Category: Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word and its accessibility

Posted by andre – November 22, 2009

When you think ‘word processor’, you think ‘MS Word’. Come on, admit it. Despite the availability of so many word processing software, a lot of it freeware, MS Word retains its position as the best known word processor one can get. It’s no surprise, owing to its popularity, it has monopolized the text document format – the standard format for most documents is ‘.doc’.

One of the reasons MS Word is so well known and not just a little respected amongst its competitors is, its versatility. PDF files, XML files and even HTML files can be created from Word documents. There are many methods of improving the accessibility of Word-based documents or files. One of the things that can be done is to make documents that are structured. The right method of structuring in MS Word is the usage of Word styles, instead of merely performing formatting changes such as bold, font-size increase, etc.

The versions of MS Word, over the years, have had varying but not dissimilar methods of getting structured. For example, in MS Word 2000-2003, you can make true headings from the styles list, and you also get to work with any custom style you might have fashioned. So why does a Word file need true structure in the first place? That’s because of its usefulness – if you export the file to HTML, the structure will remain unchanged, allowing people to read it online, as it was created. The same holds true when it comes to exporting .doc files as PDF. Now, in Word 2007, you’ll find an improvement, in that, more than adequate attention has been given to appropriate styling.

Let’s consider the case of Word 2004 for the Mac. Word 2004 for Mac thankfully has a dropdown list of styles quite like the one in Word 2000 and 2003 for Windows. In the 2004 version for Mac, styling can be performed through the formatting palette. Now let’s shift pay attention to the method of providing alternate text in all the versions of Word for Windows mentioned above. In Word 2000 – 2003, you need to right-click the image and choose ‘Format Picture’, then select the Web tab in order to provide the alternate text you want. Unfortunately, it’s more complicated with Word 2007. If you want to add alternate text, you’ll have to begin by right-clicking on the image and selecting ‘size’. After which you’ll select ‘Alt Text’. What happens here is, the filename of the image gets entered into the field by default, and this is a problem owing to the fact that the image filename is not the right alternative text. You can remedy this if the filename is replaced with the correct alternative text.

Moving on now to data tables and issues with accessibility, you should know that it is not possible to assign the table header element to table-cells in MS Word. It’s possible to specify that a row must ‘repeat as header on the top of each page’ in ‘Table Properties’, you won’t get the correct table headers.

Microsoft Word Document and Table Features

Posted by andre – September 2, 2009

Generally Microsoft word file formats with .doc, .docx file extensions are know to every one. But actually word document include word files for DOS, Word file for windows 1 and 2, word 6 for Mac, word 4 or 5 for Mac, word 97 and word 95 for windows 97 and 95, Word 98, 2001, XP, 2004 for Mac and word 2000, 2002, 2003 for windows. The latest .docx file extension of office document is used for word 2007 for windows and word 2008 for Macintosh. Microsoft word document is not guaranteed about showing same document on different workstations having same version of word.

Microsoft word document can be represented in different formats like columns format. Column format give a formatting of word document in various columns. For making columns in document, go to menu bar and click on “Format” menu. In format menu click on submenu “Column” to set columns in your documents. Column sub menu opens a new window of column settings. This setting gives options for column numbers needed in a page. Maximum number of columns you can set is 12. If you select number of column is equals to 2 then you will see your document showing in 2 columns. To get proper understanding of this formatting try different number of columns setting.

Normally Table formatting means setting of table format like edit table, delete table, border, color, background color, merge and split cells and hide guideline of table. This are frequently used table formatting by any user.

Table format is one more feature in Microsoft word document. Many people don’t know the table can be linkable and clickable. This format is generally used in e-books. Linkable table content is useful because readers easily find out content they needed using linkable contents. If you want to add linkable table in document, go to “Insert” menu. Go inside submenu “Reference” and select “Index and Table”. One new window of Index and Table will open. Uncheck ‘Show page number’ and select ‘Use hyperlinks’. With clicking ‘Outline Toolbar button’ and then ‘OK’ will add an outline toolbar below your last toolbar in word window. Select content to highlight and set outline toolbar menu to choose level and format of text. Finish highlighting contents and then take cursor on position where you want to show your content. In this way Microsoft feature can be used in excellent manner to write e-book in Microsoft word.

Comparing MS word documents

Posted by andre – June 25, 2009

Sometimes it is necessary to compare two Word documents. You can open the two are constantly changing, and right front and rear. Or maybe you can print one (or both) of them and compare them that way. But why not open it in Word and compare them side by side?

You can easily do it in Microsoft Word 2003. Here’s how!

Steps to compare MS Word Documents

First of all open documents A and B for comparison. Do not worry about appearance on the screen one word will be hidden behind another. Undoubtedly.

1. Click “Window” of the Standard toolbar.

2. Click on “Compare side” (also the name of the second document, or simply say “Document2″. If you have more than two documents open, a dialog box that allows you to open the second document.

