WD: Can't See Contents of Header or Footer from Document

ID: Q128969

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, version 6.0

SYMPTOMS

Any of the following symptoms may occur with headers or foooters:

When you try to view the header or footer, you do not see the expected box around it labeled "Header" or "Footer".
When you view the document in print preview or in page layout view, the header is not at the top of the page but is at either side of the page, and the text of the document is next to the header instead of below it.
When you try to view the header or footer, you cannot edit the text in it.

Documents converted from other word processing formats may also display this problem. For example, certain WordPerfect formatting in a header or footer may result in this problem.

CAUSE

The entire contents of the header or footer are in a frame.

While framed text can be displayed in a Word 2.0 document, Word 6.0 displays framed headers and footers differently than Word 2.0.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

WORKAROUND

Remove the frame from the contents of the header or footer.

1. From the View menu, choose Header And Footer.

2. From the Format menu, choose Frame.

3. In the Frame dialog box, choose Remove Frame. The header should now be

   visible, though the contents may not look right, since they are no 
   longer in a frame.

4. Click the first button on the Header And Footer toolbar (Switch

   Between Header and Footer) to move the insertion point to the footer. If
   necessary, remove the frame as described in steps 2 and 3.

5. Choose the Switch Between Header And Footer button, the Show Next

   button, and the Show Previous button on the Header And Footer toolbar to
   check each active header and footer pane in the document as necessary to
   eliminate the problem.

6. To reapply a frame to the contents of the header (and prevent the

   problem from occurring again), follow these steps:

    a. Select everything in the header or footer.

    b. From the Insert Menu, choose Frame.

   Word automatically adds an additional paragraph mark to the pane to
   act as an anchor point for the Frame. This additional paragraph mark
   prevents the problem from happening again.

Additional query words: invisible hidden disappear wp unable

Keywords          : kb3rdparty kbconversion winword macword word6 
Version           : WINDOWS:6.0,6.0a,6.0c; MACINTOSH:6.0
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: March 27, 1998