WD: Start New Column Option Does Not Insert Column Break

ID: Q100100

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, version 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a

SYMPTOMS

When you select the Start New Column option in the Format Columns dialog box, a new column is not started and there is no effect in your document.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use any of the following methods:

• Be sure you click to select This Point Forward in the Apply To list when you click to select the Start New Column option in the Format Columns dialog box.

      -or-
  

• Insert the column break by clicking Break on the Insert menu and selecting the Column Break option.

      -or-
  

• Insert the column break by pressing the following keystrokes:

  On the Windows platform, press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER.

  On the Macintosh, press COMMAND+SHIFT+RETURN.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Microsoft Word listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Word 97 for Windows and Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition.

MORE INFORMATION

The Start New Column option in the Format Columns command does not insert a column break unless you also select This Point Forward in the Apply To list. If you select Whole Document in the Apply To list, the Start New Column option has no effect in your Word document. This means that Word does not insert a column break or change the section formatting.

Additional query words:

Keywords          : word6 word7 word95 kbformat 
Version           : MACINTOSH:6.0,6.0.1,6.0.1a; WINDOWS:2.0,2.0a,2.0a- cd,2.0b,2.0c,6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0,7.0a
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

Last Reviewed: February 3, 1998