Floating objects in Word 2000 table cells are vertically aligned wrongly

Whenever I insert a graphical object (picture, drawing object, etc.) into a Word 2000 table cell I lose the vertical formatting. The text is always aligned at the top of the cell, instead of being centered or at the bottom of the cell. Why, and what can I do about it?

Article contributed by Cindy Meister

This problem is due to Word2000 table text being able to “wrap“” around a graphic – and that negates the vertical cell alignment. Here's how to work around it.

When you insert a graphic of any type that “floats above the text” (can be freely positioned on the page), it anchors itself to text within the document. (If you don't see an anchor symbol somewhere in the left margin when a graphic is selected, turn on the display of non-printing characters in Tools/Options/View.) When the anchor is in the table, you see the problem described; if it's outside the table, you get the correct vertical alignment.

  1. Insert the graphic outside the table; make sure the anchor is outside the table. 
    (If you can't see the anchor, click on the Show/Hide button to display non-printing characters).
  2. Right-click on the graphic.
  3. Go to Format AutoShape/Layout/Advanced.
  4. Activate “Lock anchor”. Now the anchor will stay with the text outside the table.
  5. Drag the graphic into the table.