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TechNote #129: Last modified: 02/26/2009

Word 2007 baseline shifts downward after inserting A MathType equation


The information in this document applies to:
 

  • MathType 6.x (Windows)
  • Windows XP, Vista
  • Microsoft Word 2007

Issue:

Once a saved file that contains MathType equation at the end of a line has been re-opened in Microsoft Word, the Character Spacing Position properties will have been set to "Lowered" thus causing the baseline to shift downward relative to the preceding text. This occurs when saving the file as a .docx format (does not occur on files saved as a Word 97-2003 format)


Reason:

The reason for this issue is unknown although Microsoft is aware of the issue and is investigating.


Solution:                     

Until Microsoft provides a more permanent solution, you'll need to make an adjustment to the "Position" attribute inside the "Character Spacing" properties. To do that follow the instructions below.

Fix Font Character Position:

  1. Place the cursor right after the equation that contains the baseline shift issue.
  2. Select the "Home" tab from the Word 2007 ribbon.

     

     

  3. Navigate to the "Font" group and click the "Show Font Dialog" button on the bottom right corner or press CTRL+D from your keyboard to open the dialog.

     

     

  4. In the Font dialog window, select the "Character Spacing" tab.
  5. Go to the drop-down field labeled "Position" and select "Normal" from the drop-down.
  6. Click OK on the Font dialog.
  7. The cursor will now be aligned correctly next to the equation along with any text you type.

Preventing this problem

A way to prevent the baseline issue from occurring is to save your file as a Word 97-2003 document (.doc) format. This will not fix the baseline shift issue, it will only prevent the issue from occurring when you re-open the document. To save the document as a Word 97- 2003 format (.doc), follow the instructions below.

  1. With the document opened, click on the round Office button located on the top left corner of Word 2007.
  2. Hover the mouse over the "Save As" button and select "Word 97 - 2003 Document" from the menu that appears.
  3. Name and save the document.

 


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