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How to put picture placeholders in word document

We have a template document that we are making in word and would like a way to create picture placeholders. By picture placeholder, I mean a premeasured "frame" that we can drag or insert a picture into that will fill in the existing dimensions. I'm not sure how to do this or if its possible in word. I would be open to changing the doc to an excel version if that will enable us to create placeholders. Please attach an example if possible.

Thanks,

Derrick

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Eric Fletcher

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dlc110161

I agree with EricFletcher. A table will provide the most control over the size of the picture. I'd set the cell so that it centers the picture within the cell. And as EricFletcher suggests, make sure that the table does not resize to fit contents.

If his solution will not work, please provide information regarding why you want to try something else instead.

Dawn Crosier-Bleuel
Word MVP

dpriebe

ASKER

Can you upload an example?

Eric Fletcher

The attached was something I cobbled together for an earlier example related to the use of tables instead of text boxes for generating ToCs. The content relates to ToCs, but I think it illustrates the points above -- except that the images are embedded and not linked the weay I would normally recommend.
AutosizingImages.doc

dpriebe

ASKER

Sounds simple. I am able to get it to work reasonably well on a new word document. Only drawback is that it only takes up the whole cell space if its dimensions are larger than the cell area. Not a big deal though.

The major problem occurs when I try to add it in to an existing doc that I'm trying to add this to. The pictures are always smaller than the cell area and shifted to the left for some reason. (area is on page 3) If there is a way to get it to work without changing anything on the first page that would be ideal.

Derrick
test.doc

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Eric Fletcher

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Eric Fletcher

Sorry Derrick; I neglected to attach the file. Here it is.
test-v1.doc

dpriebe

ASKER

I've noticed that it does not resize the picture though. On the attached file it just stretches it out to the max dimension, in this case horizontal. Is there a way to make it so that whatever is dragged and dropped than it auto resizes to those exact dimensions of the cell?

Eric Fletcher

No. The resizing maintains the same proportions as the original image. You can adjust the percentages in the Picture dialog later if you want, but if you do, the image will be distorted in one of the dimensions.

In the sample file, a large landscape image will be reduced to fit the maximum cell width less the left and right internal margins, and the image height will be reduced in the same proportion. A large portrait image will be reduced to fit the constrained row height (5") less the top and bottom margin values, and the width will be reduced by the same proportion. This ensures that the image will not be distorted.