3. You will see a “Compare Side by Side” toolbar. Synchronous movement lets you move through the two documents at the same time.

4. If you want your documents to return to its original position, click the “Reset window position” button.

5. When you finish comparing the documents, click Close Side by Side “.

Compare Side by Side mini toolbar includes buttons to move synchronously in a document, the other moves automatically and restore the position of the window vertically two documents side by side on the screen, and almost beside the Furthermore, at these two documents.

Tips for using Microsoft word

Posted by andre – June 23, 2009

If you’ve used a computer, you will most likely also have used Microsoft Word to create documents for work, school or life. Word, it is easy for anyone to quickly create, edit and share professional-looking documents. Here are some tips to help you get exactly what they need or want to use Microsoft Word.

The use of bold, italic and underlined

To do something bold, italic or underlined, that’s what we do. First, highlight the text you want affected. To celebrate, take your mouse and left click at the beginning of their choice so that the cursor appears. Then, keep the left click and drag the mouse until the end of your selection.

To select the entire contents of your document, choose Select All. Or you can press short key ctrl + A or click the Edit menu at the top of the screen and choose Select All. Press CTRL + B for bold, CTRL + I for italics, and CTRL + U for underline

Prevent page breaks in paragraphs

The document can include a paragraph split into separate pages. This May not be ideal for you. By default, Word is divided into sections separated pages. To change this, follow these steps:

• Select a paragraph or group of items, and click the button
• Select the paragraph in the menu
• When the dialog box that appears, select the line and page breaks
• Keep checking lines
• Click OK to close the dialog box

Centering and page alignments

There are four buttons to control your character, these buttons are located on top of the Word (near the B, I and U buttons). They include align left, center, align right, justify the alignments what you want.
Align right is good to get some business cards and want something that the alignment on the right side of the page. It’s great to justify the articles and decide to align your text to the left and right.

Full screen mode

When you edit a document in Microsoft Word, the work is shared with toolbars, a menu bar, a status bar and toolbar / system tray. If you want to hide, but your document, click View and select Full Screen. Press the ESC key for returning to normal view, or select Close full screen full screen on the toolbar that appears. You can also move the mouse pointer toward the top of the screen to access menu items.

Keyboard shortcuts for Save and Save As

For example, to save the document, click Ctrl + S. It is a good habit of doing every two minutes when you work on something. The first time you press, you have the name of your file.

To put something under a new name you want to Save As. Instead of reaching for the mouse and go to File and select "Save As", the hands do not have to leave the keyboard! Just press ALT + F, then press A, then give name to your file and choose a any location to save it default is usually My Documents or you can choose the save position.

Keyboard shortcuts for the tasks menu

You can use keyboard shortcuts for tasks you would normally achieve with a menu. When you are in a menu, notice that the keyboard shortcut next to the options list provided, or a letter is underlined.

Underline options means ALT, then press the menu on the underlined letter (F for the file, for example), and then focused on the letter of their choice in this menu.

Passwords used in Microsoft word

Posted by andre – June 16, 2009

When you do any work in MS word, you always want your documents to be protected, would you? The reasons vary; you need to protect your Microsoft Word documents from publishing or unauthorized access. What are the features of the protection of Microsoft ® Office Word 2003, part of Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003 provide?

Features of Microsoft Word document protection discussed are. Microsoft Word offers three types of password protection.

1. Password required viewing the document

When you assign a password to open a document you are denying access to anyone to this document who does not know the password. To assign a password for opening documents that can be used.

- Go to Save As >Tools >Security Options, and an existing one, click Menu >Tools >Options >Security.

2. Modify requires password to save your changes.

Allows you to change the password for all users to view and edit a document in read-only, but not to save these changes. Only an authorized user is allowed to save changes. Note that when you open a document in read-only and copy to a new document with a clipboard, you can get an unprotected copy of your document.

This password is defined in the same manner and to the same window as the password to open.

3. Document protection.

With this type of protection that your document to avoid any disruption. Anyone can read freely, but no one is allowed to modify, copy, or format. To some extent, is similar to view PDF files with Adobe Acrobat Reader.

You can set or remove this type of protection: Tools> Protect Document or Unprotect document select and implement security exclusions. These are the main features of Microsoft Word 2003. It is nice when everything works well, but if someone cracks your protection to guess your password? And what will you do if you have lost or forgotten password for your document? How powerful and reliable protection for Microsoft Word 2003?

When assigning the password, the program warns you not to lose it, because you can not recover the password later. This is not quite correct. Any password can be cracked. The question is how long it will take to eliminate the special program for your password. For example, the password protection of documents uses a fairly simple method of protection and for a few seconds it is sufficient to recover the password. It is similar with Password to modify. But it is not easy with Password to open:

The new version has more security cryptoproof, but will take many years to overcome brute force and PIV computers.