In Microsoft Word, I used the option of being able to double click anywhere in the document to place the cursor at that exact place, to then begin typing there. In Pages, I am unable to do this. Is there an option, or something, that I have to have "turned on" or off in order for this to work? I just want to be able to place the cursor at any place in the document and then start typing. Help! I am getting so frustrated!
If you have text in the word processing document you can click anywhere in the text but if you don't have text it will start at the top the page where the insertion point is blinking. Logic if you think about it.
So there is no way to start the cursor wherever you would like, the way that Word allows you to do?
Another way of thinking of this...How do you type one word in the middle of the page? You just have to either use a text box or click enter and the space bar a lot? Apple is supposed to be efficient! In Word you literally just double click anywhere in the document and the cursor will be placed there. I am feeling so frustrated. 😟
Hi Jackie,
In Word you literally just double click anywhere in the document and the cursor will be placed there.
If that is so, then Word is automatically placing a text box where you click. In Pages, you must create a text box (Text Box button on the Tool Bar). Select the text box by clicking on its border. Drag it to where you want it, resize if needed. Then click inside the text box to type.
In my opinion, Word is too clever by half. Pages may take a few more steps, but you get what you want, not what Windows thinks you want.
Ian.
What Word did is exactly what I wanted. I don't want to have to enter a text box for every time I want to do this. Thank you though.
I really don't know what Word can do. Pages isn't Word. Quite a few thing has to be done in another way. If you like the way word works and don't want to change the way you want to work buy Word for Mac.
As Ian says you can use text boxes, but there is also layout breaks that can be used, indent levels can be set etc. etc.
Hi Jackie,
Another way of thinking of this...How do you type one word in the middle of the page?
I understand your frustration. Pages is a word processor. It behaves as if you are typing on a roll of paper. As you type, the roll "unwinds". You can "unwind" more paper from the roll by following the suggestions that fruhulda gave you: Layout breaks, Section breaks, Page breaks, text boxes...
Pages has a layout mode that makes it behave more like a drawing app. However, you must create text boxes! (Where else would you type?)
Stick with Word if you prefer it.
However, if you want to learn the charm of Pages, you can download the Pages'09 User Guide from the Pages Help Menu. Chapters one to three are useful for a start.
Or perhaps you really would prefer a drawing app? Sorry, I can't help you there.
Regards,
Ian.
Everyone has misunderstod what you asked, because you asked the question backwards.
You have chosen a blank Layout mode template which is almost an entirely blank sheet and does require you to insert a Textbox to type into. It is designed for mostly DTP style work. Word has a similar mode for its Publishing Layout View.
Menu > New > Template Chooser > Sidebar > Word Processing > Blank
Now you have the Word Processing style document you were after and can just click on the page and start typing.
Peter
Right, Peter, but she can't start anywhere in the document which I explained earlier.
If you read what she is actually saying, it is the fact that she can't type without creating atextbox first.
MsWord does handle it's Publishing Layout View differently, in that it creates a textbox for you if you just click on the empty layout, but I'm guessing that isn't what she is after. She just wants to type. ie She is really after a Word Processing template
Peter
Peter,
I think a little of your clairvoyance is coming into play here. The original poster never mentioned having to insert a text box until Yellowbox brought it up.
As I read it, she is saying that in Word, if she double clicks beyond the end of the existing text, Word will automatically insert the whitespace to put the cursor where she clicked. Whereas Pages expects her to know how to insert a layout break with space before, or a paragraph return with space after, or whatever Word puts in automatically. This is probably a little complicated for somebody who doesn't even distinguish between the return and enter keys and who apparently "hammers away at the space key" to center text.
The Great Swami has been known to get it wrong on the odd occassion.
Maybe this time he doesn't have his turban screwed on tight. 🙂
We'll find out I suppose.
Peter
double click to type
