WD: Items Cannot Be Framed Within a Table in Microsoft Word

ID: Q78150

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Word, you cannot frame items within a table. Depending upon the conditions, different results occur when you attempt to frame items in a table. The results of four different scenarios are listed below.

MORE INFORMATION

Scenario #1 - Framing a Picture with Only the Picture Selected

1. On the Table menu, click Insert Table, or click the Table 

   button on the toolbar. Format the table with two columns and two
   rows.
2. Position the insertion point in a table cell. On the Insert menu, 
   click Picture. Select a picture to insert, and click OK.
3. Select the picture by clicking inside the picture. Small square 
   boxes appear around the picture.
4. On the Insert menu, click Frame.

Result: The Frame option is not available.

Scenario #2 - Framing a Picture If the Whole Cell Is Selected

1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 in Scenario #1. Select the whole cell by 

   placing the insertion point before the picture and holding down the
   SHIFT key while you press the RIGHT ARROW key twice, or by clicking
   and dragging the insertion point until the whole cell is selected.
2. On the Insert menu, click Frame.

Result: The whole row is framed and can be positioned.

Scenario #3 - Selecting the Whole Cell Including Text

1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 in Scenario #1. Enter text within a cell and 

   select it. With the insertion point at the beginning of the text
   within the cell, press SHIFT+END, or click and drag the mouse until
   the whole cell is selected.
2. On the Insert menu, click Frame.

Result: The entire row is framed and can be positioned.

Scenario #4 - Selecting Only the Text Within a Cell

1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 in Scenario #1. Enter text within a cell and 

   select the text only (do not include the end-of-cell marker in the
   selection).
2. On the Insert menu, click Frame.

Result: The Frame option is not available.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide," pages 314-323, 393-397

Additional query words: framing 

Keywords          : winword kbframe macword word6 winword2 kbformat 
Version           : WINDOWS:2.0,2.0a,2.0a-CD,2.0b,2.0c,6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0,7.0a; MACINTOSH:6.0,6.0.1,6.0.6.0.1a
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: February 4, 1998