WD97: How to Insert a Caption Next to an Equation or Object

ID: Q158918

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

Word does not offer a built-in method for automatically inserting a caption flush with the right margin of the document. Many scientific journals require equation objects to be in one of two formats: the equation is centered and the caption is right-aligned; or, the equation is left- aligned and the caption is right-aligned. In both cases, the caption number is enclosed in parentheses. This article describes several methods for formatting equation objects in one of these styles.

NOTE: This article uses the term "equation," but this method applies to any item (such as a figure or picture) where the caption needs to appear on the same line as the object.

Examples of scientific journal formats:


                              y = mx + b                            ( 1 )

- or -


y = mx + b                                                          ( 1 )

MORE INFORMATION

Step 1: Setting Up the Caption

To create the caption label with the parentheses, follow these steps:

On the Insert menu, click Caption.

Click New Label.

In the Label box, type an opening parenthesis.

Click OK.

In the Caption box, to the right of the number, type a space.

Type a closing parenthesis.

Click OK.

After you create the caption format, you can insert additional captions by doing the following:

On the Insert menu, click Caption.

In the Caption box, to the right of the existing caption, type a space and a closing parenthesis.

Click OK.

Step 2: Aligning the Equation and Caption

NOTE: If you intend to cross-reference the caption number, use Method 2.

Method 1: To set a right-aligned Equation and Caption Number:

On the Insert menu, click Caption.

Under Label, select the Open Parenthesis, type a space and a closing parenthesis, and then click OK.

Move the insertion point to the beginning of the line, before the caption.

Set a right-aligned tab at the right margin. For example, if the right margin is six inches from the left margin, set the right-aligned tab at six inches by doing the following:

On the Format menu, click Tabs.

Under Tab Stop Position, enter 6.

Under Alignment, click Right.

Click OK.

Insert the equation.

Press the TAB key to move the caption to the right edge of the page.

NOTE: When you insert the equation, clear the Float Over Text check box. The equation object must be an inline object for this method to work.

Method 2: To set a a left-aligned Equation:

On a new, blank line, insert the equation.

NOTE: When you insert the equation, clear the Float Over Text check box. The equation object must be an inline object for this method to work.

Exit the Equation Editor by clicking anywhere in the document area.

Press TAB and then insert the caption.

Select the entire line containing the equation and caption. On the Table menu, click Convert Text to Table. The selection is converted to a two-column table.

Remove the border around the table by doing the following:

With the table selected, on the Format menu, click Borders and Shading.

Under Setting, select None.

Click OK.

Select the table cell that contains the caption and then click the Align Right button on the Formatting toolbar.

Method 3: To set a center-aligned Equation:

On a new, blank line, press TAB, and then insert the equation.

Exit the Equation Editor by clicking anywhere in the document area.

NOTE: When you insert the equation, clear the Float Over Text check box. The equation object must be an inline object for this method to work.

Press TAB and then insert the caption.

Select the entire line containing the equation and caption. On the Table menu, click Convert Text to Table. The selection is converted to a three-column table.

Remove the border around the table by doing the following:

With the table selected, on the Format menu, click Borders and Shading.

Under Setting, select None.

Click OK.

Select the table cell containing the equation, and click the Center button on the Formatting toolbar.

Select the table cell containing the caption, and click the Align Right button on the Formatting toolbar.

Method 4: Create a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro:

Create a macro that automates the process outlined in Method 2.

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/


   Sub CaptionRight()
      Dim Align As Integer
      On Error GoTo bye
      If Selection.Information(wdWithInTable) Then
         MsgBox "You are in a table. Please move outside of the " _
            & "table to run this macro.", vbInformation
         Exit Sub
      End If
      Align = MsgBox("Would you like the Equation to be " _
               & "centered? (Selecting No will left-align the " _
               & "Equation.)", vbYesNoCancel)
      If Align > 2 Then
         Selection.InsertParagraphAfter
         Selection.Collapse (wdCollapseEnd)
         W = ActiveDocument.PageSetup.PageWidth
         L = ActiveDocument.PageSetup.LeftMargin
         R = ActiveDocument.PageSetup.RightMargin
         RTMarg = W - R - L
         CaptionLabels.add Name:="("
         If Align = 6 Then
            tblT1 = Selection.Tables.add(Selection.Range, 1, 3)
         Else
            tblT1 = Selection.Tables.add(Selection.Range, 1, 2)
         End If
         tblT1.Select
         With Selection
            If Align = 6 Then
               .Columns(1).Cells.Width = 50.4
               .Columns(3).Cells.Width = 50.4
               .Columns(2).Cells.Width = RTMarg - 100.8
               'Represents 1.5" in Points
            Else
               .Columns(2).Cells.Width = 50.4
               .Columns(1).Cells.Width = RTMarg - 50.4
                 'Represents .75" in Points
            End If
            .InsertCaption Label:="(", _
               Position:=wdCaptionPositionBelow, Title:= " )"
            .HomeKey unit:=wdLine, Extend:=wdExtend
            .Cut
            .MoveRight unit:=wdCharacter, Extend:=wdExtend
            .Delete
            .MoveLeft unit:=wdCharacter, Count:=2
            .Paste
            .Rows(1).Select
            For Each x In Selection.Borders
               x.LineStyle = wdLineStyleNone
            Next x
            .Borders.Shadow = False
            .Cells(9 - Align).Select
            .ParagraphFormat.Alignment = wdAlignParagraphRight
            .Cells(1).VerticalAlignment = wdCellAlignVerticalCenter
            .Font.Bold = True
            .Rows(1).Select
            If Align = 6 Then
               .Cells(2).Select
               .ParagraphFormat.Alignment = wdAlignParagraphCenter
               .InlineShapes.AddOLEObject ClassType:="Equation.3", _
                   FileName:="", LinkToFile:=False, DisplayAsIcon:=False
            Else
               .Collapse
               .InlineShapes.AddOLEObject ClassType:="Equation.3", _
                 FileName:="", LinkToFile:=False, DisplayAsIcon:=False
            End If
         End With
      End If
   End Sub

Several methods exist for inserting captions. AutoCaption inserts a caption either above or below an inserted object; manually inserted captions are placed above or below the object when the object is selected, or to the immediate right when the insertion point is to the right of the object.

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

Q173707 OFF97: How to Run Sample Code from Knowledge Base Articles

REFERENCES

For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q163435 VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications

For information about how to do this in earlier versions of Word, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q123430 WD: How to Insert a Caption Next to an Equation or Object

Additional query words: equations captions right center centered align alignment position positioned equation table figure photo picture pictures object objects graphic graph 8.0 word97

Keywords : kbualink97 kbusage kbdta kbdtacode kbmacroexample kbfield word97 kblayout
Version : WINDOWS:97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto