multiple column text in a word 2003 table

[MayaSauer]

I have a table - 1 column (would like it to stay at 7.26 wide) and 1 row. At
the top I placed in image and then I have a couple of paragraphs of text. I
would like to have the option to format the couple of paragraphs of text into
2 or possible 3 columns, but when I do the table becomes half the size, cuts
the border off and doesn't show my text in columns.

Is it possible to have text formatted into multiple columns inside a word
2003 table without having to preset the table to 2 columns? The reason I used
the table is so I can have a colored border around this entire section.

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

You could make a two- or three-column table, two rows, and then Merge
the cells in the top row, in order to have a single cell to put your
image in. (Select the two or three cells in the top row and choose
"Merge" from the Tables menu.) You should probably add the border
before you do the merging; merged cells can be a bit unpredictable.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Do you really need a table for this? Why not just place the image on the
page with two-column text below it?

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

 

[MayaSauer]

Hi - thank you.

The text in the table is a paragraphs that need to be a 1 column format
with the option to have the text formatted - if one wanted to - to 2 columns
using the format - column menu option that word provides. The idea is not to
actually format the table but format the text inside the table. I don't
want to have the table pre formatted to 2 columns.

makes sense?

Thanks a bunch -

 

[MayaSauer]

Hi,

The reason I used the table is so I can have a 3 pt colored border around
the entire section. The idea is to have 3 sections separated by page breaks
and each will have a border around it with 1 picture and text in it. The
text will be in 1 column format but needs to have the option of formatting
text to to columns.

When I try formatting the text into to columns - the table breaks border in
half and the right have sort of disappears.

Thanks,

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

Since you evidently can't use "Columns" inside a table cell, why don't
you want to have the option of using two cells? Note that besides
Merge in the first row, you could also Split a cell in the second row
to make two cells.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If each section is a page, have you considered using a page border?

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

 

[MayaSauer]

Hi,

These sections will serve as a template and at any given time can be a full
page or may be just a paragraph therefore, the page could contain 2 or even
3 sections - the length of the text will change regularly so page border
would not work.

Thanks

 

[MayaSauer]

So you say that multiple columns can't be used inside a 1 column table?

 

[MayaSauer]

the option of pre-setting it to 2 columns would work but if the user didn't
want that format they would have to set it back to one column. This document
will serve as a template and needs to be as simple as possible and I was
hoping to get it to a point where the layout would not be changed only the
text. I wanted to know if it is possible to highlight the text and go to
the menu and set text to 2 columns. So you say that is not possible?

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

I didn't do the experiment (and I don't have Word2003 handy), but
that's what you're reporting.

 

[MayaSauer]

Does it work in another version of Word?

Thanks,

 

[Jay Freedman]

That's correct. Multiple columns, in Word's world, are a property of a
section, which is defined as the entire area between two section
breaks (and for this purpose the beginning and end of the document
count as section breaks). A table must be entirely within one section;
if you try to insert a section break inside a table, it splits the
table into two pieces.

The result is that you can put a table into a multi-column section,
but you cannot put a multicolumn section inside a table.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
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