Printing Graphic Borders

In a recent Help Wanted query, Kenneth Leitch reported a problem with printing the border around a graphic. Reader Graham Smith reported that this may be the result of trying to print an embedded PowerPoint graphic, and that Microsoft is aware of the problem. (This is a problem only with Word 95; not with Word 97.) For more information on the problem, you could see the document at http://www.microsoft.com/kb/articles/q154/3/06.htm, but the solution is basically as follows:

1. Click on the graphic image that exhibits the printing problem.
2. Choose the Picture option from the Format menu. In Word 97 this displays the Picture tab of the Format Picture dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.) In earlier versions this displays the Picture dialog box.
3. In the Crop From area, change any of the settings to .001 inch. (It doesn't matter which one you change--Left, Right, Top, or Bottom.)
4. Click OK to close the Picture dialog box.

Another way to handle the problem is to not use borders on the graphic itself, but to place the graphic within a frame, and then place borders on the frame. In order to do this, all you need to do is the following steps (if you are using Word 6 or Word 95):

1. Insert your graphic as you normally would.
2. Click on the graphic, and then choose Borders and Shading from the Format menu. This displays the Picture Borders dialog box, and the Borders tab should be selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. In the preset area (upper-left corner), click on None. This eliminates any border around the graphic object.
4. Click on OK to close the dialog box.
5. With the graphic still selected, choose Frame from the Insert menu. This places a frame around the graphic.
6. Drag the frame handles so that the frame is slightly larger than the graphic.
7. Again choose Borders and Shading from the Format menu. (This time, however, the frame is selected, not the graphic.)
8. In the preset area, select the type of border you want. Adjust other border settings, as desired.
9. Click on OK to close the dialog box.

If you are using Word 97 or a later version, you can follow these steps:

1. Insert your graphic as you normally would, making sure the Float Over Text check box is not selected.
2. Click on the graphic, and then choose Borders and Shading from the Format menu. This displays the Borders dialog box, and the Borders tab should be selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. In the Settings area (left side), click on None. This eliminates any border around the graphic object.
4. Click on OK to close the dialog box.
5. With the graphic still selected, choose Text Box from the Insert menu. This places a text box around the graphic.
6. Drag the frame handles so that the frame is slightly larger than the graphic.
7. Select the Text Box option from the Format menu. This displays the Format Text Box dialog box, with the Text Box tab selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
8. Click on the Convert to Frame button. This displays a warning, and you should click on OK to complete the conversion.
9. Again choose Borders and Shading from the Format menu. (This time, however, the frame is selected, not the graphic.)
10. In the preset area, select the type of border you want. Adjust other border settings, as desired.
11. Click on OK to close the dialog box.