Columns in word 1

[jsolutions]

Hi - I want to have two columns in word that are independent of each other. Is this possible? In other words, when the left column hits the end of the page, it continues on the next page in the left column. When the right column on a page hits the end of the page, it continues in the right column of the next page.

 

[SkipVought]

Hi,

Is that not what a two column table does?

Skip,

_{When a group touring the Crest Toothpaste factory got caught in a large cooler, headlines read...
Tooth Company Freeze a Crowd! and
Many are Cold, but Few are Frozen!}

 

[fumei]

Skip, the question is not about a two column table. It is about two columns.

The answer is no, if you use columns they are NOT independent of each other, and they are designed around each page.

You could try doing as Skip was thinking - a table.

faq219-2884

Gerry
My paintings and sculpture

 

[jsolutions]

I actually started with a table. Let me explain fully. I want to have a 2-column entity (table, columns or otherwise). I want to be able to treat each column independently of the other. Columns seem to do some of what I want and tables seem to do a little but I cannot get all of what I want. See the diagram below. X represents info in the first column, Y in the second column.

Page 1
xx x | y yy yyyy yy yy y yyy
| yy y y y yyy yy y
| yy yy yy yyy y
xx | yy yyy yy
| yyy

page 2
xx | yy yy y y y yy yy y
| yy y yyy yyy yy y
x | yy yy y y yy

Basically, the X's on the left are notes or annotations about the content on the right. I need each page and each column to act independently of each other so that if I go back and add notes on page one, it does not "push down" the content of page 2.

Am I just trying to make Word do too much?? I tried to play around with a combination of tables (to get the independent columns) with section breaks (to get the independent pages) but tables don't seem to play well with breaks - it seemed like it would throw the break in front of the table.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SkipVought]

I can do you example with a 2-column, 4-row table...
[tt]
Page 1
xx x | y yy yyyy yy yy y yyy
| yy y y y yyy yy y
| yy yy yy yyy y
-----+----------------------
xx | yy yyy yy
| yyy
-----+----------------------
page 2
xx | yy yy y y y yy yy y
| yy y yyy yyy yy y
-----+----------------------
x | yy yy y y yy
-----+----------------------
[/tt]
BYW, Tables can be BORDERLESS.

Skip,

_{When a group touring the Crest Toothpaste factory got caught in a large cooler, headlines read...
Tooth Company Freeze a Crowd! and
Many are Cold, but Few are Frozen!}

 

[jsolutions]

Sorry Skip - my example was misleading. there will not always be two rows. There could be a comment anywhere on the left side. So, I want to be able to go in and put a comment anywhere without it "pushing down" everything on the next page.

Also, (sorry) failed to mention that I want a heading in the top of each page, but only on the left side- that's the problem with the table is that you can only repeat the heading for the entire row.

Any other thoughts/?

 

[SkipVought]

" I want a heading in the top of each page, but only on the left side"

What does this mean?

Please post an example that covers ALL conditons. We're getting the requirements in dribs and drabs! Oh, by the way -- GOTCHA!!!

Would you please be CLEAR, CONCISE and COMPLETE.



Skip,

_{When a group touring the Crest Toothpaste factory got caught in a large cooler, headlines read...
Tooth Company Freeze a Crowd! and
Many are Cold, but Few are Frozen!}

 

[jsolutions]

Yeah - Sorry Skip - The heading is the last requirement. Again, as a follow up, your 2 row per table solution will not work as I mentioned earlier that the columns need to be independent of each other. If you force the data of both columns to be in a new row, you've just defeated their independence.

Page 1
Heading |y yy yyyy yy yy y yyy
xx | yy y y y yyy yy y
| yy yy yy yyy y
xxx | yy yy y y y y
xx | yy yyy yy
| yyy
-----+----------------------
page 2
Heading | yy yy y y y yy yy y
| yy y yyy yyy yy y
x | yy yy y y yy
xx x | y y yyy yy y yy y

BTW, Think I've got it sorted on my own. Looks like I can either use a table in each column, or a two column table with a next single column table in the right column to accomplish this.

Thanks for all the tips.

Jay

 

[SkipVought]

x's and y's are not cutting it. YOU have a vision of the problem that is not coming across.

So you make a two column table with only 2 rows. row 1 is the heading that get repeated. column 2 contains everything else. Put you x's whereever you please and your y's wherever, BOTH independent of the other.
[tt]]
Heading |y yy yyyy yy yy y yyy
---------+----------------------
xx | yy y y y yyy yy y
| yy yy yy yyy y
xxx | yy yy y y y y
xx | yy yyy yy
| yyy
---------+----------------------
page 2
Heading | yy yy y y y yy yy y
---------+----------------------
| yy y yyy yyy yy y
x | yy yy y y yy
xx x | y y yyy yy y yy y
[/tt]


Skip,

_{When a group touring the Crest Toothpaste factory got caught in a large cooler, headlines read...
Tooth Company Freeze a Crowd! and
Many are Cold, but Few are Frozen!}

 

[pbrodsky]

Why not just use a large left indent and use text boxes in the margin for your "comments"?

 

[onedtent]

a little tricky - draw two tables - one under the other.

activate the first one.

go to tools, table properties & under table tab, select around.

to manage these side-by-side is a little tricky.

works only with word 2K & up

- onedtent Onedtent OnedTent

Trying not to answer posts that have been replied to

 

[onedtent]

should've mentioned - size to half the page across b4 going to properties

- onedtent Onedtent OnedTent

Trying not to answer posts that have been replied to

 

[SkipVought]

I dunno, onedtent. The first table wants to float upward into the top margin.

Skip,

_{When a group touring the Crest Toothpaste factory got caught in a large cooler, headlines read...
Tooth Company Freeze a Crowd! and
Many are Cold, but Few are Frozen!}

 

[onedtent]

specific instr:

draw a table

if right & left margins are 1.25 then there's 6" left for doc

draw a table 1 column wide 25 rows.
set width to 2.9 inches

leave a blank line after the table

draw another table 1x25 2.9" wide

activate first table

go to table, table properties, table tab, click "around"

delete blank line on top of second table to align tables


- onedtent Onedtent OnedTent

Trying not to answer posts that have been replied to

 

[jsolutions]

WOW onedtent! Not sure how you came up with this - but it is exactly what I need! I had to follow your instructions a couple of times, but it works. Looks like the key is deleting that first row in the first table - not sure why that is significant, but you get very different results if you don't do that step.

Many thanks - Very well done!