Hi,
I have to create and or modify help documents containing images with borders and captions.

I'm getting the images using microsofts snipping tool and for the border, a square shape that I stretch to fit. I add the caption next and then I group all the components so they move as one object.

I've read that the layout option needs to be either "Square" or "Top and bottom", which I set once I have my grouped object, so it moves with the text should more text be added.

Here's the problem:


Some of these created objects move on their own to other locations; up a page, down to the bottom of a page or just disappear all together when additional text is added. I've also noticed that some captions were placed as text while others are placed in a rectangular text area the width of the image above it, this usually happens when I add the caption.

So, my questions are:
What causes the caption to be placed in these two different ways?
Why do the images move around as I noted?

Red.

Word is essentially a word processing application aimed at putting text on a page. It is not a page layout application like a DTP program, where the text is flowed around elements on the page. Using graphics in a Word document is a bit of a fudge and it does have a tendency to screw up documents that are subsequently re-edited.

http://www.gmayor.com/extract_images_from_word.htm should help with the image extraction. Snagit will help with the screen capture and borders.

Captions are just indexed blocks of text. Who's to say how a previous user may have manipulated the text strings to get the effect they required?

The default insertion method is in-line whereby the image behaves as a large text character. It becomes part of the text and will remain where it is placed relative to the text, but can leave image height gaps where the image will not fit on the page and text flow moves it to the following page.

Floating images, such as those you describe, are anchored to locations in the text area of the document but are in a separate graphics layer of the document. As they can move around with the text and even get moved off the page, it is best to add them after the document text is otherwise finished.

Floating images are usually anchored to a page location to avoid them moving, but this means they may not reflect the adjacent text which can thus move around them. They may also be anchored relative to the text Floating images are best avoided where possible as they can all too easily behave as you indicate.

There's a third option for wrapped images, I would suggest using a frame to hold the image and its caption. Images are inserted inline in a frame and will shrink to the width of the frame. A caption added to that image will go in the frame, increasing the frame height as required. You can then wrap the text around the frame using the frame format commands.

Frames are an all but hidden feature in Word, but you can add the 'Format Frame ...' command to the QAT (Quick Access Toolbar) from the all commands group for ease of access.

If you have added a border to the image with SnagIt, you can display the frame without a border.

__________________
Graham Mayor - MS MVP (Word) (2002-2019)
Visit my web site for more programming tips and ready made processes www.gmayor.com

WOW, Thank you!!!

You covered everything in detail.
Thanks again,

Red