KB195711 - WD97: How to Place Text over a Graphic in Word 97

Article ID: 195711

Article Last Modified on 1/23/2007

Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q195711

SUMMARY

This article describes how to place text over a graphic in a Word 97 document.

To understand this process, it is important to first understand "layering." Word documents are composed of six layers:

Main text front drawing layer
Main text layer
Main text back drawing layer
Header/footer front drawing layer
Header/footer text layer
Header/footer back drawing layer

Cross Section of Word Document Layers

                                           ___________________
                                          /                   /|
                                         /   <SURFACE OF     / |
                                        /       PAPER>      /  |
                                       /                   /  /|
                 Front drawing layer  |-------------------|  / |
                     MAIN TEXT LAYER  |===================| / /|
                  Back drawing layer  |-------------------|/ / / 
                                      |                   | / / 
                 Front drawing layer  |-------------------|/ / 
   (Header/footer) BOTTOM TEXT LAYER  |===================| / 
                  Back drawing layer  |-------------------|/

MORE INFORMATION

You can import graphics, such as clip art or other pictures, by clicking Picture on the Insert menu, or by cutting or copying a graphic to the Clipboard and then pasting it into your document. By default, inserted graphics are embedded objects and reside in the drawing layer unless you clear the Float Over Text check box. If the Float Over Text check box is cleared, the inserted graphic goes into the main text layer, and the graphic behaves as a single character of text.

To place text over a graphic, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Insert or Paste a New Graphic

Insert or Paste the graphic into the document.
On the Format menu, click Picture.
On the Wrapping tab, click None under Wrapping Style, and click OK.
Click Draw on the Drawing toolbar, point to Order, and click Send Behind Text.

The graphic is now behind the main text layer.

Method 2: Use a Text Box

Place the text inside a text box that is positioned in front of the floating graphic. The text box is in the main text front drawing layer, positioned over the floating graphic. To do this, follow these steps:

Insert or Paste the graphic into the document
Click the Text Box button on the Drawing toolbar.

The insertion point appears as a plus sign (+) when moved over the document.
Position the insertion point where you want the text to appear. Click and drag the mouse to draw a box.

When you release the mouse button, your insertion point is inside the text box.
Type the text you want to appear on the graphic.

NOTE: The text box may have a solid background and border. To change these settings, follow these steps:
1. On the Format menu, click Text Box, and select the Colors and Lines tab.
2. Under Fill, select Semitransparent, or set the Fill Color to No Fill.
3. Under Line, set the Color to No Line.

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

106016 Drawing Object Sent to Back Overwrites Header/Footer Text
110018 Moving Pictures into the Drawing Layer

Additional query words: graphic behind box front clip art ole object embed embedded top over watermark floating 8.0 8.00

Keywords: kbhowto kbualink97 KB195711