WD97: Can't See or Manipulate Objects (and Other Odd Behavior)

Last reviewed: January 14, 1998
Article ID: Q167738

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

                                  SUMMARY
                                  =======

In versions of Word earlier than Word 97, all objects except for drawing objects are inserted as inline objects by default. To make text wrap around an object, you generally insert the object (inline) and then apply a frame to it. In Word 97, however, floating objects are more flexible and powerful than frames. Therefore, in Word 97, objects are inserted as floating objects by default.

This change in the default behavior, of inline to floating, between the different versions of Word may be a source of confusion at first. This article discusses various problems and points of confusion you may experience when working with objects formatted with the Float Over Text option enabled. This article covers the following topics:

NOTE: This behavior does not occur in Microsoft Word 97 for Windows, Service Release 1 (SR-1). In Service Release 1, this feature behaves similar to the way it did in Word versions 7.0 and earlier. That is, the default behavior when inserting objects was changed back to inline.

For more information about the change in the default behavior, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE ID: Q170564
   TITLE:      WD97: Pictures and Objects Inserted as Inline by Default in
               SR-1

   Overview
      What Are Objects?
      Description of the Layers of a Document
      How Objects Are Handled in Versions of Word Earlier Than Word 6.0
      How Objects Are Handled in Versions of Word 6.0 and Later
   Choosing the Appropriate Type of Object
      Floating Objects
         When to Use a Floating Object
         Limitations of Floating Objects
      Inline objects
      Frames
   Changing One Type of Object to Another
      Floating Objects
         To Convert a Floating Object to an Inline Object
         To Convert a Floating Object to a Framed Object
      Inline Objects
         To Convert an Inline Object to a Floating Object
         To Convert an Inline Object to a Framed Object
      Framed Objects
         To Convert a Framed Picture to an Inline Picture
         To Convert Framed Text to Inline Text
         To Convert a Framed Object to a Floating Object
   Troubleshooting Problems with Floating Objects
      Objects Move Around on the Screen, Are Not Inserted or Pasted
      Correctly, or Move to the Next Page
      Objects Disappear When You Insert or Paste Them
      You Cannot See Objects in Some Views
      Objects Cannot Be Inserted or Pasted into a Table or the Table Is
      Split
      You Cannot See Field Codes for Inserted or Pasted Objects
      Fields in the Drawing Layer Don't Work or Return Incorrect Values

                             MORE INFORMATION
                             ================

OVERVIEW

What Are Objects?

"Object" is a generic term used to describe something you insert or paste into a document. Text is usually not considered an object (it is considered text). Examples of objects include the following:

   Clip art pictures
   Drawing objects (text boxes, lines, AutoShapes, and so on)
   Equation Editor objects
   Graphics
   Microsoft Graph objects
   PowerPoint slides
   WordArt objects

In Word 97, there are three basic types of objects. These types and a description of the layers in which they can appear in Word are listed in the following table. For information about the layers in a document, see the "Description of the Layers of a Document" section of this article.

   This type of object           Exists in this layer of Word
   ------------------------------------------------------------

   inline                   Only in the text layer and acts as a
                            single, large character. Text does
                            not wrap around it.

   framed                   Only in the text layer. Text always
                            wraps around it.

   floating                 Only in the drawing layer. Text may
                            or may not wrap around it.

Description of the Layers of a Document

   -----------------
   |               |   In this layer you can place objects. Only "floating"
   |               |   objects can exist in this layer. If an object is in
   |               |   this layer, it will appear behind the text of the
   |               |   document (in most cases).
   |               |
   |               |
   |               |
   |               |
   |               |
   -----------------
   Layer 1--Below the text

   -----------------
   | This is the   | Generally speaking, this layer will contain the text
   |  text of      | of your document. You can, however, place objects in
   | the document  | this layer just as you can in the earlier versions
   |               | of Word. You can put the following types of objects in
   |               | this layer:
   |               |
   |               | text--all text and formatting for the document
   |               |
   |               | inline objects - objects that act as a single, large
   |               | character
   |               |
   |               | framed objects--objects that text will flow around
   -----------------
   Layer 2--The text layer

   -----------------
   |               | In this layer you can place objects. Only "floating"
   |               | objects can exist in this layer. If an object is in
   |               | this layer, it will appear in front of the text of the
   |               | document (in most cases).
   |               |
   |               |
   |               |
   |               |
   |               |
   -----------------
   Layer 3--Above the text

Word has other layers that behave in the same way as the three layers mentioned here. Other layers include the header/footer layers and the footnote/endnote layers.

