Solved: "Footer" problem - need help

[redoak]

I have maintained a 'road directory' for our volunteer fire company for 30+ yrs, using WORD. Each road is on a page, and there are 34 of them. I have created a "footer" that goes on each page.

The left margin of each sheet is very wide to accommodate placement in a "three ring binder." The "footer" foot print extends to the left of the margin and into what should be blank space. How do I move the left side of the foot print to the right without affecting the right margin? That is to say, make the "footer" left 'margin' the same as the text.

Many thanks, {redoak}

 

[Yorkshire Guy]

Hi Redoak,

You don't say which version of Word, this may be relevant.

More importantly, how have you entered the Footer?

I can think of a few things that would cause it to extend beyond the page margins; please check and if any of the following have been used then the 'fix' is implied:
1. Does the footer paragraph format have a negative indent? (Format\Paragraph\Indents & Spacing\Indentation - Left) if so reset it to 0.

2. Is the Footer in a table, if so move the left boundary.

3. Is the footer in a text box, if so move it.

That should get you started.

lol
Hew

 

[redoak]

The original file was created with the WORD version that went (goes) with "98." Currently I am working with it on my own computer using "Office XP Pro." I do the revising here, put a revised file on a 'floppy' and transfer to the station computer.

There are no indentations. There are three short lines of text. To the far right is the page number, automatically assigned.

I am going to try to attach a ZIP file to this post so you can see the entire file. I do not know if this is possible, but here goes.

Many thanks, {redoak}

 

[redoak]

I entered the footer info by using the "View" menu button.

There is a dotted rectangular outline of the footer 'foot print." I believe this is what you mean by "text box." Of so, how do I move it? The width is entirely across the screen. Can the size and shape of a "text box" be set/altered?

 

[Yorkshire Guy]

Hi redoak,

OK, your problem is not maybe as you think.

Your document actually has a left margin of only 1/2 inch which is why the footer is printing that near to the left edge.

The rest of your document has spaces typed on the left on every line (and the occasional tab) to give you that extra spacing for your ring binder.

To alter the left margin now will throw out the main body of your doc, so easiest is to apply the spaces and tabs within the footer; because of the width you will have to space / tab each footer line individually to retain the look.

Longer term would be to set the left margin to say 1 inch and remove all those spaces!

lol
Hew

PS the dotted box around your footer is not a text box, it's just showing you where the footer is.


OK, just thought of this 'quick' fix.

Edit \ Select All then Format and set the Paragraph ident to -1 inch, then set the left margin to 1 inch.
This will set the Footer 1 inch from the left, and the margin + indent will leave the main text where it is.
lol
Hew
PS Use 1 1/2 inch or whatever you want as long as the margin is -ve the indent value.

 

[Surreal2]

Yup..what Huw said.

Although it might be a bit onerous, in the long run it will be a better bet to produce a proper layout rather than using spaces to position text elements.

If you adjust the margin for the whole document you can speed up the process of removing unnecessary spaces by using search/replace. Since you won't necessarily know how many spaces there are and some of them will need to be replaced with tabs, search for, say, 5 spaces and replace with 1 tab...then search 5 spaces, replace with 1 SPACE...and so on until you're down to replacing 2 spaces with 1 space. This will get rid of all the extra spaces.

You'll then have to go through and check manually...mebbe add extra tabs and/or centre headings, remove any remaining spaces before or after tabs etc (since you can't search for one space and replace it with nothing, otherwise all spaces including those between words will disappear), and finally select the whole document and apply the required tab settings.

 

[redoak]

Thanks to you both! I will "go at it" once I am off the Internet. I made copies of your advisories using my blessed "Mozilla 1.7.6" suite of prgrams, esp. the "composer." They are now in individual files in MY DOCS so I can consult them up as I attempt to modify the "footer."

It must be the reproduction of the attached file is not a true representation of the appearance of the printed page nor what shows on my screen. There is a straight left margin easily 1" wide for the punching of the three holes. The format is basically columinar. In some cases only one or a few characters and then a comment section where more info may be put, even in multiple lines that stay within the "column." There are differing 'spaces' between the columns. I did all the formatting using the space bar, for 30+ years ago I had no idea how to set tabs. [Even now I don't!! I will put my mind to it, however, using both a "dummies" WORD 2000 book and a full OFFICE XP PRO reference manual.] The format has not been changed over the entire span- I like it!

I will be back tomorrow with a followup.

{redoak}

 

[Yorkshire Guy]

hi redoak,

go for it,

let us know how you get on,

lol
Hew

 

[redoak]

Hi: After I submitted the immediately above post, it dawned on me that I gave the clear imopression that I used "98" some 30 years ago. What actually has transpired is I typed the original on a manual typewriter. Then, with advice/tutoring from a knowledgeable user of some kind of "DOS" (??) program, the file was created in a computer. Subsequently, when the fire company acquired a computer with "95" a transfer was accomplished with much effort, for I had to remove all the inserted printer instructions needed to print with the "DOS" (??) created file. 2-3 yrs ago a newer computer with "98" was installed by the fire company, with the transfer from the "95" system done easily by the fellow responsible for the entire conversion. All along the way I was just a guy with time and interest who had/has no/little experience with computer programs but could follow instructions. With the purchase of my own laptop, I am moving ahead in my ventures. TSG is my place of last resort when I need help. I also post to the "Photos" forum and peruse the "XP" forum every day looking for pertinent info to store away for future reference or try out.

I'll be back!

{redoak}

 

[Surreal2]

Good for you Red....yeah...I remember DOS print commands (and typewriters and LOTS of tipex) .

 

[redoak]

Hi: As you by now have seen, the file was "cobbed together" using any techniques that I knew of, which meant writing in WORD without using any formatting applications; I only used the space bar, as noted above. I may not have even set the ‘margin;’ I may have unknowingly worked with what was already in place and widened it manually with the spacebar to the width I needed.

I dreamt up my own "work around" while sitting at the C. going over all that was suggested. I simply deleted the three lines and retyped them starting further to the right so that they line up with the main text. My aged brain still works, if slowly!!

Again, many thanks for your interest and the time it took to post your suggestions. I will close the Thread.

{redoak}