Tips & Tricks

Text Box Fun

If you use either MS Word or Corel WordPerfect (and some other word processors), you have the ability to use text boxes.

What are text boxes?

They are exactly what they sound like. They are boxes you place into your word processing document that contain text. The cool thing about using text boxes is that it makes the layout of your page easier. Not a big deal when you're typing a report or letter, but really helpful when you're putting together a flyer or something similar.

You see, with your text "blocks" in text boxes, you have the ability to arrange them anyway you like. No more using your TAB and ENTER keys for formatting.

The easiest way to see how useful they can be is to try using one. Here's how to stick them into your document:

>From either Word or WordPerfect, click the Insert menu, Textbox.

If you're using MS Word, your cursor will change to a cross that lets you "draw" your text box. After your text box is drawn, just click inside it and start typing. If you would like to format it, just right-click an edge and select "Format text box" from the resulting menu. The format screen allows you to change (or remove) the border, add fill, and lots of other cool text box stuff.

Here's a picture of me drawing a text box:

Now, here's me typing text into it:

Note that Word XP likes to throw in a "drawing box" when you go to inset one of these. Don't let it throw you - just draw your text box inside of it. You can re-size this drawing box if you like though.

WordPerfect is similar to Word. The only big difference I've found is that when you go to type in your text (and insert the text box for that matter), you get a new document window. Once you're done typing, just close the window and you're back to the original document with your new text sitting in the textbox.

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