I can't select text boxes placed over graphics in Word
Thread poster: Alain Alameddine
Alain Alameddine
Alain Alameddine  Identity Verified
Lebanon
Local time: 19:21
Member (2009)
English to French
+ ...
Apr 27, 2016

Hello everyone,

I'm facing a problem with Word: I can't select text boxes placed over graphics. Here's an example: https://www.dropbox.com/s/86lny29mbe3ifsl/Example%20of%20text%20over%20graphic.docx?dl=0

I looked online but couldn't find anything. Any ideas?<
... See more
Hello everyone,

I'm facing a problem with Word: I can't select text boxes placed over graphics. Here's an example: https://www.dropbox.com/s/86lny29mbe3ifsl/Example%20of%20text%20over%20graphic.docx?dl=0

I looked online but couldn't find anything. Any ideas?

Alain
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Stanislav Okhvat
Stanislav Okhvat
Local time: 21:21
English to Russian
Use a CAT tool Apr 27, 2016

Hello Alain,

These textboxes can be selected using Selection Pane in Word (Home tab, click Select -> Selection Pane... in Editing group). In this pane you will see the list of groups and textboxes in these groups. Select each group within the pane so that it is selected in the document window, then right-click within the document window and choose Group -> Ungroup. When you have finished with all groups, the text within the boxes will be selectable.

Best regards,
... See more
Hello Alain,

These textboxes can be selected using Selection Pane in Word (Home tab, click Select -> Selection Pane... in Editing group). In this pane you will see the list of groups and textboxes in these groups. Select each group within the pane so that it is selected in the document window, then right-click within the document window and choose Group -> Ungroup. When you have finished with all groups, the text within the boxes will be selectable.

Best regards,
Stanislav
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Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:21
Member (2008)
Italian to English
WHat I do Apr 27, 2016

Alain Alameddine wrote:

Hello everyone,

I'm facing a problem with Word: I can't select text boxes placed over graphics. Here's an example: https://www.dropbox.com/s/86lny29mbe3ifsl/Example%20of%20text%20over%20graphic.docx?dl=0

I looked online but couldn't find anything. Any ideas?

Alain


I often get files that contain illustrations or tables with text that can't be unlocked.

When that happens I inform the client, and then I type out the translation of the text boxes either highlighted in a colour in the same file, or in a separate file with a reference to the text box in question.

I don't waste too much time fiddling with Word trying to unlock the text boxes. That is not my job.

One other annoying thing is that if you do a word count on the file, Word doesn't count those text boxes, so you have to count them "manually".

[Edited at 2016-04-27 08:16 GMT]


 
Matthias Brombach
Matthias Brombach  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 18:21
Member (2007)
Dutch to German
+ ...
Off topic (a bit) Apr 27, 2016

Tom in London wrote:

One other annoying thing is that if you do a word count on the file, Word doesn't count those text boxes, so you have to count them "manually".


Hi Tom,
I´m sorry, I know your opinion about CAT tools, but here a CAT tool does a good job, at least in counting all editable text, i.e. in text boxes. And it leaves the translated text in the text boxes after exporting, although often a lot of fiddling is still required to adapt their sizes to their bigger length, especially when speaking of German text. But that´s not our task...


 
Alain Alameddine
Alain Alameddine  Identity Verified
Lebanon
Local time: 19:21
Member (2009)
English to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
In this case it is my job... Apr 27, 2016

...which is why I'm asking

 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:21
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Non-editable Apr 27, 2016

Matthias Brombach wrote:

.... a CAT tool does a good job, at least in counting all editable text, i.e. in text boxes.


To quote Peter Lorre in "The Maltese Falcon": it seems I have not explained myself properly (pointing gun).

I was (as I thought was obvious) referring to NON-EDITABLE text.

[Edited at 2016-04-27 08:40 GMT]


 
Alain Alameddine
Alain Alameddine  Identity Verified
Lebanon
Local time: 19:21
Member (2009)
English to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Editable Apr 27, 2016

I'm referring to editable text. But in any case, since you're discussing something else, would you mind doing it in a separate thread or in private?

 
Matthias Brombach
Matthias Brombach  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 18:21
Member (2007)
Dutch to German
+ ...
Always... Apr 27, 2016

Tom in London wrote:

I was (as I thought was obvious) referring to NON-EDITABLE text.


Text in Word in text boxes is ALWAYS editable...


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:21
Member (2008)
Italian to English
So edit it Apr 27, 2016

Alain Alameddine wrote:

I'm referring to editable text.


So edit it.


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:21
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Not if Apr 27, 2016

Matthias Brombach wrote:

Tom in London wrote:

I was (as I thought was obvious) referring to NON-EDITABLE text.


Text in Word in text boxes is ALWAYS editable...


Not if the box has been locked along with the rest of the image.


 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 18:21
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
See my answer in the other thread Apr 27, 2016

Alain Alameddine wrote:
Hello everyone


You posted the same query in two forums. My answer in the other forum applies:
http://www.proz.com/post/2546779


 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 18:21
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Tom Apr 27, 2016

Tom in London wrote:
Alain Alameddine wrote:
I'm referring to editable text.

So edit it.


How? That seem to be the original question. How can one edit editable but inaccessible text in text boxes over graphics? My post in the other thread offers two solutions.


 


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I can't select text boxes placed over graphics in Word






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