WD97: Drawing Object Sent to Back Is Printed over Header/Footer Text (197759)

SYMPTOMS

Drawing objects that you insert in the main text area of a Word document are printed over header or footer text, even if you send the drawing object to the back or behind the text.

CAUSE

By design, the drawing layer in the main text area of the document lies in front of the drawing layer for the header or footer.

The following diagram demonstrates how Word stacks drawings and text in each layer:

Cross Section of Word Document Layers

                                           ___________________
                                          /                   /|
                                         /   <SURFACE OF     / |
                                        /       PAPER>      /  |
                                       /                   /  /|
                 Front Drawing Layer  |-------------------|  / |
                     MAIN TEXT LAYER  |===================| / /|
                  Back Drawing Layer  |-------------------|/ / / 
                                      |                   | / / 
                 Front Drawing Layer  |-------------------|/ / 
   (Header/Footer) BOTTOM TEXT LAYER  |===================| / 
                  Back Drawing Layer  |-------------------|/

WORKAROUND

To place a drawing behind the header or footer text, create it in the header or footer drawing layer and then send it to behind the text.

MORE INFORMATION

In the diagram earlier in this article, the main text layer of a document and its drawing layers are in front of objects and text in the bottom (header/footer) layer of the document. Therefore, if you send a drawing object to the back in the main text layer, other objects and text in that layer are printed over this object. However, all the drawing objects in the main text layer overprint those in the header/footer layer.