[M$ Word 2004] How do I center one line and align the next line to the left or right?

J

jasfa131

The Lone Deranger
I got Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac OS X today and I need some help to do something. When you're writing a story [for example], how do you get the title to be centered on the paper and the actual body of the story to be aligned to the left [like normal]? I know this is really simple, but I just can't seem to figure it out. Help. (click on the picture ;)
 

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Like this?

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Try selecting what you want aligned one way, then applying the style. You can also switch alignment before typing a new style.
 
YES, exactly like that!
you mean "highlighting" ?
I tried that but, it ALL shifts that way when I click one of the 3 alignment icons.
 
I've tried using "click and type" to make a header too, but it turns up a faded gray color. I JUST WANT A TITLE, IS THAT SO DIFFICULT?? GODDAMN YOU MICROSOFT!
 
I take a backseat to no one in my criticism of Microsoft, but I don't believe that the Redmond Monopoly is the cause of your problem. Your problem appears to be between your keyboard and chair.
 
If you've followed the very helpful post from eric2006 and it still doesn't work then you could have other 'hidden' codes interfering with your efforts. Best to start over again with a clean document.
 
ok. with everything aligned left, press the left or right arrow keys, so as to be sure that nothing is selected.

then, highlight the title (just the title), and press the centre align button. the button directly to the right of the 'left align' button highlighted in eric's post.

also try this in a new document. or even, try in TextEdit for kicks.
 
You might want reinstall - use the "remove office" app located in the Office "additional tools" folder. This way, you can reset your Office settings.
 
Did you by chance copy and paste the text from somewhere else? If so, corruption can happen in the pasting part. Best to use "paste special". That will strip all formatting and then you can apply your own, as described by the other posters.

Being a keyboard girl myself, when I do what you are attempting to do, I press Ctrl E to center the heading, type the heading, then "enter" (hard return/carriage return) to get to the next line, then Ctrl L to left justify the remainder (or you could use one of the other styles if you like -- full justification, for example). These shortcuts should work on existing text by placing the cursor anywhere in the text and using the shortcut. The paragraph will be justified as you have told it to do.

Good luck!
 
or...

You may have a "soft return" at the end of your title. Soft returns are created by holding down the shift key when you hit return. Styles and other formatings are applied to whole paragraphs, and you need a "hard return" to separate the title from the body of the text. Hard returns are just return, without the shift key.

You can show/hide the "hidden codes" in word using the toggle switch in the "standard" toolbar (in View>Toolbars menu). It looks kind of like a bold backwards P.

"soft returns" are little line drawn arrows. "hard returns" are like the backwards P
 

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There may be more going on here than is at first apparent. I have seen similar behaviour when applying/removing bullets and would not be surprised that this is one of those helpful "features", which Microsoft loves to foist upon us. My tip ... try the alignment and then undo last edit (command+Y). There is probably some way to turn this help off but I haven't found it.
 
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