WD97: General Information About Section Breaks

ID: Q195331

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

This article describes the types of section breaks available in Word and their uses. When you start a document, there are no section breaks because the entire document consists of one section. A section break is the point at which you end one section and begin another because you want some aspect of page formatting to change. You can divide a document into any number of sections and format each section the way you want. Throughout this article, keep in mind that a section break acts as an embedded code that stores or maintains the properties of the section above it.

For tips about using section breaks, refer to the "More Information" section of this article.

Section/Page properties include the following settings:

Page Orientation (Portrait/Landscape)
Margins
Columns
Line Numbering
Vertical Alignment
Headers & Footers
Page Numbering
Paper Size
Paper Source

It is recommended that when you are working with section breaks that you turn on the Show/Hide information by:

On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the View tab.

Under Nonprinting Characters, select the All check box.

Click OK.

Using Section Breaks

To create a new section, click the Break command on the Insert menu. In Normal view, Word displays a double dotted line and the words End of Section (Type of Section Break) to indicate a section break and its type.

The line is not printed. There are several types of section breaks to choose from. The breaks and their purposes are described as follows.


   Type           Characteristics
------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Next Page      Word breaks the page at the section break. The new
                  section starts on the next page.

                  Use this section break if you want to apply different
                  page numbers, headers and footers, orientation,
                  vertical alignment, or paper size to the sections in
                  the document.

   Continuous     Word inserts a section break and begins the new section
                  on the same page. If the two sections have different
                  settings for page size or orientation, the new section
                  begins a new page even if you select Continuous.

                  Use this section break if you want to have different
                  column formatting or margins on the same page. If there
                  are multiple columns in the previous section, Word
                  balances the columns above the section break and then
                  fills out the page with the new section.

   Odd Page       Word begins the new section on the next odd-numbered
                  page. This section break is often used for chapters that
                  begin on odd-numbered pages.

                  NOTE: If the section break falls on an odd-numbered
                  page, Word leaves the intervening even-numbered page
                  blank.

   Even Page      Similar to Odd Page, but Word begins the new section on
                  the next even-numbered page.

To Insert a Section Break

Click at the point where you want to start a new section.

On the Insert menu, click Break.

Under Section Breaks, select the option that describes what type of section break you want, as described above.

Click OK.

Determining the Type of Section Break

In Word, the type of section break is shown on your screen, in parentheses, after the words Section Break. This is not where the properties of that section break are stored. The properties for the type of section break indicated on the screen are stored in the next section break (which may have a different type of section break indicated). If there is no additional section break in your document, the properties for that section break are stored in the last paragraph mark of the document. The section breaks act as an embedded code that stores or maintains the properties of the section above it.

For example, if you have a one-page document and half-way down the page you insert an Odd Page section break and farther into your document, on Page 1, you insert a Next Page section break, in normal view, you see the following:

Section Break (Odd Page)

Section Break (Next Page)

If you place your insertion point above Section Break (Odd Page), the status bar shows Page 1 Sec 1. To see the actual properties for the first section, on the Format menu, click Document and then click the Layout tab. Under Section Start, it indicates that the section is New Page. The settings for this section break are stored in the section break below where your insertion point is located or as shown on the screen, Section Break (Odd Page).

If you place your insertion point between Section Break (Odd Page) and Section Break (Next Page), the status bar shows Page 3 Sec 2. To see the actual properties for the second section, on the Format menu, click Document and then click the Layout tab. Under Section Start, it indicates that the section is Odd Page. The settings for this section break are stored in the section break below where your insertion point is located or as shown on the screen, Section Break (Next Page).

If you place your insertion point below Section Break (Next Page), the status bar shows Page 4 Sec 3. To see the actual properties for the third section, on the Format menu, click Document and then click the Layout tab. Under Section Start, it indicates that the section is New Page. The settings for this section break are stored in the last paragraph mark of the document (because there are no more section breaks in the document).

NOTE: A section break indicated on your screen as Next Page is defined as New Page on the Layout tab of the Document dialog box.

To Delete a Section Break

For information about deleting a section break, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q180258 WD: What Happens When You Delete a Section Break

MORE INFORMATION

You can save a section break and the formatting it contains as an AutoText entry for future use.

You can copy section formatting by copying the section break in normal view. When you paste a section break into a new location, the text above the section break takes on the formatting contained in the section break.

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

Q176314 WD: Section Layout Formatting Changes Pasting Section Break

You can change the type of section break without deleting the current section break by doing the following:

Place the insertion point into the section that you want to change.

NOTE: Remember to place your insertion point BELOW the section break that you want to change.

On the File menu, click Page Setup.

Click the Layout tab.

Under Section Start, select the type of section you want and then click OK.

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

Q77233 Continuous Section Breaks Become New Page Breaks in Landscape

Additional query words: 8.0 8.00 formatting page next

Keywords : kbdta word97
Version : WINDOWS:97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo