What causes this 'new page' in the middle?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robert Macy
  • Start date Start date
R

Robert Macy

Running Word 97 on Win98

Can't always recreate this but happens enough to irritate!

In general: Every now and then Word inserts a 'new page' creating a
page with almost nothing on the page, but a few lines at the top and
shoving everything down to start on a new page. Right after the page
is inserted, alt-z does not remove the new page. Finding the inserted
line to remove it doesn't work - Going to normal view clearly shows
the page line, but cannot get the cursor to sit on the line to delete
it. either goes above, or below, not on it. Only way to get rid of
the page is to delete the blank line between. Any attempt to insert a
blank line causes not a blank line but a whole page?! Go to the end
of the blue text and hit enter creates a new page. or, putting the
cursor at the start of the next italics line and hitting enter creates
a new page, too.

Specifically: This has happened several times as I modify an existing
[copied] 1 or 2 page document. Font is arial, document starts out
with introduction consisting of lines of 11 point, blank line, then
lines of italic 10 point to list a bit of something, followed by
lines of 10 point text in blue [to highlight answering information]
To make the presentation readable, I prefer to have a blank line
between the blue text and the next italics intro. However, sometimes
when I hit enter after the line of blue text to create that blank
space line, I get a new page! Nothing seems to get rid of it.

Also, every line appears to be called Heading 2 for some reason, with
no other choices but Heading 3 or 4 etc. Don't know the significance
of that. I was looking for normal, but the choice does not come up.

My work around so far has been to paste and copy known non-offending
pairs of lines, then completely over write what they contained with
desired information. A bit of a clumsy 'workaround', but works.

My question is: What automatic feature is MS Word doing that anyone in
their right mind would want? and, how do I get rid of it easily while
maintaining other auto stuff?
 
You have a combination of two problems here:

1. You have (or the document author had) some automatic features still
enabled, specifically automatic headings and "Define styles based on your
formatting." Disable both of these in Tools | AutoCorrect | AutoFormat As
You Type.

2. You are inserting empty paragraphs as "blank lines."

Here's how this works:

1. Text that is formatted a certain way looks to Word like a heading, and so
Word applies a heading style. Or it may be that the creator of the document
actually applied heading styles intentionally.

2. All heading styles are by default defined as "Keep with next." This
ensures that the heading will stay with the text that follows. If you have a
long succession of headings, this property results in their all being stuck
together in one block. Word has to insert page breaks when a page fills up,
but the paragraphs do keep chasing each other as much as they can.

3. The "Style for following paragraph" of all heading styles is Normal, so
when you press Enter at the end of a heading to insert a "blank line," you
get a Normal paragraph. Word heaves a huge sigh of relief because you have
finally given it a place where it can legitimately insert a page break
(following the Normal paragraph, which is not formatted as "Keep with next."

There are several lessons here:

1. If you're going to construct an entire document using only heading
styles, then you need to disable the "Keep with next" property of all but
the top couple of levels.

2. You should not use empty paragraphs to create space between paragraphs.
Instead using Spacing Before/After. You can easily add 12 points Spacing
Before to a paragraph by pressing Ctrl+0.

3. You'd probably do better not to apply heading styles to paragraphs that
aren't really headings. Instead, use Body Text or some custom style, defined
or modified as desired.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

Robert Macy said:
Running Word 97 on Win98

Can't always recreate this but happens enough to irritate!

In general: Every now and then Word inserts a 'new page' creating a
page with almost nothing on the page, but a few lines at the top and
shoving everything down to start on a new page. Right after the page
is inserted, alt-z does not remove the new page. Finding the inserted
line to remove it doesn't work - Going to normal view clearly shows
the page line, but cannot get the cursor to sit on the line to delete
it. either goes above, or below, not on it. Only way to get rid of
the page is to delete the blank line between. Any attempt to insert a
blank line causes not a blank line but a whole page?! Go to the end
of the blue text and hit enter creates a new page. or, putting the
cursor at the start of the next italics line and hitting enter creates
a new page, too.

