My understanding is that you want the wrapping of the foreground object to
affect the text flow in the underlying objects, correct?

If so the simple answer is "You can't" in Word... at least not with any
degree of facility.

Graphic objects (such as shapes & text boxes as well as images) are
contained on one 'layer' of a doc, typed text is contained on a separate
'layer'. Text Wrapping determines how content on the graphics layer
interacts with content on the text layer, but has no effect on how the
objects on the graphic layer interact with each other.

The kind of *layout* you are trying to achieve can be done in a page
layout/desktop publishing program such as InDesign or even MS Publisher, but
not in (most) word processors. Others who do this sort of thing routinely
[read as: for a living] may be able to offer some intricate options, but
unless you are already on the brink of *not* having to ask your question in
the first place those techniques will probably be more complex ,
time-consuming & frustrating than they sound
--
HTH |:)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

"cayce" wrote in message
...
Ok, context sensitive help makes sense. What doesn't make sense is the
builtin help in Word that tells me to use the Format Autoshape command.

So, I'm back to my original problem.

Do you have any idea on how I can accomplish my goal of getting the text
to
wrap around the text box that is straddling the two text boxes that are
behind it?

thanks.


"CyberTaz" wrote:

Text Boxes are *not* AutoShapes, so the last command in the Format Menu
will
read as Text Box if you select a Text Box. If you draw a rectangle,
elipse,
etc., that same command position will read as AutoShape. IOW, the command
is
context sensitive.
--
HTH |:)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

"cayce" wrote in message
...
I am trying to wrap text around one text box that will straddle 2 text
boxes
behind it. I am using Word 97. The built in Word help states:
"You can choose how you want text to wrap around a graphic or text box.
For
example, you can place a graphic between columns of text and still
retain
the
column format.
To wrap text around a graphic or text box, select the graphic or the
text
box, click AutoShape on the Format menu, click the Wrapping tab, and
then
select the wrapping options you want. "

The problem: there is no Autoshape on the Format menu. There is a "Set
Autoshape Default" when I right click on the text box border. When I do
this,
I get no dialogue box. In fact, nothing happens. I had set the Format
Text
Box, text wrapping tab to Square and both sides, but this has no
effect.

Any ideas on how to deal with this?

thanks