Wrapping styles of pictures in Word

Following enquiries from bu-cket, here are a few notes about pictures in Microsoft word.

A word document has a text layer, and two graphics layers – one behind the text layer, and the other in front of the text layer. A picture can be formatted:

• So that it's a character in the text layer. You can cut, copy and paste it just like a text character, and you can also use the paragraph alignment (left, centre, right) to align it. If you select a picture which is in the text layer, then the resizing handles at the corners are black squares.
• So that it's in one of the graphics layers, where it can be dragged around using the mouse. If you select a picture which is in a graphics layer, then the resizing handles at the corners are white circles.

Whether a picture is in the text layer or a graphics layer is determined by its wrapping style, and the possible wrapping styles include:

• In line with text. The picture is a character in the text layer.
• Square. The picture is in the graphics layer in front of the text, and the text wraps round a rectangle enclosing the picture.
• Tight. The picture is in the graphics layer in front of the text, and the text wraps round the outline of the picture, whatever the shape.
• Behind text. The picture is in the graphics layer behind the text.
• In front of text. The picture is in the graphics layer in front of the text, and obscures any text underneath it.

To change the wrapping style of a picture in a document:

1. Right click the picture, and choose Format Picture from the shortcut menu.
2. The Format Picture dialog opens. Move to the Layout page of the dialog, where you can choose a wrapping style.
3. Click the OK button.

When you insert a picture into a document its initial wrapping style is determined by a setting in Word's Options dialog box. To change this:

1. Open the Options dialog which is on the Tools menu.
2. Move to the Edit page of this dialog.
3. About half way down this page, there's an Insert/paste pictures as drop-down list box, for setting the wrapping style.
4. Click the OK button.

Chowo has found that Word occasionally forgets this setting, so you may have to reset it from time to time, such as after earthquakes.