Specifically: This has happened several times as I modify an existing
[copied] 1 or 2 page document. Font is arial, document starts out
with introduction consisting of lines of 11 point, blank line, then
lines of italic 10 point to list a bit of something, followed by
lines of 10 point text in blue [to highlight answering information]
To make the presentation readable, I prefer to have a blank line
between the blue text and the next italics intro. However, sometimes
when I hit enter after the line of blue text to create that blank
space line, I get a new page! Nothing seems to get rid of it.

Also, every line appears to be called Heading 2 for some reason, with
no other choices but Heading 3 or 4 etc. Don't know the significance
of that. I was looking for normal, but the choice does not come up.

My work around so far has been to paste and copy known non-offending
pairs of lines, then completely over write what they contained with
desired information. A bit of a clumsy 'workaround', but works.

My question is: What automatic feature is MS Word doing that anyone in
their right mind would want? and, how do I get rid of it easily while
maintaining other auto stuff?
 
You have a combination of two problems here:

1. You have (or the document author had) some automatic features still
enabled, specifically automatic headings and "Define styles based on your
formatting." Disable both of these in Tools | AutoCorrect | AutoFormat As
You Type.

2. You are inserting empty paragraphs as "blank lines."

Here's how this works:

1. Text that is formatted a certain way looks to Word like a heading, andso
Word applies a heading style. Or it may be that the creator of the document
actually applied heading styles intentionally.

2. All heading styles are by default defined as "Keep with next." This
ensures that the heading will stay with the text that follows. If you have a
long succession of headings, this property results in their all being stuck
together in one block. Word has to insert page breaks when a page fills up,
but the paragraphs do keep chasing each other as much as they can.

3. The "Style for following paragraph" of all heading styles is Normal, so
when you press Enter at the end of a heading to insert a "blank line," you
get a Normal paragraph. Word heaves a huge sigh of relief because you have
finally given it a place where it can legitimately insert a page break
(following the Normal paragraph, which is not formatted as "Keep with next."

There are several lessons here:

1. If you're going to construct an entire document using only heading
styles, then you need to disable the "Keep with next" property of all but
the top couple of levels.

2. You should not use empty paragraphs to create space between paragraphs..
Instead using Spacing Before/After. You can easily add 12 points Spacing
Before to a paragraph by pressing Ctrl+0.

3. You'd probably do better not to apply heading styles to paragraphs that
aren't really headings. Instead, use Body Text or some custom style, defined
or modified as desired.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USAhttp://word.mvps.org




Running Word 97 on Win98
Can't always recreate this but happens enough to irritate!
In general: Every now and then Word inserts a 'new page' creating a
page with almost nothing on the page, but a few lines at the top and
shoving everything down to start on a new page.  Right after the page
is inserted, alt-z does not remove the new page.  Finding the inserted
line to remove it doesn't work - Going to normal view clearly shows
the page line, but cannot get the cursor to sit on the line to delete
it.  either goes above, or below, not on it.  Only way to get rid of
the page is to delete the blank line between.  Any attempt to insert a
blank line causes not a blank line but a whole page?!  Go to the end
of the blue text and hit enter creates a new page.  or, putting the
cursor at the start of the next italics line and hitting enter creates
a new page, too.
Specifically: This has happened several times as I modify an existing
[copied] 1 or 2 page document.  Font is arial, document starts out
with introduction consisting of lines of 11 point, blank line, then
lines of italic 10 point to list a bit of  something, followed by
lines of 10 point text in blue [to highlight answering information]
To make the presentation readable, I prefer to have a blank line
between the blue text and the next italics intro.  However, sometimes
when I hit enter after the line of blue text to create that blank
space line, I get a new page! Nothing seems to get rid of it.
Also, every line appears to be called Heading 2 for some reason, with
no other choices but Heading 3 or 4 etc.  Don't know the significance
of that.  I was looking for normal, but the choice does not come up.
My work around so far has been to paste and copy known non-offending
pairs of lines, then completely over write what they contained with
desired information.  A bit of a clumsy 'workaround', but works.
My question is: What automatic feature is MS Word doing that anyone in
their right mind would want?  and, how do I get rid of it easily while
maintaining other auto stuff?

Thank you, excellent explanation. I authored the original, then
simply wanted to make mods.

Somehow, Word interpreted my attempt to use Arial font, not Times
Roman, as Header 2 ...every place!

