PPT97: Justify Text Command Unavailable in PowerPoint (190402)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows

This article was previously published under Q190402

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to justify text in Microsoft PowerPoint 97, nothing happens. (To justify text, click Alignment on the Format menu, and then click Justify.)

CAUSE

The Justify command is unavailable if the Word Wrap In Object option is turned off for the text object.

Note also that PowerPoint cannot justify lines of text that end with a carriage return. This means that if you click the Text tool, position the insertion point where you want the text to begin and use carriage returns to create line breaks, PowerPoint cannot justify the text.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, use any of the following methods.

Method 1: Create a New Text Area with the Text Tool

Create a new text area by drawing a text box with the Text tool rather than clicking the slide.

Method 2: Convert the Text Area to a Justifiable Text Box

  1. Click the text object, making the selection handles visible.
  2. Click any one of the selection handles and drag it to create a justifiable text box of the size you want.
  3. Delete all hard carriage returns from the text area. Click at the end of the text, after the last hard carriage return, press DELETE, and then press the SPACEBAR.

    The Justify command is now available and works as expected.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/9/2000
Keywords:kbformat kbprb KB190402