WD: Paragraph Borders Not Applied to Each Paragraph in Selection

• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.1, 5.1a

SYMPTOMS

If you apply borders to several paragraphs, Microsoft Word puts a border above or below the paragraphs as a group, rather than around each paragraph individually.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs when you apply borders using only the top or bottom of the paragraphs icon in the Paragraph Border dialog box.

WORKAROUND

To place a border above or below each paragraph in a selection of many paragraphs, you must apply not only the above and below borders, but also the between border.

To place a border above or below every paragraph in a group of selected paragraphs, follow these steps:

1. Select the paragraphs to be formatted.

2. On the Format menu, click Paragraph.

3. Click the Borders button. Choose the line weight on the left side of the dialog box.

4. For borders above, click on the top of the paragraphs and between the paragraphs. Similarly, for borders below, click on the bottom of the paragraphs and between the paragraphs.

MORE INFORMATION

If two or more paragraphs have the same paragraph border format, such as border above or below, the second paragraph will not display a border above or below because it is not the first in the group. Only the first paragraph in a group of paragraphs with the same paragraph formatting displays a border above or below.

If you format a group of paragraphs to only have an above border and then remove the paragraph border from the first paragraph, you may expect the border to be removed from the document. What in fact happens is that the second paragraph will now be the first in the group and will display a border above it.

To remove the paragraph borders, select all paragraphs and remove the borders in the Paragraph Borders dialog box.