So went back highlighted all the text and changed it all.
Irritatingly, changed Arial to Times Roman and all one size, so had to
redo each section, but afterwards, at least it's all under control
now. Works great.

I still can't get the 'force' space to work, though. Where I want two
words to appear adjacent, and not split by a wordwrap, by using shift/
space, or alt/space, or even ctrl/space nothing works. What does make
the space rigid?
 
To insert a non-breaking space, use Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar.

--
Hope this helps,

Doug Robbins - Word MVP
dkr[atsymbol]mvps[dot]org

Robert Macy said:
You have a combination of two problems here:

1. You have (or the document author had) some automatic features still
enabled, specifically automatic headings and "Define styles based on your
formatting." Disable both of these in Tools | AutoCorrect | AutoFormat As
You Type.

2. You are inserting empty paragraphs as "blank lines."

Here's how this works:

1. Text that is formatted a certain way looks to Word like a heading, and
so
Word applies a heading style. Or it may be that the creator of the
document
actually applied heading styles intentionally.

2. All heading styles are by default defined as "Keep with next." This
ensures that the heading will stay with the text that follows. If you
have a
long succession of headings, this property results in their all being
stuck
together in one block. Word has to insert page breaks when a page fills
up,
but the paragraphs do keep chasing each other as much as they can.

3. The "Style for following paragraph" of all heading styles is Normal,
so
when you press Enter at the end of a heading to insert a "blank line,"
you
get a Normal paragraph. Word heaves a huge sigh of relief because you
have
finally given it a place where it can legitimately insert a page break
(following the Normal paragraph, which is not formatted as "Keep with
next."

There are several lessons here:

1. If you're going to construct an entire document using only heading
styles, then you need to disable the "Keep with next" property of all but
the top couple of levels.

2. You should not use empty paragraphs to create space between
paragraphs.
Instead using Spacing Before/After. You can easily add 12 points Spacing
Before to a paragraph by pressing Ctrl+0.

3. You'd probably do better not to apply heading styles to paragraphs
that
aren't really headings. Instead, use Body Text or some custom style,
defined
or modified as desired.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USAhttp://word.mvps.org




Running Word 97 on Win98
Can't always recreate this but happens enough to irritate!
In general: Every now and then Word inserts a 'new page' creating a
page with almost nothing on the page, but a few lines at the top and
shoving everything down to start on a new page. Right after the page
is inserted, alt-z does not remove the new page. Finding the inserted
line to remove it doesn't work - Going to normal view clearly shows
the page line, but cannot get the cursor to sit on the line to delete
it. either goes above, or below, not on it. Only way to get rid of
the page is to delete the blank line between. Any attempt to insert a
blank line causes not a blank line but a whole page?! Go to the end
of the blue text and hit enter creates a new page. or, putting the
cursor at the start of the next italics line and hitting enter creates
a new page, too.
Specifically: This has happened several times as I modify an existing
[copied] 1 or 2 page document. Font is arial, document starts out
with introduction consisting of lines of 11 point, blank line, then
lines of italic 10 point to list a bit of something, followed by
lines of 10 point text in blue [to highlight answering information]
To make the presentation readable, I prefer to have a blank line
between the blue text and the next italics intro. However, sometimes
when I hit enter after the line of blue text to create that blank
space line, I get a new page! Nothing seems to get rid of it.
Also, every line appears to be called Heading 2 for some reason, with
no other choices but Heading 3 or 4 etc. Don't know the significance
of that. I was looking for normal, but the choice does not come up.
My work around so far has been to paste and copy known non-offending
pairs of lines, then completely over write what they contained with
desired information. A bit of a clumsy 'workaround', but works.
My question is: What automatic feature is MS Word doing that anyone in
their right mind would want? and, how do I get rid of it easily while
maintaining other auto stuff?

Thank you, excellent explanation. I authored the original, then
simply wanted to make mods.

Somehow, Word interpreted my attempt to use Arial font, not Times
Roman, as Header 2 ...every place!

So went back highlighted all the text and changed it all.
Irritatingly, changed Arial to Times Roman and all one size, so had to
redo each section, but afterwards, at least it's all under control
now. Works great.

