> Word becomes very uncomfortable with long single-row tables. It's best to
> break to a new row at least once a page. It also helps to break to a new
> table whenever possible (interspersing ordinary text paragraphs for
> headings, for example).
>
> You don't actually need the center column for spacing, as you can use either
> paragraph indents or cell margins to control the amount of space between the
> text in the two columns; a center column can be simpler, but it does mean an
> extra Tab moving between columns.
>
> The major drawback to using tables is that they make some types of
> formatting unavailable (more trouble with wrapped graphics, for example) and
> others more difficult (have to use Ctrl+Tab to tab or indent within cells).
>
> --
> Suzanne S. Barnhill
> Microsoft MVP (Word)
> Words into Type
> Fairhope, Alabama USA
> Word MVP FAQ site:
http://word.mvps.org> Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
> all may benefit.
>
> "Flavelle Ballem" <fballem[ at ]noemail.noemail> wrote in message
> news:4A0951C7-D50E-4CB8-A572-5E95C277F23C[ at ]microsoft.com...
> > Suzanne:
> >
> > Thanks for the suggestion. Given the current capabilities of Word, this is
> > probably the best available suggestion. There are two ways to go -
> separate
> > rows for each paragraph or a table with a single row spanning multiple
> pages.
> > If vertical alignment of the same paragraph in each language is required,
> > then it's best done as one row per paragraph. If this is less of an issue,
> > then a single row table is probably better (not sure of the limitations of
> > how many pages can be spanned with a single row).
> >
> > A three column table appears to be quite satisfactory. The middle column
> is
> > small and used to control the separation of the other two columns.
> >
> > I still stand by my enhancement suggestion that the column capability of a
> > future version of Word should be enhanced to support newspaper or parallel
> > columns.
> >
> > Flavelle
> >
> > "Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
> >
> > > For this purpose we mostly recommend a two-column (borderless) table,
> > > breaking to a new row for each paragraph.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Suzanne S. Barnhill
> > > Microsoft MVP (Word)
> > > Words into Type
> > > Fairhope, Alabama USA
> > > Word MVP FAQ site:
http://word.mvps.org> > > Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
> newsgroup so
> > > all may benefit.
> > >
> > > "Flavelle Ballem" <fballem[ at ]noemail.noemail> wrote in message
> > > news:18D8202E-FF38-40AD-85DF-D429D7492BBD[ at ]microsoft.com...
> > > > I finally have to produce a document that uses parallel columns in
> Word -
> > > one
> > > > side in English, the second side in French. In reading how to do this,
> the
> > > > only option appears to be through the use of linked Text Boxes, which
> is a
> > > > particularly ugly solution.
> > > >
> > > > A far more elegant (and simple) solution would be allow the definition
> of
> > > > two (or more columns) that don't snake like a newspaper, but instead
> will
> > > go
> > > > to the next page automatically. If I need to enter text in the second
> > > column,
> > > > then I can move to the column (mouse click or keystroke) and start
> typing
> > > > away.
> > > >
> > > > This surely cannot be this hard.
> > > >
> > > > Regards,
> > > >
> > > > Flavelle
> > > >
> > > > ----------------
> > > > This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
> > > > suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click
> the "I
> > > > Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button,
> follow
> > > this
> > > > link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and
> then
> > > > click "I Agree" in the message pane.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
>
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?mid=18d8202e-ff38-40ad-85df-d429d7492bbd&dg=microsoft.public.word.pagelayout> > >
> > >
>
>