Drawing layer moves out of alignment with image

[leszczuk]

I have received Word documents containing images of maps with freehand lines added in Word. Somewhere in transmission between the author and me the lines have shifted, uniformly as though on a layer. (See screenshot.) All I can find by Googling is that Word places drawn shapes on a layer and that there can be 'snap to' problems, but nothing that answers this problem. Has anyone else encountered it?

[Stefan Blom]

If the lines are drawn objects added on top of the pictures/maps, you do not have full control over their positions. One solution might be to add both the picture and the drawn object to the same drawing canvas.

[leszczuk]

Thanks, Stefan. Two quick questions. How do I add them to the same drawing canvas - and would that affect editability (once I have drawn a circle here, I can't move it over there)? And secondly, I do not understand why I haven't got full control over position. If a user opens the file in another OS or in another version or a different user opens it - in this case probably all three - what is making Word override the arrangements in place when the file was last saved? I wouldn't expect (say) a text box to move randomly without being able to discover which settings had forced the move.
Stefan

[JimP]

Another potential solution to your query would be to copy the images and associated lines to another software program such as PowerPoint (part of the Office Suite) or Visio and then "group" the images together. Once grouped together, then copy the grouped image into word (as a .jpeg or similar file). If modifications to the image are expected, obviously save the grouped image separately and retain for potential modification.

Just another thought...

[Stefan Blom]

You can insert a drawing canvas via Insert tab | Shapes | New Drawing Canvas. You can then cut and paste objects into the canvas. The advantage with this approach is that you can still edit the objects, if you wish.

In general, for objects in the drawing layer, you have a lot of control. But it helps if all objects are anchored to the same paragraph and if they all have the same Text Wrapping applied.

Turning the whole thing into a graphic, as JimP suggests, may be the most convenient solution. You would then have to perform any future edits in a graphics program, of course.

[eNGiNe]

Originally Posted by JimP

… .jpeg or similar file …

Before committing yourself to .jpeg, do a test to make sure you don't get artefacts round whatever you draw on top; .png can often be better choice.