Word 2013 auto page orientation

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jfanning

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Topic # 157469 2-Dec-2014 12:41

There is a feature in Word 2013, if you create a custom page size that is wider than it is taller (ie width 101.6 mm, height 35.8 mm), it will automatically change the document to landscape, if you then try and change it back to portrait, then the document height/width are swapped around.

Does anyone know how to turn this feature off?

Thanks

ckc

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Reply # 1187027 2-Dec-2014 12:54

That's not a feature. Unless it's some kind of weird feature. By definition if you have a page that's wider than it is taller, the page is in landscape orientation, and vice versa.

jfanning

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Reply # 1187073 2-Dec-2014 13:15

No, for a label it is still portrait. From the numerous complaints I can find about it, this started with Word 2010 (we don't have the issue with Word 2002)

ckc

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Reply # 1187177 2-Dec-2014 15:29

Clear this up for me. How does it affect printing?

jfanning

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Reply # 1187251 2-Dec-2014 17:21

Basically for strip labels since Word changes it to landscape it will print across several labels like this

If you change back to portrait, then it will just print like this

Back in Word 2002, when you create this document that is say 10.16cm wide, by 3.58cm tall, it keeps it in portrait mode, so the label comes out like

ckc

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Reply # 1187594 3-Dec-2014 00:32

Can I ask why you're not using the label feature? My disclaimer is that I've done a fair amount of mail merges, but it's been a few years, but I always used the labels and envelopes features. I always assumed that by definition landscapes are wider than they are tall, and vice versa for portraits. I'm not sure this landscape/portrait thing was ever a feature, more like a useful bug.

If it helps, however, LibreOffice Writer will allow you to do what you want. I know because I just checked. :) I'm not sure what the output would be like though.

Other things I was thinking of was remain in portrait orientation and change the text direction to vertical; or check the printer setup and see if there's a way to change the orientation in that; or leave the orientation in portrait mode and leave enough white space so it prints on the labels.

jfanning

345 posts

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Reply # 1187663 3-Dec-2014 09:21

ckc: Can I ask why you're not using the label feature? My disclaimer is that I've done a fair amount of mail merges, but it's been a few years, but I always used the labels and envelopes features. I always assumed that by definition landscapes are wider than they are tall, and vice versa for portraits. I'm not sure this landscape/portrait thing was ever a feature, more like a useful bug.

If it helps, however, LibreOffice Writer will allow you to do what you want. I know because I just checked. :) I'm not sure what the output would be like though.

Other things I was thinking of was remain in portrait orientation and change the text direction to vertical; or check the printer setup and see if there's a way to change the orientation in that; or leave the orientation in portrait mode and leave enough white space so it prints on the labels.

We use a third party legacy application that calls the word document, does a mail merge and prints the document. As far as I know, the application can't invoke the Word labels feature.

Generally I would agree, but in our case even the printer driver calls the document portrait when it is wider than taller.

I was thinking of the changing the text orientation as well, will give that a go now.

Thanks