10 Minute Guide to Word for Windows 95

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Adding Graphics to Your Document

In this lesson, you'll learn how to add graphics to your documents.

Adding a Graphics Image

A graphics image is a picture that is stored on disk in a graphics file. Word for Windows can utilize graphics files created by a wide variety of applications, including Lotus 1-2-3, Windows Metafiles, Micrografx Designer, and AutoCAD. Additionally, your Word installation includes a small library of clip art images that you can use in your documents. Figure 28.1 shows a document with a graphic image.

Figure 28.1
A document with a displayed graphic.


To add a graphics image to a Word for Windows document, follow these steps:

1. Move the insertion point to the location for the graphic.

2. Select Insert Picture. The Insert Picture dialog box, shown in Figure 28.2, is displayed.

3. If necessary, pull down the Look inlist to specify the folder where the graphics file is located.

4. The large box in the center of the dialog box normally lists all graphics files in the specified directory. To have the list restricted to certain types of graphics files, open the Files of type list and select the desired file type.

5. In the File name box, type the name of the file to insert, or select the file name from the list.

6. To preview the picture in the Preview box (as shown in Figure 28.2), click the Previewbutton.

Figure 28.2
The Insert Picture dialog box.

7. Select the Link To File option if you want the graphic in your document updated if the graphics file on disk changes.

8. Select OK. The graphic is inserted into your document.

Displaying Graphics

The display of graphics images can slow down screen scrolling. If you're working on the document text and don't need to see the images, you can speed up screen display by displaying empty rectangles called placeholders in place of the images. In addition, if you selected the Link To File option when inserting the graphic file, Word for Windows inserts a field code in the document. The screen will display this code instead of the picture when field codes are displayed. Here's how to control the display of graphics:

1. Select Tools Options to display the Options dialog box.

2. If necessary, click the View tab to display the View options.

3. In the Show section, turn the Picture Placeholders and Field Codes options on or off as desired.

4. Select OK.

The screen display of placeholders or field codes does not affect printing, which will always include the actual graphics.


Timesaver Tip: Fast Takes When working on a document that contains a lot of graphics, you can speed up screen display and scrolling by displaying placeholders for the graphics.

Selecting a Graphic

Before you can work with a graphic in your document, you must select it:

When a graphic is selected, it is surrounded by eight small black squares called sizing handles.

Cropping and Resizing a Graphic

You can resize a graphic in your document, displaying the entire picture at a different size. You can also crop a graphic, hiding portions of the picture that you don't want to display. To resize or crop a graphic:

1. Select the graphic.

2. Point at one of the resizing handles. The mouse pointer will change to a double-headed arrow.

3. To resize, press the left mouse button and drag the handle until the outline of the graphic is at the desired size. You can either enlarge or shrink the graphic.

4. To crop, press and hold Shift, then press the left mouse button and drag a handle toward the center of the graphic.

5. Release the mouse button.

Deleting, Moving, and Copying Graphics

To delete a graphic, select it and press Del.

To move or copy a graphic:

1. Select the graphic.

2. Press Ctrl+C or select Edit Copy (to copy the graphic), press Ctrl+X or select Edit Cut (to move the graphic). You can also click the Copy or Cut button on the Toolbar.

3. Move the insertion point to the new location for the graphic.

4. Press Ctrl+V, or click the Paste button on the Toolbar.

In this lesson, you learned how to add graphics to your documents. The next lesson shows you how to open multiple documents.


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