Using a Frame

Frames, in Word, are a design tool that allows you to compartmentalize parts of your document. They are nothing more than a rectangle that defines a boundary. You can place text or other elements (such as graphics or embedded objects) within this boundary. Frames can be moved and resized easily, and you can position frames anywhere you want on a page.

Word allows you to control how text flows around a frame. Thus, you can determine that regular text should wrap around the frame (meaning it appears on both sides of a frame) or that it skips wrapping completely. Frames can also be anchored to regular text. For instance, you might have a frame that contains a picture. This frame could be anchored to the paragraph that references the picture. Then, when the paragraph moves, the frame containing the picture will move as well.

If you are using Word 6 or Word 95, there are two ways to insert a frame in your document. The first is with the Frame option from the Insert menu, and the second is with the Frame tool on the toolbar. Either one will produce the same effect. To insert a frame in your document, follow these steps:

1. Switch to Page Layout view (if you are not already in that mode)
2. Make sure you can see, on your screen, the general area where you want to insert the frame.
3. Choose Frame from the Insert menu, or click on the Frame tool on the Drawing toolbar. The mouse cursor changes to cross-hairs.
4. Position the cross-hairs where you want the upper-left corner of the frame. Click on the left mouse button and drag the rectangle to the lower-right corner of the frame. Release the mouse button.

Your frame is now inserted, and you can place information within it. You can also move or resize the frame as desired.

While Word 6 allowed only the use of frames, later versions of Word use both text boxes and frames. Text boxes are essentially the same as frames with a few added features. There are however, a few cases in which you need to use a frame instead of a text box. Comments, footnotes, endnotes, and a few fields used for numbering lists and paragraphs in legal documents and outlines need to use frames. To add a text box, follow these steps:

1. Switch to Page Layout view (if you are not already in that mode)
2. Make sure you can see, on your screen, the general area where you want to insert the text box.
3. Choose Text Box from the Insert menu, or click on the Text Box tool on the Drawing toolbar. The mouse cursor changes to cross-hairs.
4. Position the cross-hairs where you want the upper-left corner of the text box. Click on the left mouse button and drag the rectangle to the lower-right corner of the text box. Release the mouse button.

If you need to use a frame in Word 97 or a later version, you can either create a text box and convert it to a frame or follow these steps to add the Insert Frame button to a toolbar:

1. Right click near a toolbar. This displays a Context menu for your toolbars.
2. Select Customize from the Context menu. The Customize dialog box appears.
3. Click on the Commands tab. (Click here to see a related figure.)
4. Select Insert in the Categories list at the left side of the dialog box.
5. Click on Horizontal in the Commands list, and drag it to the toolbar. (Why the command to insert a frame is called Horizontal is one of the great mysteries of the universe.)
6. Click on Close to close the Customize dialog box.

Now you can use the new button by clicking on it and simply placing a frame anywhere on your page.