Publisher 2016 - Edit Wrap Point function not working

Question

The Edit Wrap point function in Publisher 365 (2016) is not working.  In Publisher 2010, I can cut the corners off images after I overlap 2  (or more) images to create a transition between the 2 images.  I've done this by using Edit Wrap Points, holding down the Control Key to define a new point on an existing edge of the top image, then defining another point on an adjacent edge, then Control Click on the original corner point, between these new points then the corner point disappears along with the corner section of the upper image and I have a nice sloped corner on both images.  In 2016, all this works the same - EXCEPT the corner doesn't disappear after Control clicking on the original corner point.  The point disappears but the section of the upper picture I'm trying to cut off doesn't.  This appears to have been An issue in Office 2013 , with a Hotfix issued, that didn’t work.  Is there a  fix for the 2016 bug yet?

Answer 1

Sorry, but frequently what you and I might call a bug, MSFT calls the program change 'by design' .  I have not read of any changes in Pub 2016.

Reference: The "edit wrap points" in Publisher 2013 don't seem to work. Is there a solution? : http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2013_release-publish/the-edit-wrap-points-in-publisher-2013-dont-seem/0743f0f5-8a6d-4659-8527-fc53e425cc43?page=1

DavidF

Answer 2

Thanks for posting back. FWIW I also run Publisher 2003 along with other versions of Publisher and prefer the traditional menu to the ribbon that was introduced with Pub 2010. I think there are numerous advantages to running the older versions.

Though Office 2003 is not 'supported' by MSFT, it will run on Win10. In fact you can run Publisher 2000 on Win10.

Reference: A look at running older versions of Microsoft Office on Windows 10: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki/windows_10-win_upgrade/a-look-at-running-older-versions-of-microsoft/6faf72ea-254a-4c8e-9982-2c36cdb1936c

• Andre Da Costa found all versions back to 2000 would run with the exception of Outlook 2000.

I currently have Publisher 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013 installed and have never had a problem. I refused to install Pub 2016 as too buggy, too cloud centric and too hobbled by reduced functionality. (Besides you can't run Office 2013 programs at the same time as Office 2016...MSFT has decided that backward compatibility a bad idea.) In my view I don't see much risk in running unsupported versions of Publisher as Publisher has never been a target of malware or hacking like Word or even Excel. I have been answering Publisher questions since Pub 2000 and have never read of an occurrence, though I suppose it is possible.

I would suggest that you download and keep a copy of the *Office 2003 compatibility pack.*It is not going to be available for much longer. Reference: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3

Note that this might not directly impact Publisher files but it could affect your ability to import newer Word files. You can install the pack if you do.

Note too that the pack comes with the Office 2003 SP2. I would also suggest that you download and keep copies of Office 2003 SP2 and SP3. I chose to not install SP3 because of a file compatibility problem. Honestly I don't remember the details but the discussion at the time in the NNTP Publisher groups was that SP3 could create some problems for Publisher. Whatever you decide to do it is good to have copies of these service patches as MSFT will eventually quit providing them.

The PDF functionality was not added to Publisher or Office until the Office 2007 PDF Add on. I discovered and started using the freebie Primopdf at the time and continue to use it today as it will work with any program from which you can print. It also has the advantage of having the ability to append a PDF file which is not available with the Office PDF tools. If you decide to install it I suggest that you do a custom install and opt out of any extra toolbars or junkware that sometimes comes bundled with these freebies. Here is my favorite trusted download source: https://filehippo.com/download_primopdf/

Among the other advantages to running Pub 2003 is it does not choke on large pictures like the newer versions of Publisher tend to. If you go to View > Pictures you will get a Picture Display dialog. Choose the fast resize and zoom option which has been removed from newer versions of Publisher.

One other major difference is that if you open an old Publisher file that you created on a Win7 or older machine, with Pub 2013 or 2016 on a machine with Win8 or Win10 you will find the text boxes render text differently; you will get ~5% more text which will require you to tweak your layout. This does not happen if you use Pub 2003 or 2007 on the Win10 machines. You might find if you jump back and forth between Pub 2016 and 2003 that you will have that problem. There are lots of posts and discussions about this but here is a good one for you to get the basic idea:

July 2015 - Reference: Publisher 2007 and Publisher 2013 paginates differently: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2013_release-publish/publisher-2007-and-publisher-2013-paginates/2ff3812a-5874-46dd-8c57-87aa3f86a321 - Well tested and documented thread showing the text rendering issue continues in Win10, but is limited to Pub 2013 and probably 2010. If you install Pub 2007 or 2003 in Win10, Win8, Win7, WinVista or WinXP then the files still render text the same and are cross OS compatible.

While most people will not have the option to install and run older versions of Publisher I support your decision to do so. And for those who are running older versions of Publisher and thinking of 'updating', I hope this discussion will remind them that sometimes if it ain't broke, then don't fix it.

DavidF

Answer 3

Solved it!!! in a very retro way.

At the back of my software drawer, I dug up a copy of Office Pro 2003 that I had bought with what turned out to be a very slow laptop back about 2003.  It went to computer heaven after only a couple of years but the SW package, complete with instruction booklet, went in the drawer.

So I started the install from the 2003 disk, selected  Custom Install and only loaded Publisher.  It ran under Win 10, asked to be validated, validation went well so I now have Publisher 2003 on my desktop.  The Icon for Publisher 2016 disappeared but the program is still on the computer and will run.  It's interesting getting used to those old xp style icons on the tool bars, but they all work.

So far everything about the app that I use is working under Win 10 fine.  And a bonus, the Snap function works just like it used to, so thats two functions that worked then but Microsoft chose to make unwork in current versions. 

Infact, I cant find a single function in 2016 version that I have used  not being available in 2003.  To me it seems that the only changes between 2003 and 2016 versions have been the icons in the toolbars and the ribbon. And of course, the 2 functions that work well in the 2003 version but dont in 2016.  Now thats not progress at all.  

Is anyone from Microsoft listening to their customers?  Who knows?

Answer 4

Sorry, but frequently what you and I might call a bug, MSFT calls the program change 'by design' .  I have not read of any changes in Pub 2016.

Reference: The "edit wrap points" in Publisher 2013 don't seem to work. Is there a solution? : http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2013_release-publish/the-edit-wrap-points-in-publisher-2013-dont-seem/0743f0f5-8a6d-4659-8527-fc53e425cc43?page=1

DavidF

Thanks David

I'd found the link before which is why I understood that it didn't work in 2013 version either.

Best that I can work out is that the Edit Wrap Points icon and function is a waste of time because you can move/delete/insert points around the image as before but these changes have no effect of the image.

I've added a shape, filled it with the second image and can get something like what I (and lots of others apparently) want, except that then the image inside the shape cannot be cropped, nor can the outline shape of the shape be altered, even though the Wrap Points can be moved/deleted or inserted, with no actual effect on the shape.  A triangle shape is always a triangle shape. Also the image cannot be moved in the shape so thats not a work around.

Any suggestions from anyone on a workaround would be much appreciated,  I used this function a lot in 2010 and earlier versions. 

Given it apparently hasn't been available in Publisher for some time, suggestions of other programs that use it would also be welcome