Microsoft KB Archive/813990

= You receive an error message when you change a document that is formatted for columns in Word =

Article ID: 813990

Article Last Modified on 8/26/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Office Word 2003
 * Microsoft Word 2002 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition

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This article is a consolidation of the following previously available articles: 290972, 220246, and 167371





SYMPTOMS
When you edit a Microsoft Word document that is formatted for columns, you may receive following the following error message:

Settings you chose for the left and right margins, column spacing, or paragraph indents are too large for the page width in some sections.



CAUSE
This behavior can occur when you perform either of the following actions:
 * You change the page orientation from landscape to portrait.
 * You change the paper size of your document.

When you click Columns on the Standard toolbar, the Equal column width option is not set. The Equal column width option makes Word maintain the same width columns based on the size and orientation of the page. If this option is not set, Word may not recalculate the page layout information correctly when you change the orientation or page size.

Note This problem does not occur when you use the Columns command on the Format menu. By default, when you use the Columns command on the Format menu, the Equal column width option is set. Because of this, the page layout information is correctly changed when you change the orientation or page size.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, set the columns to an equal width:
 * 1) Click OK to close the error message.
 * 2) Click Cancel to close the Page Setup dialog box.
 * 3) On the Format menu, click Columns.
 * 4) Click to select the Equal column width check box, and then click OK.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section.

Additional query words: wd2003

Keywords: kbformat kbprb KB813990

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