How Objects Are Handled in Versions of Word Earlier Than Word 6.0

In versions of Word earlier than version 6.0 for Windows, all objects exist in the same layer as the text of the document. You can insert objects "inline" so that they act as a single, large, text character, or you can use a frame. When you "frame" an object you can move the object around in the document by dragging it, and you can get text to flow around the object. Placing a graphic on top of text is virtually impossible in these earlier versions of Word.

A line of text with an "inline" object will resemble the following (with the box being the object):

   text text text text text text text
                  |---|
                  |   |
   text text text |---| text text text text
   text text text text text text text text

A line of text with a "framed" object will resemble the following (with the box being the object). The text is said to "wrap" or "flow" around the object:

   text text text text text text text
   text text text |---| text text text
   text text text |   | text text text
   text text text |---| text text text text
   text text text text text text text text

How Objects Are Handled in Versions of Word 6.0 and Later

Word versions 6.0 and later include a "drawing layer." A drawing layer can be thought of as a clear sheet of paper on top of, and underneath, the text of the document. This gives you the ability to place objects on separate layers above and below the text of the document, in addition to the traditional methods of placing objects in the text layer of the document. You can also stack one object on top of another object in each drawing layer. Objects in either the layer above the text layer or below the text layer are called "floating objects." By default, objects inserted in Word 97 are formatted as floating objects.

CHOOSING THE APPROPRIATE TYPE OF OBJECT

Floating Objects

Floating objects are powerful and flexible enough that you can get them to emulate almost all of the behaviors of inline objects and framed objects. In Word 97, most of the time, you should use a floating object rather an inline or framed object.

When to Use a Floating Object:

Use a floating object when:

You want text to wrap around the object (although a floating object can be formatted to not allow text wrapping).
Floating objects can have text wrap around them in ways that a framed object cannot. Wrapping styles include Square, Tight, Through, Top And Bottom, and None. Wrapping locations include wrapping to the left side, the right side, the largest side, or both sides of the object
You want to be able to position the object by dragging it in the document using your mouse.
You want to be able to position the object in front of or behind the text layer. This is commonly done when creating a watermark.
You want to use other drawing features with the object.

Limitations of Floating Objects:

Certain features do not work well with floating objects. Generally speaking, fields in the text layer do not recognize fields in the drawing layer. If you need to be able to access information from a field, use a frame. For example, use a frame when the object will include a field that captures any of the following types of information:

   Cross-references

   Captions

   Table of Contents entries

   Index entries

   Table of Figures entries

   Table of Authorities entries

NOTE: If you want to be able to view the field codes, you should use a frame rather than a floating object. Note also that you should use a frame if you will want to be able to use the Find And Replace feature to locate the object by object type. For example, you should use a frame if the object is a picture and you want to be able to find it by searching for "Graphic" using the Special search criteria in the Find And Replace dialog box.

For more information about these limitations and for possible workarounds, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

     ARTICLE ID: Q158918
     TITLE: WD97: How to Insert a Caption Next to an Equation or Object

     ARTICLE ID: Q157531
     TITLE: WD97: Table of Figures (TOF) Missing Captions from Text Boxes

     ARTICLE ID: Q155802
     TITLE: WD97: Word Doesn't Find "Float Over Text" Objects

     ARTICLE ID: Q155156
     TITLE: WD: Entries in Text Box or Callout Missing from Table of
            Contents

     ARTICLE ID: Q167282
     TITLE: WD97: Equation Object Not Inserted/Pasted at Insertion Point

     ARTICLE ID: Q161692
     TITLE: WD97: Problems with Float Over Text Objects

Inline objects

Use an inline object when:

You do not want text to wrap around the object.
You want to format the object as a character, using tabs, indents, paragraph formatting, character formatting, and so on.
You want to position the object in a table cell.

Frames

Use a frame when you need an object to behave like a floating object, and you need to use special features with it. For more information, see the "Limitations of Floating Objects" section earlier in this article.

CHANGING ONE TYPE OF OBJECT TO ANOTHER

From time to time, it may be necessary to convert one type of object to another.

Floating Objects

To Convert a Floating Object to an Inline Object:

To convert a floating object to an inline object, use either of the following methods.

NOTE: For Office Art objects, the Float Over Text check box mentioned in the "Method 1" solution will be selected and unavailable. You will be unable to turn off this option. For these objects, use the Method 2 solution.

