When I choose any way to open a document, the open dialogue box opens, but
then the contents shift to the right. For example, I have five columns when
I open My documents, the first approximately three columns are files and the
last two docs. When I open the box the columns shift to the right, showing
the second, third and fourth columns and part of the fifth.

In the past when this happened, I traced the problem to a particularly long
file or doc name, which I then shortened to correct the problem. But this
doesn't seem to be the case now.

Because my first move is to open one of the folders, I'd like all them to
show.

Any suggestions of why this happens?

Bob

As you have seen, the column width is determined by the longest filename. In
my copy of Word 2003, Word does default to showing all the folders (that is,
the "top" of the list). There are two things you can do that will help:

1. Create subfolders. Whenever a folder gets so full that you can't see the
entire contents in the Open or Save dialog, divide it into subfolders, just
the same as you would do with paper folders in a filing cabinet.

2. Increase the size of the Open and Save dialogs. You can drag them bigger
by pulling on the ridged handle on the lower right corner, or you can
maximize them by double-clicking on the title bar (restore by repeating that
action).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Bob Griendling" wrote in message
...
When I choose any way to open a document, the open dialogue box opens, but
then the contents shift to the right. For example, I have five columns
when
I open My documents, the first approximately three columns are files and
the
last two docs. When I open the box the columns shift to the right,
showing
the second, third and fourth columns and part of the fifth.

In the past when this happened, I traced the problem to a particularly
long
file or doc name, which I then shortened to correct the problem. But this
doesn't seem to be the case now.

Because my first move is to open one of the folders, I'd like all them to
show.

Any suggestions of why this happens?

Bob

Thank you for your response. However, I can't seem to increase the size of
the Open and Save dialogs. I'm not sure what you mean by the "ridged handle
on the lower right corner." I assume you mean hold the right button down
and drag from the extreme lower right corner of the box, but that doesn't
work, and there is no maximize button and double-clicking on the title bar
doesn't seem to do anything.

Perhaps I should have mentioned that I use Word 2000, not 2003.

By the way, I notice that all the folders how when I try to save; it's only
when I open to I get that shift phenomena.

Bob Griendling

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message
...
As you have seen, the column width is determined by the longest filename.
In
my copy of Word 2003, Word does default to showing all the folders (that
is,
the "top" of the list). There are two things you can do that will help:

1. Create subfolders. Whenever a folder gets so full that you can't see
the
entire contents in the Open or Save dialog, divide it into subfolders,
just
the same as you would do with paper folders in a filing cabinet.

2. Increase the size of the Open and Save dialogs. You can drag them
bigger
by pulling on the ridged handle on the lower right corner, or you can
maximize them by double-clicking on the title bar (restore by repeating
that
action).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup
so
all may benefit.

"Bob Griendling" wrote in message
...
When I choose any way to open a document, the open dialogue box opens,
but
then the contents shift to the right. For example, I have five columns
when
I open My documents, the first approximately three columns are files and
the
last two docs. When I open the box the columns shift to the right,
showing
the second, third and fourth columns and part of the fifth.

In the past when this happened, I traced the problem to a particularly
long
file or doc name, which I then shortened to correct the problem. But
this
doesn't seem to be the case now.

Because my first move is to open one of the folders, I'd like all them to
show.

Any suggestions of why this happens?

Bob

Resizable dialog boxes were introduced in Word 2002. Yet another
illustration of why it is always advisable to state the version number of
Word when posting.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Bob Griendling" wrote in message
...
Thank you for your response. However, I can't seem to increase the size
of
the Open and Save dialogs. I'm not sure what you mean by the "ridged
handle
on the lower right corner." I assume you mean hold the right button down
and drag from the extreme lower right corner of the box, but that doesn't
work, and there is no maximize button and double-clicking on the title bar
doesn't seem to do anything.

Perhaps I should have mentioned that I use Word 2000, not 2003.

By the way, I notice that all the folders how when I try to save; it's
only
when I open to I get that shift phenomena.

