Forum Discussion
Cannot align a floating table to the bottom of the first page
I can't figure out how to position a Word-native floating table, aligned vertically to the bottom of the first page.
To reproduce my issue, create a new Word document, insert a new table (2-3 rows). Now, change the table properties, set "Text Wrapping" to around, then set the vertical table position to "Bottom" of "Page".
In my case, this creates a second page and moves the table to the bottom of this second page. I can easily create more pages in the document and move my table to any of these pages. But no matter what I do, I can't move it to the first page as long as the vertical alignment of the table is set to page bottom. If I set it to margin bottom or change the text wrapping, it's not a problem.
Why does Word behave like this? Is this a bug or is there some specific limitation on floating tables?
8 Replies
I sometimes have the same problem, but without being able to reproduce it systematically.
In the last case I found that the problem depended on the height of the footer, which depended on its content (size of text, number of lines, paragraph space before, ...) : if the footer's top limit overcrossed the bottom margin of the page, it pushed the table on the next page.
When you insert the table, make sure that the insertion point is in the very first paragraph on the page (this ensures that the first paragraph is the anchor point for the table). Drag the table into the desired position. To fine-tune the position, open the Table Properties dialog box and click the Positioning button. Specify the vertical position to "Bottom" relative to "Margin." Click OK. See attached screen shot.
Stefan_Blom I specifically wanted the table to be at the bottom of the page, not at the bottom of the margin. As mentioned, I can't figure out how to have it at the bottom of the first page. It's not a problem to have it at the bottom of the second or third or any subsequent page.
Putting the table at the very bottom of the page will be more difficult, because most printers define a nonprinting area around the page edges. Maybe you could put the table in the footer? You can start a new section and put the table in the first page footer of the new section.
