or indent within cells).

 

[Flavelle Ballem]

Suzanne:

Thanks for the additional information. I have a problem believing that I'm
the first person to have requested this - for those of us who live in
countries with more than one official language, this really has to be a
common problem. The solution of linked Text Boxes that is found in Help is
difficult (at best) to understand and implement.

Hopefully, Microsoft will come up with a better solution in a future edition
of Word - but in the meantime, if someone has a bright idea on how to better
solve the problem in the short term, I would be most grateful.

I appreciate your guidance regarding the use of a table, and will watch
closely to see if it becomes a problem in my case.

Many thanks,

Flavelle

 

[CyberTaz]

Just for your consideration...

What you are seeking is a page layout solution. Word is *not* a page layout
program.

The features that have been added to its word processing powers provide just
enough capability to suggest otherwise, but as you are finding, they have
limitations that require complex, time-consuming improvisation to 'force'
them beyond those limitations.

With full respect for professionals who handle this sort of project
successfully on a routine basis, it involves techniques that don't
necessarily come as easy to less experienced users. The truly unfortunate
aspect of the issue is that even if you succeed the document will most
probably be quite problematic where further revisions are required and could
likely result in corruption of the file.

Constructing & editing the content in Word is quite the way to go, but
assembling the final product by placing the Word doc(s) into a page layout
program would be a far easier & more effective 'next step'.

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