Microsoft KB Archive/109092

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Text Wraps One Character Per Line in Multiple-Column Document

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Q109092

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0

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SYMPTOMS
In a document formatted for variable-width columns, text may wrap so that only one character appears on each line, as shown in the following example:

O N E L E T T E R P E R L I N E

CAUSE
Text wraps after one character in a variable-width-column section if you set a paragraph indent value that is too large for the current column width. When you create variable-width columns (by clearing the Equal Column Widths option and setting unequal width values, or by selecting the Left or Right preset in the Format Columns dialog box), Word relaxes the error checking criteria for valid indent values, so no error message appears to notify you that you have set an indent that is too large for the column width. For example, no error message appears if you set a 4-inch right indent in a 3-inch column, but all the text wraps after one character.

This problem does not occur if you create columns of equal width (by selecting the Equal Column Widths option or by selecting the One, Two, or Three preset).

STATUS
This is by design in Word for Windows. This is not a problem in Word for the Macintosh.

WORKAROUND
Adjust the paragraph indent settings so the indent fits within the column width.

MORE INFORMATION
Error checking was relaxed for variable-width columns because Word does not calculate valid indent values based on the current column, but rather calculates based on the AVERAGE width of the columns. If Word used this model to error check the indents in a variable-width-column section, some valid indents would not be allowed. For example, if one column is .5 inch wide and the other is 5 inches wide, the average column width is 2.75 inches, which means that Word would not allow an indent of more than 2.75 inches in the 5-inch column. To prevent this problem, error checking for variable-width columns uses the entire page width (minus the margins) as the maximum allowable indent value.

Additional query words: 6.0 winword macword word6

Keywords : kbformat

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