Microsoft word how to delete page breaks/footers

[PLAZ]

I am having a terrible time with Microsoft word. I am trying to write an autobiography and I have page breaks in the middle of my pages. I can't fill in those pages when I attempt to move up text from following pages using my backspace button.

When I click on view/normal/footers I see footers that are very high on my page right where the page breaks occur. I have spent hours with help on the microsoft website trying to correct the problem and I am getting no where. Microsoft does a terrible job of addressing this problem.

When I first started this autobiography I didn't have these problems. I used to be able to move text up with the backspace button and down with the enter button readily but I can't now.

Can someone please help me?

[pam123]

We need to know what version of word you're using and any recent updates you've done.

[EzyStvy]

You should be able to highlight the page breaks and then hit the Delete key.

[PLAZ]

Originally Posted by pam123 We need to know what version of word you're using and any recent updates you've done.

I am using Microsoft word 2003. I don't recall making any updates. I do not have Office just word 2003.

[cmichael258]

I think you just go up to Insert/Break and uncheck Page Break.

[pam123]

With 2003 either EzyStvy's or cmichael's solutions should do the job.

[PLAZ]

Originally Posted by pam123 With 2003 either EzyStvy's or cmichael's solutions should do the job.

I have no idea what you are talking about. Can you be more informative about these suggestions and how to use them? I am not that well versed on computers.

[glc]

You should be able to highlight the page breaks and then hit the Delete key.

I think you just go up to Insert/Break and uncheck Page Break.

[PLAZ]

Originally Posted by glc

glc - none of those procedures work.

[pam123]

Save what you've done so far in a separate file, no point in risking it.

Now return Word to all its default settings : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822005

http://www.ehow.com/how_2125460_retu...-settings.html

[XenaWP]

In fact, unless there is a LOT of formatting, in addition to Pam's recommendations, I would "save as" plain text. This will strip out any erroneous control characters, page breaks, etc. that might be causing a problem.

If you're writing a book, any book, there is no need to put in page breaks, so just don't do that going forward.

[PLAZ]

Originally Posted by pam123 Save what you've done so far in a separate file, no point in risking it. Now return Word to all its default settings : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822005 http://www.ehow.com/how_2125460_retu...-settings.html

I am afraid to fool with the registry, so I did not do the first procedure.
I did do the second procedure but I see no difference in my problem. I still have page breaks.

These page breaks appeared automatically. I did not initiate them. I don't know what caused them.

[pam123]

Here's how to back up and restore the registry : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756

This way any errors you make are correctable, not disasters.

Did you try Xena's suggestion about text ?

[glc]

Word is going to create page breaks all by itself when the limit of each page is reached, as per the paper size and margins that you have chosen.

[Statica]

Have you checked your page settings for margin settings? Or have you double-checked your style to see what your lines are set at.

[XenaWP]

Originally Posted by glc Word is going to create page breaks all by itself when the limit of each page is reached, as per the paper size and margins that you have chosen.

But you don't need to delete those ... they adjust themselves as text is added or removed.

The ones you add manually -- they stay there. Those are the type that cause issues, since if you add one paragraph above the break, you get the automatic break Word puts in, then one paragraph later you get another one that you added manually that does not automatically disappear when text reflows.

[glc]

Bottom line - from my point of view, don't even try to format your document as you go. Finish it first, make corrections, etc. then worry about adjusting the format for printing.

[XenaWP]

Amen

[PLAZ]

Originally Posted by glc Word is going to create page breaks all by itself when the limit of each page is reached, as per the paper size and margins that you have chosen.

These page breaks are often located in the middle of a page at the end of a paragraph, leaving the bottom half of the page blank and unuseable..

[PLAZ]

Originally Posted by XenaWP But you don't need to delete those ... they adjust themselves as text is added or removed. The ones you add manually -- they stay there. Those are the type that cause issues, since if you add one paragraph above the break, you get the automatic break Word puts in, then one paragraph later you get another one that you added manually that does not automatically disappear when text reflows.

I never added any page breaks manually. I didn't know how, and none of the page breaks are identified as manual breaks..

[PLAZ]

Originally Posted by pam123 Here's how to back up and restore the registry : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756 Did you try Xena's suggestion about text ?

I can't use plain text since I have a lot of photos and plain text eliminates them.

[PLAZ]

Originally Posted by glc Word is going to create page breaks all by itself when the limit of each page is reached, as per the paper size and margins that you have chosen.

Perhaps I am not doing my margins properly. Can you give me detailed procedures for setting my footings and margin at the bottom of the page?

[pam123]

Take out the photos for now, just insert a line/note describing the photo you wanted placed there so you can keep track, and just do the text.
That done you can then make decisions about the photos and their effect the same as a publisher would with a book layout.

[PLAZ]

[QUOTE=pam123;1438593]Here's how to back up and restore the registry : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756

This way any errors you make are correctable, not disasters.

I did this procedure.

[PLAZ]

[QUOTE=PLAZ;1438990]

Originally Posted by pam123 Here's how to back up and restore the registry : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756 This way any errors you make are correctable, not disasters. I did this procedure.

Now what. I still have the problem.

[PLAZ]

Originally Posted by PLAZ I can't use plain text since I have a lot of photos and plain text eliminates them.

I just tried to save as plain text and it is not working now.

[pam123]

If you haven't done so already save a back up copy of your work.

You're going to have to separate the text from the pictures.
You can cut out all the text and save it to another file or you can cut out all the pictures (That's not the best deal by the way but it may work as well ) but no matter how you go about it you have to separate one from the other.

[XenaWP]

Originally Posted by PLAZ I just tried to save as plain text and it is not working now.

What is not working?

[pam123]

I think Plaz means save to plain text isn't working.

[XenaWP]

If you can't do File > Save As > and select Save as type: Plain text (*.txt) then Word is corrupted. That is basic code at the core of Word.