Knowledge Base

WD2000: Q&A About Problems Editing Pictures

Article ID: 243964

Article Last Modified on 11/15/2005

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Word 2000 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q243964

SUMMARY

This article presents questions and answers for problems you may encounter when you try to edit graphics in a Word document.

This article does not cover problems about importing graphics. For additional information about how to troubleshoot a problem when you import a graphic image, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

232496 WD2000: Part 1: Troubleshooting Failure to Import Graphics Image

243687 WD2000: Part 2: Troubleshooting Failure to Import Graphics Images

MORE INFORMATION

When I attempt to edit a Clip Art picture by clicking Edit Picture on the Edit menu, why does nothing happen?

This problem can occur when Microsoft Photo Editor 3.0 is selected as the picture editor in Word. To work around this problem, edit the picture by using Microsoft Word. To do this, follow these steps:
1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. On the Edit tab, in the Picture editor list, click Microsoft Word, and then click OK.
3. Select the Clip Gallery object, and then click Edit Picture on the Edit menu.
For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

204753 WD2000: Nothing Happens Clicking Edit Picture for Clip Gallery Object
When I attempt to change my picture editor in Word to Microsoft PhotoDraw, why doesn't PhotoDraw appear in the Picture Editor list?

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft PhotoDraw 2000. PhotoDraw 2000 does not write an entry into the Windows registry that would make it available as a picture editor in Word.For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

220334 WD2000: PhotoDraw 2000 Not Available As Word Picture Editor
When I change the picture editor in Word and then try to edit an existing picture in a document, why isn't the new picture editor used for editing the picture?

This behavior is by design. If you edited the picture previously in Word, the picture became associated with the editor that it was edited with.

To work around this behavior, you must unlink the picture field to change the picture editor that was previously used.

To unlink the picture, follow these steps:
1. Click to select the picture.
2. Press CTRL+SHIFT+F9.
Before you try to edit the picture, change the picture editor to the picture editor that you want to use.For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

224770 WD2000: Picture Editor Change Appears to Be Ignored
After I insert an object in a Word document and convert the object to be activated as a Microsoft Word Picture Object, why is the object activated as a Microsoft Word Document Object instead?

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Word 2000. To work around this problem, convert the document object to a picture object. This allows you to edit the object in the Microsoft Word Picture Editor. When you have completed editing the object, you can convert the picture object back to a document object. To convert the document object to a picture object, follow these steps:
1. Position the insertion point over the document object, and then click to select it.
2. On the Edit menu, click Document Object, and then click Convert.
3. In the Convert dialog box, click Microsoft Word Picture in the Object Type box, and then click OK.
To convert the picture object back to a document object, follow these steps:
1. Position the insertion point over the picture object, and then click to select it.
2. On the Edit menu, click Picture Object, and then click Convert.
3. In the Convert dialog box, click to select Microsoft Word Document in the Object Type box, and then click OK.
For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

211886 WD2000: "Activate As" Word Picture Activates Object
Why can't I edit a Microsoft Drawing in a document that was created in an earlier version of Word?

Microsoft Draw is not installed on your system. In addition, Microsoft Word does not automatically convert the Microsoft Draw object to a Word picture.

NOTE: Microsoft Draw is installed by Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0.For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

211277 WD2000: Error Message: "The Server Application, Source File, or Item Cannot Be Found"
When I attempt to reset the size of a picture, why do the measurements show the original size, but the picture is not restored to its original size?

This behavior occurs if the Lock aspect ratio check box on the Size tab in the Format Picture dialog box is selected.

To resize the picture, follow these steps:
1. Double-click the picture. The Format Picture dialog box appears.
2. Click the Size tab.
3. Click to clear the Lock aspect ratio check box.
4. Click Reset.
5. Click OK.
For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

209975 WD2000: Picture Not Resized to Original After Clicking Reset
After I copy and paste a WordArt image as a picture and then edit the picture with Word as the picture editor, why does the WordArt image fill become a separate background or foreground that covers the text of the WordArt image?

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft Word 2000. To work around this problem, use a different picture editor to edit the enhanced metafile image. For example, use Microsoft Photo Editor as your picture editor in Word.

