strange MS Word problem

[Kando]

A customer cam to me with a strange Word problem. When they hit return in the document the cursor goes to the bottom of the page. I thought that their blank document template was somehow changed but that was not it.

I found that it was not just going to the bottom of the page. It depended on what view you were using as to how it looked on the screen. If I used Normal view then the returns looked fine and the document appeared to be formatted correctly. It was when we switched to Print Layout that the strangeness could be seen.

If I hit enter three times then that would have split the page into 4 equal areas. I typed "test" and hit enter three times and in Normal view I had four lines beginning with the word test and single spaced. In Print Layout I had what looked like the start of 4 paragraphs evenly spaced on the page.

I repeated it only increasing the number of "test" lines and sure enough all were evenly spaced down the page.

I tried page setup, paragraph formatting, checked the template and all of the tabs in options and can not figure out how to get the page to format correctly.

At first we thought that it was only in the Print Layout that it was strange, but I showed that way in Print Preview also.

Has anyone seen this before? Any ideas on how to change it back? I can do a re-installation of Office, but I want to know what is causing this.

Thanks

[michaewlewis]

can you show us a screenshot of the problem? also what version are you using?

[CBMatt]

Open up the Paragraph dialog box.  In 2007, it's the little arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Paragraph group on the Home tab; I don't know exactly where it is in 2003.  Click on the Line And Page Breaks tab.  Make sure Page break before is unchecked.

[soybean]

If you hit the Show/Hide key on the Standard toolbar, does that reveal anything odd?

thought that their blank document template was somehow changed but that was not it.

How do you know that?

[Kando]

Ok, from the top:

If show/hide is pressed I see the paragraph symbol after each "test" and what looks like a bullet in front of each "test"

I checked the template "Normal" at C:\Documents and Settings\"user"\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates. It showed no changes yet acted just like the blank document.

I looked at the format paragraph box and tested the Page Break Before box. That created a new page when I hit return. All of the returns I did before this were contained on one page.

I will have to get the user to send me a screen shot and then I will post it. The version is Windows 2000.

[CBMatt]

Ok, from the top:

If show/hide is pressed I see the paragraph symbol after each "test" and what looks like a bullet in front of each "test"

In the Paragraph dialog box, make sure everything is unchecked, except for Window/Orphan control.  And I'm assuming you already looked into this, but verify that bullets are turned off.  Also make sure you are not using a certain Theme or Style Set.  And what if you use another template beside Normal/Default?  Does the problem still occur?

I've never encountered this sort of problem before, so I'm pretty much grasping at straws at the moment, but I will look into it further and see if I can come up with any ideas.

[soybean]

I checked the template "Normal" at C:\Documents and Settings\"user"\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates. It showed no changes yet acted just like the blank document.

I still don't think we can assume there's no problem with your Normal.dot file.  I suggest you follow the procedure explained at http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/BlankDocNotBlank.htm for "Creating a new Normal.dot from scratch".  In other words, find your Normal.dot file (with Word closed), rename it, then start Word.  Word will create a new Normal.dot file.  If that does not solve the problem and you want to revert to the original Normal.dot file, then just close  Word and reverse the renaming procedure.

[Kando]

I think that is what I will be doing. It should save time looking for the right settings and save more time compared to uninstalling and re-installing. Thanks

[CBMatt]

Ah, of course, good advice.  I was far too tired to think of that.  Let us know how it works out for you.

[Kando]

I was not able to get back to the customer and she was not of a mind to follow the instructions for recovering Normal.dot. I suggested she download Open Office and delete MS Office.

A couple of click, a check box to fill in, and she is back in business.

Thanks for all the advice and the links. I will keep them handy for the next time.

[soybean]

Hmm, uninstall MS Office and install OpenOffice.  That's quite a leap to solve a minor problem.  Well, to each his ... err, her ... own.   

[Kando]

Well, she is an older public school teacher, and with the year coming to an end it was more important to be able to get her work finished than to figure out another MS problem. She is happy with it and I come across as a hero. No complaints.

[soybean]

Well, fixing Normal.dot is a simple procedure.  Just rename the file and let Word create a new one.  That would have quickly revealed whether the problem resided in the old Normal.dot. 

But, anyway, if she's happy and you look like a hero, all is well then, I guess.