As Stefan noted, the Positioning options are only available for floating
tables. I think you would be much happier if you used inline tables in which
each table is anchored to its own paragraph mark. In your sample document
they are all anchored to the same paragraph mark, which is what I suspected
initially. To view what I'm referring to, on the Home tab, in the Paragraph
group, click the Show/Hide (¶) button and note the single paragraph mark
below the second table and off to the right.

For inline tables, when you insert your tables you need to press Enter below
the table before inserting another one. That way they will each have their
own "anchor point". Right now they are all sharing the same one which is why
they are essentially 'fighting' over their current positions -- as far as
your tables are concerned, there is no clear indication for which one is
belongs at the top.

You'll also need to refrain from dragging the tables which is what converts
them from inline to floating. To move them use cut/paste instead.

Also, for future reference, sample files are better (and faster) for us than
videos. Typically we can "see" what is happening based on your description
but in order to determine why it's happening we need to be able to view the
actual document. :-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton

What is a Microsoft MVP? http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

"jim" wrote in message
.. .
That makes thing MUCH easier! But, you should also know that the
Positioning button is not enabled until you have dragged a table. Before
dragging a table the Positioning button is disabled - which doesn't make a
whole lot of sense to me.

Thanks Stefan!

BTW, is there a way to make this the default setting for Word?

jim

"Stefan Blom" wrote in message
...
For each table, try this: Right-click the table, and choose Table
Properties
from the context menu. In the Table Properties dialog box, click the
Table
tab. Click Positioning. Clear "Move with text" and "Allow overlap" and
click
OK. Click OK to close the Table Properties dialog.

Now you should be able to drag the tables as you wish.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


"jim" wrote in message
.. .
I'm sorry but when I completely recretaed the document I overwrote the
old
name with the new document.

However, I was able to recreate a document with some of the same strange
behavior and you can download it from
http://www.mediafire.com/?0zmf4jfn9ff .

There are 3 tables on the document. Try moving the bottommost table as
close as possible to the middle table (without touching it) and it
should
jump to the top portion of the page and be a real pain to drag back
below
the other tables.

I can post a video of it if you like.

jim



"Bob Buckland ?:-)" 75214.226(At Beautiful Downtown)compuserve.com
wrote
in message ...
Hi Jim,

As you were able to post the video, do you have a link you can create
to
the problem document? As Beth mentions, some of the
details aren't readily visible as to the document/table structure.

FWIW, of the three news/discussion groups listed in your message
neither
microsoft.public.word
or microsoft.public.word.general
are carried on Microsoft's news server, news://msnews.microsoft.com

============
"jim" wrote in message
. ..
I right clicked on each table and removed text wrapping from the cell
attributes (the only place that I saw it), but the problem continues.

I don't think I put it in the video, but the tables also snap to the
edges
of the page when you get within some arbitrary distance, and I cannot
find
any settings to stop that behavior either.

Honestly, if I could find some really good form creation software I'd
get
it
and never, ever try this again with Word.

jim
--

Bob Buckland ?:-)
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*