WD97: Field in Table Heading Row May Not Update on Second Page (117433)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q117433

SYMPTOMS

In a table, if your Table Heading rows contain fields whose results change on each page (such as PAGE or SEQ fields), Microsoft Word may not update these fields on the second and subsequent pages of your document.

CAUSE

When you add Table Heading rows to your table, Word repeats the table heading rows at the top of each page. The table heading rows on the second and subsequent pages have special properties; for example, you cannot select them, and, if you select the entire document and press F9 to update fields, Word does not update any fields in the table heading rows.

WORKAROUND

Method 1: Insert Same Fields on Each Page

Avoid inserting fields in your table heading rows that have a different result from page to page.

Method 2: Manually Create Table Headings

Use the following instructions to manually create table headings in a multiple-page table. This procedure creates two tables, one in the header (at the top of each page) and one in the document body. They appear as one table when you print the document.

  1. In your document, cut the table rows that you want to appear at the top of each page.
  2. On the View menu, click Header And Footer. In the header, paste the table rows that you cut in step a.
  3. On the File menu, click Page Setup, and then click the Margins tab.
  4. Type a minus sign (-) before the Top margin setting to make it a negative number. For example, if your Top margin setting is 1 inch, change it to -1 inch. The minus sign sets a fixed top margin that is not pushed down by the header.
  5. Under From Edge, in the Header box, type the top margin minus .19 inch, and click OK. For instance, type .81" for a 1-inch top margin. This measurement is usually correct when you add a single row table to the header that contains a single row of 12-point or smaller text. For a table with additional lines, rows or larger text, you must adjust the value that you subtract from the top margin setting. You can adjust this setting as necessary.

    The following table lists Header From Edge settings for common margin values: 
                                            Header From
        Top Margin      Change to       Edge Setting
        ----------      ---------       ------------

          2.0"           -2.0"                1.81"
          1.5"           -1.5"                1.31"
          1.0"           -1.0"                 .81"
          0.5"           -0.5"                 .31"
    NOTE: You can specify the Header From Edge setting to the hundredths place (for example, .73 inch).
  6. Select the paragraph following the table in the header.
  7. On the Format menu, click Paragraph and click the Indents And Spacing tab.
  8. In the Line Spacing list, click Exactly. In the At box, type "4 pt" (without the quotation marks), and click OK. This minimizes the space between the table in the header and the table in the body of your document.
  9. On the Header And Footer toolbar, click Close.
  10. If the header table contains border formatting, remove the bottom portion of the border; follow these steps:
    1. Select the table.
    2. On the Format menu, click Borders And Shading.
    3. On the border diagram (under Preview), click the bottom border to remove the border from the table.
    4. Click OK.
  11. Switch to page layout view so you can check the relationship of the table in the header to the table in the body of the document. Adjust the Header From Edge value as necessary, using the instructions in step e.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/14/2000
Keywords:kbbug kbfield kbtable KB117433
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.