   Method 1: Clear the Float Over Text Check Box:

   1. Right-click the floating object.

   2. On the shortcut menu, click Format <object>.

   3. Click the Position tab.

   4. Clear the Float Over Text check box.

   Method 2: Use a Macro:

   1. Click the object. On the Edit menu, click Cut.

   2. Run the macro described in the following article:

      ARTICLE ID: Q163808
      TITLE: WD97: Macro Changes Default Paste Mode from Float Over to
             Inline

To Convert a Floating Object to a Framed Object:

There may be times when you need your objects to act like floating objects, but you need certain features that are only available when using framed objects. In these few cases, it may be necessary to convert a floating object to a framed object. For more information about when to use a framed versus a floating object, see the "Limitations of Floating Objects" section earlier in this article.

To convert a floating object to a framed object, use either of the following methods.

   Method 1: Use an Inline Object

   With this method, you will first convert the floating object to an
   inline object, and then you will convert that inline object to a framed
   object. To do this, use the following steps:

   1. Use the following steps to convert the floating object to an inline
      object:

      (a) Right-click the floating object.
      (b) On the shortcut menu, click Format <object>.
      (c) Click the Position tab.
      (d) Clear the Float Over Text check box.

   2. Use the following steps to convert the inline object to a framed
      object:

      (a) Click the object to select it.
      (b) On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.
      (c) In the "Macros In" drop-down box, click Word Commands.
      (d) For the Macro Name, type "InsertFrame" (without the quotation
          marks), and click the Run button.

   Method 2: Use the Convert To Frame Option:

   Text boxes and callouts have a special Convert To Frame option available
   that is not available for other shapes. To use this feature, follow
   these steps:

   1. Right-click the text box or callout object.

   2. On the shortcut menu, click Format <object>.

   3. Click the text box tab.

   4. Click the Convert to frame button.

   The text box or callout is now a frame in the text layer of the
   document.

Inline Objects

To Convert an Inline Object to a Floating Object:

Right-click the inline object.
On the shortcut menu, click Format <object>.
Click the Position tab.
Click to select the Float Over Text check box.

To Convert an Inline Object to a Framed Object:

Click the object to select it.
On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.
In the Macros In box, click Word Commands.
For the Macro Name, type "InsertFrame" (without the quotation marks) and click the Run button.
NOTE: The first time you run this command, the following message will be displayed:
```
      You inserted a frame but Insert Frame is not on any menu. Press the
      button below to add Frame to the Insert menu so you can quickly and
      easily insert frames.
```
Clicking Yes will add the command to the Insert menu.

Once the command is added, you can click Frame on the Insert menu (you will no longer need to use the InsertFrame macro command).

The object will now be in a frame and you can move it around in the document by dragging it.

Framed Objects

To Convert a Framed Picture to an Inline Picture:

Right-click the picture.
click Format Picture on the shortcut menu.
Click the Position tab.
Click to clear the Float Over Text check box.

The picture is now an inline picture.

To Convert Framed Text to Inline Text:

Right-click the frame.
On the shortcut menu, click Format Frame.
Click the Remove Frame button.

The framed text will be converted to inline text (standard text in the text layer of the document).

To Convert a Framed Object to a Floating Object:

Convert the framed object to an inline object.
Use the following steps to convert the inline object to a floating object:
a. Right-click the inline object.
b. On the shortcut menu, click Format <object>.
c. Click the Position tab.
d. Click to select the Float Over Text check box.

TROUBLESHOOTING PROBLEMS WITH FLOATING OBJECTS

Objects Move Around on the Screen, Are Not Inserted or Pasted Correctly, or Move to the Next Page

This is a side effect of the object being inserted or pasted as a floating object. The solution is to do either of the following.

Method 1:

Paste or insert the object, find it, and then drag it to the desired location, or convert it to an inline object.

For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE ID: Q155804
   TITLE: WD97: Inserted Picture or Drawing Object Moves Down Page

Method 2:

Use the information in one of the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles to change the default behavior of the insert or paste command:

   ARTICLE ID: Q163808
   TITLE: WD97 Macro Changes Default Paste Mode from Float Over to
          Inline

   ARTICLE ID: Q163575
   TITLE: WD97: Macro to Set "Float Over Text" in Insert Object
          Dialog Box

   ARTICLE ID: Q157773
   TITLE: WD97: Macro to Disable Float Over Text in Insert Picture
          Dialog

Objects Disappear When You Insert or Paste Them

The object you inserted or pasted may have landed on top of another object. Click the object you just inserted or pasted and drag it using the mouse. You may see another object underneath it. From here, you can position each object in the desired location by dragging it.

