2 Word Problems with Word's Printed Watermarks

[BarbaraB]

Hello there! I have a bit of a couple of Word problems relating to
watermarks I hope someone out there can help me with. I am very frustrated
trying to figure them out.

1. I'm trying to insert a printed watermark (Format/Background/Printed
Watermark) on a document. On two particular templates (any documents based
on them), however, the option is grayed out and I'm unable to use it because
the feature is disabled. I have tried in all different views. I have tried
turning this feature off (Tools/Options/Save and deselecting that option),
but it keeps turning itself back on. This doesn't happen to any documents
based on normal.dot, just certain of my other templates.

2. My second problem also relates to watermarks. On a particular template,
I have a graphic in the header. When I insert a printed watermark via
Format/Background/Printed Watermark, e.g., "DRAFT", it deletes my other
graphic. Any clues to why this occurs, and how I can perhaps stop Word from
doing this?

Can anyone provide any insight? Thanks so much!

Barbara

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

A watermark is nothing more or less than a graphic anchored to the header,
which explains why inserting a watermark messes up your existing graphic.
After using Format | Background Printed Watermark, open the header, select
the inserted watermark, and copy it to the Clipboard. Then Undo the
watermark insertion to get back your original graphic (the copied watermark
will remain on the Clipboard) and paste in the watermark as well.

The main reason for Printed Watermark being unavailable is that you are in
Web Layout view. If you choose any option other than Printed Watermark in
the Format | Background menu, you will be switched into Web Layout view
(since backgrounds are primarily designed for Web pages), and you might not
have noticed this.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[BarbaraB]

Thank you so much for your reply. That is a good workaround for my first
issue.

As for the second issue, the problem is not due to the view. I am not in
web layout view. I have tried all the different views and it is unavailable
in all of them.

If I turn off Tools/Options/Save and deselect "Disable features used
after...Word 97", I can TEMPORARILY insert a watermark. As soon as I save or
close the document or original template it's based on, it reselects itself
again, i.e., "Disable features..." is selected in Tools/Option/Save once
again. I cannot get it to stay off for this template, which is what I need
it to do.

Any suggestions? Thanks again.

Barbara

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Okay, that makes sense. The "Printed Watermark" command was introduced in
Word 2002, so it would not be available in Word 97. That doesn't mean you
can't insert a watermark, just that you can't use the dialog to do it. As
noted, it's just a washed-out graphic anchored to the header and formatted
as Behind Text. See “HOW TO: Create a Watermark in Word 97 and in Microsoft
Word 2000†at
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=211324.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[BarbaraB]

Thanks Suzanne "aka Word Goddess" for your quick response!

Isn't it strange that this feature is set to "on" only on certain documents
based on certain templates, and not all of them? I'm using Word 2003.

I guess I was not clear with my question, so I apologize. I am curious as
to how to permanently turn off that "Disable features..." check box so that
it stops turning on altogether. I just want that feature to be available,
and am not sure what switch I need to flip to make that check box permanently
empty for that template.

Thanks!

Barbara

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Open the template itself and uncheck "Disable features..." Then make some
other "phantom edit" (such as Spacebar, Backspace) to ensure that the
template will be saved, and save it. This won't affect existing documents,
however--only new ones.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org