Problems with 'Draw'

[Bookworm]

When producing drawings in Word, Powerpoint etc. When I click
Draw>Order I can send an object to the back, I can send an object to
the front but the 'send backwards' and 'send forwards' dont seem to
work.

Am I doing something wrong?

 

[CyberTaz]

Are you saying that the commands are dimmed in the menu or that they don't
seem to have any effect when you use them?

More detail would be helpful.

 

[Bookworm]

Are you saying that the commands are dimmed in the menu or that they don't
seem to have any effect when you use them?

More detail would be helpful.

Thanks for answer.

They are not greyed out they are there but they do not seem to work. I
select the object. Go to >Draw>Order> click Send backwards. Nothing
happens. Same with bring forwards. Ok with send to front or send to
back.

 

[CyberTaz]

You're still not very specific about what you are trying to do.

In order for those commands to do anything there must be several objects
stacked on top of one another - or at least overlapping.

If you are trying to get an object to go behind text in your doc you are
using the wrong approach. You need to take a look at the Text Wrapping
options available in the Format>AutoShape [or Picture] - Layout dialog or on
the Format Picture toolbar.

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

 

[Bookworm]

You're still not very specific about what you are trying to do.

In order for those commands to do anything there must be several objects
stacked on top of one another - or at least overlapping.

If you are trying to get an object to go behind text in your doc you are
using the wrong approach. You need to take a look at the Text Wrapping
options available in the Format>AutoShape [or Picture] - Layout dialog or on
the Format Picture toolbar.

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

Many thanks your patience.

I am trying to be as specific as I can. I am not trying to get object
to hide behind text. I am trying to move an object in a multi layer
drawing to move behind or in front of another object. I can send it to
back, I can send it to front (top) but cannot seem to get to move it
back 1 layer or forward one layer.

I slect the object I wish to move, then >Draw>Order> Send Backward (or
Forwards) >click > nothing happens. Try many times as I may be many
layers back (or forward) but still nothing.

 

[CyberTaz]

The only other thing I can think of is if you are using the Drawing Canvas -
which is likely since it is active by default. Perhaps if the shapes are
actually in different canvasses it is having an effect. I'm not sure as I
have never experienced what you seem to be describing.

Just as a shot in the dark, go to Tools>Customize - Toolbars page, click on
the *name* of the Drawing Toolbar, then click Reset. When you OK out see if
that makes a difference.

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

You're still not very specific about what you are trying to do.

In order for those commands to do anything there must be several objects
stacked on top of one another - or at least overlapping.

If you are trying to get an object to go behind text in your doc you are
using the wrong approach. You need to take a look at the Text Wrapping
options available in the Format>AutoShape [or Picture] - Layout dialog or on
the Format Picture toolbar.

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

Many thanks your patience.

I am trying to be as specific as I can. I am not trying to get object
to hide behind text. I am trying to move an object in a multi layer
drawing to move behind or in front of another object. I can send it to
back, I can send it to front (top) but cannot seem to get to move it
back 1 layer or forward one layer.

I slect the object I wish to move, then >Draw>Order> Send Backward (or
Forwards) >click > nothing happens. Try many times as I may be many
layers back (or forward) but still nothing.

 

[Bookworm]

Just as a shot in the dark, go to Tools>Customize - Toolbars page, click on
the *name* of the Drawing Toolbar, then click Reset. When you OK out see if
that makes a difference.

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

Did that and it works now, Many thanks. As an aside, when you produce a
drawing does every object in the drawing stay at the same level or does
each object go to top level as you produce it. i.e. could some objects
be as many layers back as there are objects in the drawing.

Many thanks

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Bookworm,

As each shape is added it is stacked within a drawing layer on top even though you may be starting with a currently selected shape
that is not the top item in the stack, so that sometimes what you 'see' as the stack order (or z-axis order) isn't quite what Word
sees.

For example, in new document, turn off the Drawing Canvas in Tools=>Options=>General. Now, from the drawing toolbar draw a squaree
on your document.

With that shape still selected use Ctrl+D (duplicate) two times.

Next, click on the middle square and use the fill tool to color only that one item.

Now with the colored quare still selected use Ctrl+D three times.
Note the way the 'stack'appears.

Then use the Select Objects tool (white arrow icon) on the drawing toolbar and lasso (drag a box around) the stack of all of the
shapes you drew so that they're all selected and from the drawing toolbar use Draw=>Align=>Relative to Page followed by
Draw=>Align=>Distribute Horizontally. Word will arrange the squares in the order it sees the items stacked.

=================
Did that and it works now, Many thanks. As an aside, when you produce a
drawing does every object in the drawing stay at the same level or does
each object go to top level as you produce it. i.e. could some objects
be as many layers back as there are objects in the drawing.

Many thanks >>
--
Please let us know if this has helped,

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

LINKS
A. Specific newsgroup/discussion group mentioned in this message:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.
or via browser:
http://microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/?dg=microsoft.public.

B. MS Office Community discussion/newsgroups via Web Browser
http://microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx
or
Microsoft hosted newsgroups via Outlook Express/newsreader
news://msnews.microsoft.com

 

[Bookworm]

Hi Bookworm,


Then use the Select Objects tool (white arrow icon) on the drawing toolbar and lasso (drag a box around) the stack of all of the
shapes you drew so that they're all selected and from the drawing toolbar use Draw=>Align=>Relative to Page followed by
Draw=>Align=>Distribute Horizontally. Word will arrange the squares in the order it sees the items stacked.

Done & Dusted. Many thanks