WD: Blank Line Placed Between Header and First Line of Text

ID: Q46400

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When a table in the header extends into the document body, a blank line is present between the header and the first line of text.

CAUSE

This behavior is by design of Microsoft Word. When a table is inserted or placed in a document, a paragraph marked is always placed at the end/below the table. There is always a paragraph marker preceding a table in Word that is used to store paragraph, section, or document formatting.

WORKAROUND

To avoid having the blank line appear when the document is printed, follow the steps appropriate for your version of Word.

Word 6.x, 7.x

1. On the View menu, clcik Header/Footer.

2. Select the paragraph mark at the end of the table in the header.

3. On the Format menu, click Paragraph.

4. Select the Indents And Spacing tab.

5. For Line Spacing, select Exactly; change At: to .01" (or .7 pt); and 

   click OK.
The blank line is now invisible.

Word for the Macintosh 5.x

1. On the View menu, click Show Paragraph Marks.

2. Select the paragraph mark at the end of the header text and format it as 

   Hidden Text. This can be done from the Character dialog box or by
   pressing COMMAND+SHIFT+X.
3. On the File menu, click Print. Clear the Print Hidden Text option if 
   it is selected, and then click OK.
The header will now be directly above the body of the document.

REFERENCES

"Word for the Macintosh User's Guide," version 5.0, pages 337-340

Additional query words: table header head 

Keywords          : winword macword word6 word7 word95 macword5 
Version           : WINDOWS:6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0,7.0a ;MACINTOSH:5.0,5.1,6.0,6.0.1,6.0.1a
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: July 7, 1998