WD: Text Overlapping When Printed

• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh versions 3.0, 3.01, 3.02, 4.0, 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 6.0.1

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, when you print a document, the text of the document will sometimes overlap. Below is a list of possible problems and solutions for text overlapping.

Word 4.0, 5.0, 5.1, 6.0

• If you are working with a table and have formatted paragraphs with negative indents in the cells, the text will move "under" adjacent cells. To correct this problem:

  1. Select the entire table (hold down the OPTION key and

        double-click anywhere in the table).
  

  2. From the Format menu, choose Paragraph.

  3. In the Left, Right, and First Indent boxes, enter 0 (zero).

  4. Press the OK button.

• If you positioned objects with the Frame command (the Position command in Word 4.0) you may have placed groups of text on top of one another. To keep text from overlapping:

  1. In the normal view, select the text that is overlapping.

  2. From the Format menu, choose Frame (Position in Word 4.0).

  3. Choose the Unframe button (the Reset button in Word 4.0). If

        this button is unavailable (dimmed), then the overlapping text
        is not caused by groups of text placed on top of one another.
  

Word 3.x, 4.0, 5.x

• If your document is formatted with side-by-side paragraphs (columns) that have a variety of paragraph indents, do the following:

  Word versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.1 ---------------------------

        1. Add the Side by Side command to the Format menu. From the
           Tools menu (Edit in Word 4.0), choose Commands. From the list
           box, select Side by Side. Under Menu, choose the Add button.
           Then choose the Close button (the Cancel button in Word 4.0).
           Side by Side should appear as a command on the Format menu.
  
        2. Select the area where the text is overlapping.
  
        3. Side by Side should appear on the Format menu with a check
           mark. Select Side by Side to clear the check mark. (If the
           Side by Side command does not appear with a check mark, try
           selecting  smaller groups of paragraphs). If you have the
           show Paragraphs mode selected, a small black rectangle will
           appear in the left margin of each paragraph that is
           formatted as side by side.
  
     Word versions 3.x
     -----------------
  
        1. Select the area where the text is overlapping.
  
        2. From the Format menu, choose Paragraph.
  
        3. Clear the Side by Side check box.
  
        4. Choose the OK button.
  
        5. View the document in page preview to see if this solution was
           successful.
  
  

• If a section in your document has been formatted in two or more columns and the ruler is adjusted for single-column indents, do one of the following:

      - From the Format menu, choose Section and make sure that the
        number 1 appears in the Number Of Columns box (this will remove
        the two-column formatting).
  

      - On the ruler, make sure that the right-indent marker is not
        positioned to the right of the vertical dotted line that
        indicates the right margin of the document.
  

• If the text is justified and the Fractional Widths option is selected in the Page Setup dialog box (in Word 3.x the Fractional Widths option is in the Print dialog box), clear the Fractional Widths check box.

  Note: Microsoft has been unable to duplicate this particular situation in Word 5.0 or later.

• If you are using a print spooler, try disabling the print spooler and printing again.