I've always been rather fond of frames, probably at least in part because
until recently I worked almost exclusively in Normal view (where you can see
the content of frames but not text boxes). Because they don't have as many
wrapping options as text boxes, they're somewhat less complicated (and of
course less versatile), and they behave a lot like ordinary text in many
ways, using borders rather than lines, for example.
An advantage of borders is that you can have a partial border (or mixed
borders) on a frame, whereas the outline on a text box (in Word, at least)
is all or nothing. This can be handy if you want, say, a floating paragraph
with a fancy border just on the right (separating it from the text). Yes,
you could apply the border to the text inside a text box, but that limit the
formatting of the text (no different indents).
--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
"Herb Tyson [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:uh1Yi%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ah. I missed the "before Word 2007".
>
> I've been using text boxes associated with AutoText (building blocks, in
> Word 2007) for quite a while, and they've never been unpredictable at all
> as long as the positioning is set correctly--the same requirement as when
> using frames. But, I've always disliked frames, so I'm probably biased
> against them. Perhaps the way they've been marginalized in later versions
> of Word has supported me in my bias.
>
> --
> Herb Tyson MS MVP
> Author of the Word 2007 Bible
> Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
> Web: http://www.herbtyson.com
>
>
> "Suzanne S. Barnhill" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> If you will read carefully, I wrote, "But headings in text boxes won't be
>> seen by the TOC or for cross-references in versions *before Word 2007.*"
>> The fact that the problem is "history in Word 2007" is irrelevant if you
>> are not using Word 2007 or if the documents you produce must be
>> backward-compatible.
>>
>> I'll concede your point that the OP doesn't seem to want to use this for
>> headings. I still maintain that it is far easier to apply a style that
>> positions a frame exactly where you want it (the same place every time,
>> formatted just as required) than to insert a text box and format it. Even
>> if you save the text box as an AutoText entry or building block, it is
>> quite likely to be unpredictable.
>>
>> However, chacun à son goût, different strokes for different folks,
>> tomaytoes/tomahtoes, etc.
>>
>> --
>> Suzanne S. Barnhill
>> Microsoft MVP (Word)
>> Words into Type
>> Fairhope, Alabama USA
>>
>> "Herb Tyson [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:OGPF%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> That reason for eschewing text boxes is history in Word 2007. Headings
>>> in text boxes *do* show up in the TOC in Word 2007, and text box
>>> material is available for cross references.
>>>
>>> Aside from that, from my reading, the subject line notwithstanding, OP
>>> doesn't want side headings. OP wants "to write a summary phrase of a few
>>> words next to each paragraph", so presumably, the TOC isn't an issue.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Herb Tyson MS MVP
>>> Author of the Word 2007 Bible
>>> Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
>>> Web: http://www.herbtyson.com
>>>
>>>
>>> "Suzanne S. Barnhill" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:%23CI%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> But headings in text boxes won't be seen by the TOC or for
>>>> cross-references in versions before Word 2007. Frames are relatively
>>>> easy to access in versions through Word 2003, since Insert Frame is
>>>> still on the Forms toolbar (and easy enough to add to any toolbar);
>>>> Word 2007 does make it a bit harder to find.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Suzanne S. Barnhill
>>>> Microsoft MVP (Word)
>>>> Words into Type
>>>> Fairhope, Alabama USA
>>>>
>>>> "Herb Tyson [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>>> news:%23OS%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>> I'm not sure I agree that frames are more suitable. Textboxes can be
>>>>> inserted using AutoText entries, when needed. I find textboxes much
>>>>> more flexible, more predictable, and less cryptic than frames... and
>>>>> certainly easier to get to in recent versions of Word.
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Herb Tyson MS MVP
>>>>> Author of the Word 2007 Bible
>>>>> Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
>>>>> Web: http://www.herbtyson.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "Suzanne S. Barnhill" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>>>> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>>>A frame is much more suitable for this purpose because it can be
>>>>>>incorporated in a paragraph style, making insertion as easy as
>>>>>>applying the style; see
>>>>>>http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/MarginalText.htm
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Suzanne S. Barnhill
>>>>>> Microsoft MVP (Word)
>>>>>> Words into Type
>>>>>> Fairhope, Alabama USA
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "Herb Tyson [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:eWfK$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>>>> You could do it using a text box... but the wrapping style needs to
>>>>>>> be set to the drawing layer. "In front of text" seems to work well
>>>>>>> for this sort of thing. Right-click the edge of the text box and
>>>>>>> choose Format Textbox. Then, in the Layout tab, set the wrapping
>>>>>>> style to In front of text. This will allow you to drag the textbox
>>>>>>> into the margin area.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> If you *always* want to be able to drag text boxes, then choose
>>>>>>> Tools - Options - Edit, and set Insert/Paste pictures as: to In
>>>>>>> front of text (or perhaps one of the other option better suits your
>>>>>>> everyday needs). In Word 2007, the setting is found in Word
>>>>>>> Options - Advanced - Cut, copy, and paste section.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Herb Tyson MS MVP
>>>>>>> Author of the Word 2007 Bible
>>>>>>> Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
>>>>>>> Web: http://www.herbtyson.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "grant writer" <grant (E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
>>>>>>> message news:EE001FAE-4264-4294-BD92-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>>>>>i want to write a summary phrase of a few words next to each
>>>>>>>>paragraph in a
>>>>>>>> word document. i can't figure out how to write (or insert a text
>>>>>>>> box) outside
>>>>>>>> of the margins. is it possible, and if so how? thank you
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
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