Home | Tips | Library | Other Authors | Other WP Sites | Writer's Links | Contact | Site Map

Macros, tips, and templates for Corel® WordPerfect® for Windows®
© Copyright 1996-2006 by Barry MacDonnell. All Rights Reserved.

Download EDGETEXT.ZIP (v1.02; 07/11/04; 15,698 bytes)

For WordPerfect 8,9,10,11,12

EdgeText is a macro that places a short block of text, the date, and/or the filename at one of six places around the edge of the page, outside the page margins. The macro grew out of the question, "How do you automatically place text (or the date, or the filename) outside page margins?"

The answer is to use text boxes, either in a watermark so they will print on all pages, or in a box attached to the page. The macro does all this for you. You only need to select the box's placement (all pages, first page, current page, last page), the location (six locations: top right, middle left, etc.), and the text date, and/or filename. Several formatting options are available for the text box and its contents.

The macro's code may be useful to those who need to create text boxes with a macro and exit from them to perform other tasks (something that cannot be recorded, but must be manually coded).

OPERATION: Depending on menu selections, the macro either uses a text box in a watermark(to make it appear on all pages) or it places the text box on an individual page (first, current, or last page). The watermark-type text box can be deleted by simply deleting the watermark in Reveal Codes; the page-type text box can be deleted by right-clicking the box and selecting Delete. Note that if you choose one of the watermark options, any existing watermark of that type (A or B) will be deleted.

OPTIONS: Several formatting options are available. Note that you can adjust the left/right placement of the box from the vertical page margin. That is, you can "slide" the text box leftward or rightward past the margin guideline. E.g., If you enter -0.5 (minus one-half inch) in the "Left/right distance from page margin" field, the macro will place the box this way on the page:
- For upper or lower left side placement, the left edge of the box will be 0.5" to the left of the left page margin;
- For upper or lower right side placement, the right edge of the box will be 0.5" to the left of the right page margin.

Note also that the "Distance between the top of box ..." field indicates how far down from the top edge of the page the top of the box should be (for placement at the top of the page), and the distance up from the bottom edge of the page the top of the box should be (for placement at the bottom of the page). If you select one of the two middle placement positions it is the distance from the left (or right) edge. In all cases, it is the top of the box that determines placement from the physical edge of the page.

Always print a test page to ensure the text box doesn't extend into your printer's non-printing area. If it does, you can change page margins to a narrower setting, and then choose a greater distance from the edge of the page for the text box.

TIPS:

You can create multiple text boxes in the document, some on all pages (use one or both watermark Placement choices) and some on specific pages (use the remaining Placement choices) -- and each can be in a different location. If you need a blank box, select "Create the text box with a border," and do not enter any text or select a filename or date.

It may be easier to see these effects by practicing on a copy of your document or on a blank document. You can generally Undo any changes with Edit|Undo.

MODIFICATIONS:

(1) For those who use metric measurements, please modify the redlined command at about line 68 to display a metric menu. (2) Default menu choices can be changed through the Dialog Editor on the Macro Toolbar (Tools|Macro|Macro Toolbar|Dialog Editor). Menu1 is the typical menu; Menu2 is identical except that it uses metric measurements. (3) Also see several comments in the code where defaults can be changed.