I still can't get the 'force' space to work, though. Where I want two
words to appear adjacent, and not split by a wordwrap, by using shift/
space, or alt/space, or even ctrl/space nothing works. What does make
the space rigid?
 
To insert a non-breaking space, use Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar.

--
Hope this helps,

Doug Robbins - Word MVP
dkr[atsymbol]mvps[dot]org




You have a combination of two problems here:
1. You have (or the document author had) some automatic features still
enabled, specifically automatic headings and "Define styles based on your
formatting." Disable both of these in Tools | AutoCorrect | AutoFormatAs
You Type.
2. You are inserting empty paragraphs as "blank lines."
Here's how this works:
1. Text that is formatted a certain way looks to Word like a heading, and
so
Word applies a heading style. Or it may be that the creator of the
document
actually applied heading styles intentionally.
2. All heading styles are by default defined as "Keep with next." This
ensures that the heading will stay with the text that follows. If you
have a
long succession of headings, this property results in their all being
stuck
together in one block. Word has to insert page breaks when a page fills
up,
but the paragraphs do keep chasing each other as much as they can.
3. The "Style for following paragraph" of all heading styles is Normal,
so
when you press Enter at the end of a heading to insert a "blank line,"
you
get a Normal paragraph. Word heaves a huge sigh of relief because you
have
finally given it a place where it can legitimately insert a page break
(following the Normal paragraph, which is not formatted as "Keep with
next."
There are several lessons here:
1. If you're going to construct an entire document using only heading
styles, then you need to disable the "Keep with next" property of all but
the top couple of levels.
2. You should not use empty paragraphs to create space between
paragraphs.
Instead using Spacing Before/After. You can easily add 12 points Spacing
Before to a paragraph by pressing Ctrl+0.
3. You'd probably do better not to apply heading styles to paragraphs
that
aren't really headings. Instead, use Body Text or some custom style,
defined
or modified as desired.
--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USAhttp://word.mvps.org

Running Word 97 on Win98
Can't always recreate this but happens enough to irritate!
In general: Every now and then Word inserts a 'new page' creating a
page with almost nothing on the page, but a few lines at the top and
shoving everything down to start on a new page.  Right after the page
is inserted, alt-z does not remove the new page.  Finding the inserted
line to remove it doesn't work - Going to normal view clearly shows
the page line, but cannot get the cursor to sit on the line to delete
it.  either goes above, or below, not on it.  Only way to get rid of
the page is to delete the blank line between.  Any attempt to insert a
blank line causes not a blank line but a whole page?!  Go to the end
of the blue text and hit enter creates a new page.  or, putting the
cursor at the start of the next italics line and hitting enter creates
a new page, too.
Specifically: This has happened several times as I modify an existing
[copied] 1 or 2 page document.  Font is arial, document starts out
with introduction consisting of lines of 11 point, blank line, then
lines of italic 10 point to list a bit of  something, followed by
lines of 10 point text in blue [to highlight answering information]
To make the presentation readable, I prefer to have a blank line
between the blue text and the next italics intro.  However, sometimes
when I hit enter after the line of blue text to create that blank
space line, I get a new page! Nothing seems to get rid of it.
Also, every line appears to be called Heading 2 for some reason, with
no other choices but Heading 3 or 4 etc.  Don't know the significance
of that.  I was looking for normal, but the choice does not come up.
My work around so far has been to paste and copy known non-offending
pairs of lines, then completely over write what they contained with
desired information.  A bit of a clumsy 'workaround', but works.
My question is: What automatic feature is MS Word doing that anyone in
their right mind would want?  and, how do I get rid of it easily while
maintaining other auto stuff?
Thank you, excellent explanation.  I authored the original, then
simply wanted to make mods.
Somehow, Word interpreted my attempt to use Arial font, not Times
Roman, as Header 2 ...every place!
So went back highlighted all the text and changed it all.
Irritatingly, changed Arial to Times Roman and all one size, so had to
redo each section, but afterwards, at least it's all under control
now. Works great.
I still can't get the 'force' space to work, though.  Where I want two
words to appear adjacent, and not split by a wordwrap, by using shift/
space, or alt/space, or even ctrl/space nothing works.  What does make
the space rigid?

Thanks, the one permutation I didn't try!
 
Back
Top