Tech: brief Word 2007 question

Subject: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 16 Jun 14 - 08:25 AM

Last week I attended an early-music workshop, and before I went, my sister asked me to take pictures of the unusual instruments for her to see. I've got the digital pictures, and I want to put them in a Word document along with captions. Then I'll burn the document to a CD and mail her the CD.

I can get the pictures into the document by dragging and dropping, but then how do I get Word to accept my typing so I can put captions on the pictures? Once the picture is there, all Word will do is mess around with it, putting little squares on the corners and acting squirrely in general. How do I get back to typing?

I'm using Windows 7.

Subject: RE: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jun 14 - 09:18 AM

While your picture is selected (i.e. with the boxes at the edges etc) look for something on the toolbar that says 'position'. When you've found that, the next window should have a tab for 'text wrapping. Go to that & look for 'Behind Text'. You should then be able to position your cursor where you want it and your typing should be visible.

It may also be possible to use 'text boxes' without a border, but I'm at work so haven't got more time to check that out.

Hope this works for what you want to do, good luck!

Subject: RE: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: GUEST,MikeL2
Date: 16 Jun 14 - 09:18 AM

hi Leeneia

I don't know how you can do that in Word.

When I do I add the text in Photoshop; currently I'm on Elements 12.

There are a number of free photo-processing programs out there where yo will be able to do this.

As I say I use Photoshop so I am not able to advise you which is the best to go for.

I am sure some people here in Mudcat will be able to recommend something.

Hope this helps

Regards

MikeL2

Subject: RE: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: Nick
Date: 16 Jun 14 - 09:27 AM

After you have dragged the picture in, click to the right of it and you should get a cursor appearing at the right bottom of the picture and you should then be able to press return and your cursor should move and let you type.

If that doesn't work I'm a bit confused but I think that the following would work

Open a new document
Type in the captions with two or three character returns in between
Click in a space and choose Insert from the menu and Insert a picture from file
Navigate to the pictures and put them in position

Can't see how that would fail

Subject: RE: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: Nick
Date: 16 Jun 14 - 09:45 AM

Make that carriage return rather than character return.

Not sure where that came from.

Subject: RE: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 16 Jun 14 - 02:20 PM

Thanks, MikeL2 and Nick. The info about going to the right and pressing return proved helpful about half the time. After repeated attempts, I got 'er done.

Subject: RE: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 01:26 AM

You can position the photo and let the text wrap (in line, square, tight, etc., are terms in the choices). You should be able to right click over the photo and get a dialog box for that plus to add a caption. You could also draw a text box, insert your text, and drop it over the photo (put it in front of the photo, or push the photo back) and resize and change the font color for contrast if you need to. For something like this Word is faster and easier than Photoshop if you don't know what you're doing in Photoshop.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: GUEST,Mikel2
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 05:44 AM

Hi Leenia

Glad to hear that you managed to get the job done.

SRS is right; my idea of doing it in Photoshop is much more time consuming, and especially as he says, if you are not conversant with Photoshop.

As an (very) amateur photographer I use Photoshop regularly so to me it is no trouble to insert text onto an image.

I have never tried to do it in Word but I will have a go from the advice of SLR & Nick.

Regards

MikeL2

Subject: RE: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 09:25 AM

There are a number of free photo-processing programs out there where yo will be able to do this.


A simple example to make a new captioned jpeg using the free open source Gimp.

Subject: RE: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Jun 14 - 07:58 PM

Thanks to SRS, I now see that right-clicking on the middle of a photo brings up the possibility of adding a caption. Why words in Word should be banished to the strange realm of the right click is beyond me.

Well, now I know.

Thanks, all.

Subject: RE: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 01:05 AM

The right click of the mouse is a powerful tool in many venues - meant to save keystrokes. I'm glad it helped!

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: brief Word 2007 question
From: Mr Red
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 04:30 PM

I put images in Text Boxes and format the boxes to not move with text. (select box and right click for "format Text Box" or find another similar thing on a ribbon somewhere (or are they toolbars?).
Captions inside the boxes under the image.

It is so much easier than trying to control images alongside text because Micr$oft thinks it knows how you want it to behave and any changes to the images can revert to their methodology.