The object you inserted or pasted may have landed on another page or on a different part of the current page. Scroll around in the document until you locate it. Then, you can drag it back to the desired location.

You Cannot See Objects in Some Views

Floating objects cannot be seen in normal, outline, or master document view. Switch to online layout or page layout view in order to see the object.

There is also a view setting that needs to be enabled in order to see floating objects. To turn this setting on, follow these steps:

On the Tools menu, click options.
Click the View tab.
Click to select the Drawing Objects check box.

Objects Cannot Be Inserted or Pasted into a Table or the Table Is Split

If you are unable to insert or paste and object or if the table splits into two tables when you insert or paste an object, you must convert the object from a floating to an inline object. To do this, use either of the following methods.

Method 1:

Paste or insert the object, find it, convert it to an inline object, and then cut and paste it into the table cell.

Method 2:

Use the information in one of the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles to change the default behavior of the insert or paste command:

   ARTICLE ID: Q163808
   TITLE: WD97 Macro Changes Default Paste Mode from Float Over to
          Inline

   ARTICLE ID: Q163575
   TITLE: WD97: Macro to Set "Float Over Text" in Insert Object
          Dialog Box

   ARTICLE ID: Q157773
   TITLE: WD97: Macro to Disable Float Over Text in Insert Picture
          Dialog

You Cannot See Field Codes for Inserted or Pasted Objects

The ability (or inability) to view the field code does not change the functionality of the field code. Therefore, there really isn't a need to make the field code visible. If, however, you want to be able to view the field code, you will need to convert the floating object to an inline object or a framed object.

For more information about floating objects and field codes, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE ID: Q157465
   TITLE: WD97: Can't See Field Codes for Some Objects

Fields in the Drawing Layer Don't Work or Return Incorrect Values

Many fields do not work in the drawing layer. These fields include REF, SEQ, TA, TC, XE, TOA, TOC, AUTONUM, and MERGEFIELD. To use these fields, you must convert the floating object to a framed object.

REFERENCES

Microsoft Knowledge Base

For more information about floating objects, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

     ARTICLE ID: Q167282
     TITLE: WD97: Equation Object Not Inserted/Pasted at Insertion Point

     ARTICLE ID: Q157667
     TITLE: WD97: Float Over Text Objects Cutoff in Online Layout View

     ARTICLE ID: Q161692
     TITLE: WD97: Problems with Float Over Text Objects

   ARTICLE-ID: Q157119
   TITLE     : WD97: WD97: Pictures Visible Even When Picture Placeholders
               Check Box Selected

Online Help

For more information about floating objects, click the Office Assistant, type "floating objects," click Search, and then click "Label a graphic or insert text in a shape."

For more information about positioning objects, click the Office Assistant, type "float over text," click Search, and then click one of the following topics:

About positioning text and graphics
Type over existing text
Select text and graphics
Change a floating picture to an inline picture and vice-versa

For more information about frames, click the Office Assistant, type "frames," click Search, and then click one of the following topics:

Select a frame
Position text that contains notes, comments, or certain fields
The difference between a text box and a frame
Position a frame
Convert a text box to a frame
Resize a frame
Remove a frame

For more information about wrapping text around objects, click the Office Assistant, type "wrapping text around objects," click Search, and then click one of the following topics:

Arrange text and graphics on a page
Troubleshoot text in drawing objects
Label a graphic or insert text in a shape

For more information about wrapping text around objects, click the Office Assistant, type "text wrapping," click Search, and then click "About positioning text and graphics."

For more information about AutoShapes, click the Office Assistant, type "AutoShapes," click Search, and then click "Add or change an AutoShape."

For more information about watermarks, click the Office Assistant, type "watermark," click Search, and then click of the following topics:

Create a watermark
Ways to arrange drawing objects

For more information about special drawing effects, click the Office Assistant, type "wordart," click Search, and then click one of the following topics:

Ways to enhance drawing objects
Add or edit a special text effect
What's new with the drawing tools?

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Word Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q120802
   TITLE     : Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office
               Program or Component

Keywords          : kbframe kblayout word97
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

================================================================================

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Last reviewed: January 14, 1998
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.