Bob Griendling

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message
...
As you have seen, the column width is determined by the longest
filename.
In
my copy of Word 2003, Word does default to showing all the folders (that
is,
the "top" of the list). There are two things you can do that will help:

1. Create subfolders. Whenever a folder gets so full that you can't see
the
entire contents in the Open or Save dialog, divide it into subfolders,
just
the same as you would do with paper folders in a filing cabinet.

2. Increase the size of the Open and Save dialogs. You can drag them
bigger
by pulling on the ridged handle on the lower right corner, or you can
maximize them by double-clicking on the title bar (restore by repeating
that
action).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup
so
all may benefit.

"Bob Griendling" wrote in message
...
When I choose any way to open a document, the open dialogue box opens,
but
then the contents shift to the right. For example, I have five columns
when
I open My documents, the first approximately three columns are files
and
the
last two docs. When I open the box the columns shift to the right,
showing
the second, third and fourth columns and part of the fifth.

In the past when this happened, I traced the problem to a particularly
long
file or doc name, which I then shortened to correct the problem. But
this
doesn't seem to be the case now.

Because my first move is to open one of the folders, I'd like all them
to
show.

Any suggestions of why this happens?

Bob

Your second suggestion doesn't work. I'm using Word 2000. Is it supposed
to?

Bob
"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message
...
As you have seen, the column width is determined by the longest filename.
In
my copy of Word 2003, Word does default to showing all the folders (that
is,
the "top" of the list). There are two things you can do that will help:

1. Create subfolders. Whenever a folder gets so full that you can't see
the
entire contents in the Open or Save dialog, divide it into subfolders,
just
the same as you would do with paper folders in a filing cabinet.

2. Increase the size of the Open and Save dialogs. You can drag them
bigger
by pulling on the ridged handle on the lower right corner, or you can
maximize them by double-clicking on the title bar (restore by repeating
that
action).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup
so
all may benefit.

"Bob Griendling" wrote in message
...
When I choose any way to open a document, the open dialogue box opens,
but
then the contents shift to the right. For example, I have five columns
when
I open My documents, the first approximately three columns are files and
the
last two docs. When I open the box the columns shift to the right,
showing
the second, third and fourth columns and part of the fifth.

In the past when this happened, I traced the problem to a particularly
long
file or doc name, which I then shortened to correct the problem. But
this
doesn't seem to be the case now.

Because my first move is to open one of the folders, I'd like all them to
show.

Any suggestions of why this happens?

Bob

No, in Word 2000 you cannot resize the Open dialog box.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


"Bob Griendling" wrote in message
...
Your second suggestion doesn't work. I'm using Word 2000. Is it
supposed
to?

Bob
"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message
...
As you have seen, the column width is determined by the longest
filename.
In
my copy of Word 2003, Word does default to showing all the folders
(that
is,
the "top" of the list). There are two things you can do that will
help:

1. Create subfolders. Whenever a folder gets so full that you
can't see
the
entire contents in the Open or Save dialog, divide it into
subfolders,
just
the same as you would do with paper folders in a filing cabinet.

2. Increase the size of the Open and Save dialogs. You can drag
them
bigger
by pulling on the ridged handle on the lower right corner, or you
can
maximize them by double-clicking on the title bar (restore by
repeating
that
action).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup
so
all may benefit.

"Bob Griendling" wrote in message
...
When I choose any way to open a document, the open dialogue box
opens,
but
then the contents shift to the right. For example, I have five
columns
when
I open My documents, the first approximately three columns are
files and
the
last two docs. When I open the box the columns shift to the
right,
showing
the second, third and fourth columns and part of the fifth.

In the past when this happened, I traced the problem to a
particularly
long
file or doc name, which I then shortened to correct the problem.
But
this
doesn't seem to be the case now.

Because my first move is to open one of the folders, I'd like all
them to
show.

Any suggestions of why this happens?

Bob