Help: How do you edit text within a picture in Word 2003?

[Moll]

I'm editing a manuscript in Word 2003. The author has included a picture, and there is text within the picture frame. I need to edit this text for spelling etc., but can't get 'into' it to do so.

 

The Picture Toolbar doesn't help me do this. And if I right-click on the picture, the option 'Edit picture' is greyed-out.

 

Can anyone help me find a way to edit the text? I'd appreciate any answers!

[RandyL]

It's hard to say for sure. For one thing I no longer use Microsoft office.

 

It depends on the picture though. It's probably just that. A picture, which means the text is part of the picture. It can't be seperated by normal means.

 

You could try saving the picture then use a graphics editor to recreate the picture, touch up the text box area to try to recreate the original picture, save it then add a new text box. Replace the picture with the new picture.

 

Photoshop, Paintshop Pro or maybe the Gimp can be used. I've used all three in the past.

 

If possible just use the graphics editor with an untouched copy of the image if you can obtain it. It's easier.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Randy is most likely correct the text will be a part of the picture and the whole is likely to be either a JPG file or Bitmap. There are several free photo editing programs around, with one of these I find using the clone tool to infill over the text can be a useful way round.

A program I use which has a clone tool is PhotoFiltre, the free version can be downloaded from here=

 

http://photofiltre.free.fr/frames_en.htm

 

Nev.

[PseFrank]

Hi Moll...

 

The guys have already just about covered what you need to do, but to clarify things a little...

 

If you are editing in Word 2003 I'm assuming that your manuscript is a .doc file, or at least it must be a file type that is recognised by MS Word.

 

When you say that the text is within the picture frame...I am also assuming that the text in question is actually on the image it's self?

 

That being the case, one option is to do this...

 

1) Make a duplicate of the file and rename it.

 

2) Open the duplicate of the file in Word 2003.

 

3) Highlight the picture by clicking and dragging your cursor across the image.

 

4) Then copy the image by hitting CTRL + C on your keyboard.

 

5) Open up a photo editing program and have a new blank canvas on the screen. Hit CTRL + V on the keyboard to paste the image onto the blank canvas.

 

6) Edit the text on the image in a similar way to what Plastic Nev has stated above.

 

7) Save the image as a JPEG.

 

8) Go back to the file you have open in MS Word 2003 and delete the image in question.

 

9) Insert your new edited image into the document.

 

10) Save the file.

 

Hope this helps out. If you're not sure about anything...please ask..:-)

[Moll]

Thanks so much, everyone - particularly PseFrank for making it crystal clear!