How Microsoft Project wraps text in a table column (70089)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Project 2002
  • Microsoft Project 2000
  • Microsoft Project 98 for Windows
  • Microsoft Project for Windows 95 4.1
  • Microsoft Project for Windows 95 4.1a
  • Microsoft Project for Windows 1.0
  • Microsoft Project for Windows 3.0
  • Microsoft Project for Windows 3.0a
  • Microsoft Project for Windows 4.0
  • Microsoft Project for the Macintosh 1.1
  • Microsoft Project for the Macintosh 3.0
  • Microsoft Project for the Macintosh 4.0
This article was previously published under Q70089

SUMMARY

In a Microsoft Project table, long text strings do not always wrap to multiple lines. Text wrapping in a table field depends on the type of field, the text entered, the row height, and the column width.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft Project will only wrap text in table fields if the following conditions exist:
  • The row height is set to a number greater than 1.
  • The column width is too narrow to display all the text on one line.
  • The column is Left aligned. (This does not apply to Microsoft Project 2002.)
  • The text includes spaces between words.

    NOTE: This last condition is especially important. Microsoft Project attempts to wrap text by breaking a line at a space between text characters. If your text string consists of a single line of characters with no embedded spaces, it will not wrap to a second line even if one is available.
Microsoft Project automatically removes spaces before and after the list separator character in fields such as Resource Names and Resource Initials; removing this space prevents the text from wrapping. For instance, if you enter "Bob , Ken" in the Resource Names field, Project will change the entry to read "Bob,Ken" by removing the spaces before and after the comma. If you want text in these or in other fields that contain lists of values (such as Predecessors or Successors), you can change the List Separator value to a space character.

To change the List Separator value, follow the appropriate procedure for your version of Microsoft Project.

Microsoft Project Versions 4.1, 98, 2000 for Windows

Change the list-separator character under International settings in the Windows Control Panel. Note that this change will affect all Windows applications.

For more information about how to perform this task in Windows, see your Windows printed documentation or online Help.

Microsoft Project Version 4.0 for the Macintosh

  1. In Microsoft Project, click Options on the Tools menu.
  2. In the Options dialog box, click the Edit tab.
  3. To enter a space as the list separator, select the contents of the List Separator box, and press the SPACEBAR.

Microsoft Project Version 3.x or Earlier

  1. On the Options menu, click Preferences.
  2. Scroll to the "List Separator" option, and change this value to a space character.
When you make this change, the Resource Names field the above example displays "Bob Ken," and allows Microsoft Project to wrap the text.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/7/2004
Keywords:kbtable kbhowto KB70089
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