WD: Changing Orientation After Changing Columns Causes Error

ID: Q194038

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a

SYMPTOMS

When you change the page orientation from landscape to portrait, you receive the following message:

   Settings you chose for the left and right margins, column spacing,
   or paragraph indents are too large for the page width in some
   sections.

This problem occurs when you change the number of columns on a landscape page using the Columns button on the Standard toolbar, and then you change the page orientation to Portrait (click Page Setup on the File menu, and then click the Paper Size tab).

NOTE: This problem does not occur in Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, or 6.0c.

CAUSE

When you use the Columns button on the Standard toolbar, the column widths are not set to an "equal column width". Thus, Microsoft Word does not recalculate the page layout information correctly when you change the orientation to Portrait.

This problem does not occur when you use the Columns command on the Format menu. When you use the Columns command on the Format menu, the column width is set to "equal column width" by default, thus the page layout information is correctly changed and the columns are set to an equal width within the Portrait orientation.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, set the columns to an equal width. To do this, follow these steps:

1. On the Format menu, click Columns.

2. Click to select the box for Equal Column Width.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

Additional query words:

Keywords          : kbdta 
Version           : WINDOWS:7.0,7.0a
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

Last Reviewed: February 12, 1999