To use a different picture editor in Word, follow these steps:
1. In Word, click Options on the Tools menu.
2. On the Edit tab, change the Picture editor box to a different picture editor.
For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

220536 WD2000: WordArt Fill Becomes Separated When You Use Word as Picture Editor
When I try to set a custom shadow color for my picture, why doesn't the color change to the one that I select?

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Word 2000 when you are working with an inline picture. To work around this problem, you can edit the picture by using Word as your picture editor. In the Picture Editor, you can then set your custom shadow color.

To use Word as your picture editor:
1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. On the Edit tab, click to select Microsoft Word in the Picture editor list.
3. Click OK.
To edit a picture:
1. Click to select the picture.
2. On the Edit menu, point to Picture Object, and then click Open.
To set a custom shadow color:
1. Click to select the image.
2. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Drawing.
3. On the Drawing toolbar, click Shadow to apply a shadow.
4. On the Shadow toolbar, click the arrow next to the Shadow Color button, and then click More Shadow Colors.
For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

220370 WD2000: Cannot Change Custom Shadow Color for Inline Picture
After I insert a graphic into Word, why can't I use the Free Rotate button on the Drawing toolbar?

To use the Free Rotate button on the Drawing toolbar, follow these steps:
1. Click Drawing on the Standard toolbar to turn on the Drawing toolbar.
2. On the Tools menu, click Customize, and then click the Commands tab.
3. Under Categories, click Drawing.
4. Under Commands, click Disassemble Picture. Drag it to the Drawing toolbar, and then click Close.
5. On the Insert menu, point to Picture, and then click Clip Art or From File. Select a picture file, and then click Insert.
6. Click once on the graphic image to select it, and then click Disassemble Picture on the Drawing toolbar.
7. On the Drawing toolbar, click Select Objects, and then select all of the objects in the picture.
8. On the Drawing toolbar, click Draw, and then click Group.
You now can use the Free Rotate button on the Drawing toolbar.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

211797 WD2000: How to Rotate a Clip Art Picture or Windows Metafile
After I insert a picture with rotated text and then edit the picture, why is the rotated text realigned back to normal orientation?

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in in Microsoft Word 2000. You can use Microsoft Draw 98 to work around this problem.For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

212775 WD2000: Text in Metafile Graphic Loses Rotation Editing in Word
In earlier versions of Word, I can crop a picture by holding SHIFT and dragging a sizing handle. Why can't I do that in Word 2000?

This is a functionality change from some earlier versions of Microsoft Word. To crop an object, use one of the following methods.
- Click to select the object, click Picture on the Format menu, click to select the Picture tab, and then change the appropriate Crop from option.
  
  -or-
- Right-click the object, and then click Format Picture on the shortcut menu. Click to select the Picture tab, and then change the appropriate Crop from option.
  
  -or-
- Display the Picture toolbar (on the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Picture), click Crop on the Picture toolbar, position the insertion point over a sizing handle, and then click and drag the sizing handle. When you are finished, click Crop again to turn off cropping.
How can I place text over a graphic in Word?

You can move the graphic behind the text, or you can create a text box over your graphic and type text into the text box.For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

212019 WD2000: How to Place Text over a Graphic in Word 2000
When I use the Format Painter to copy graphic attributes (such as fill color and line color) from one graphic image to another, why are the graphic attributes not copied?

This problem occurs because the graphic image was inserted with the Inline with text wrapping style. The Format Painter cannot copy properties of graphics that are inserted with the Inline with text wrapping style.

To work around this problem, you can change the inline graphic to a graphic with a wrapping style such as floating, or you can manually apply formatting changes directly to the inline graphic.For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

211812 WD2000: Format Painter Does Not Work with Inline Graphics
How can I get more help with problems editing my pictures in Microsoft Word?

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Contact a Microsoft Product Support professional to assist you with troubleshooting problems.

For more information about obtaining help with troubleshooting Microsoft Windows, click Help Topics on the Help menu in Windows Explorer. On the Contents tab, double-click to open the Troubleshooting book. Then double-click to open the Contact Microsoft Technical Support book to view your support options.

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102344 Microsoft Product Support Options Q&A

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Additional query words: pix

Keywords: kbinfo KB243964

Microsoft KB Archive/243964

WD2000: Q&A About Problems Editing Pictures

SUMMARY

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft Support Options

Quickly Find Answers Yourself Online

Microsoft Product Support

Microsoft Solution Providers