I'm in the process of writing my thesis which will be around 150 pages long and hold alot of images, models and figures (elements). When inserting an elements I create a text-box and use that to position text and image side by side eg. with text on the right side and text just next to it on the left. This solution enables me to keep my caption next to the element also. Only problem is that it doesn't work! The textboxes keep refusing to be positioned where I want them to be and thus they "jump" up to the very top of the page or even to the previous page. I can't seem to resolve this agony and I can't find any information about it. Can anybody help me please?!

sorry... it's of course Word 2003 not 2005.

May I suggest a better text (word) processor. Adobe Pagemaker, Framemaker, or InDesign. What you need is the ability to anchor elements on a page.

You should be able to draw a text box wherever you like on the page in Word 2003 (it's the one I use as well). Use boxes for images & text separately then to keep boxes together, highlight both boxes, right click, choose grouping/group & this will keep them in the same positin relative to each other. "I know that I'm mad - I've always been mad..."

#2 Can you suggest one which is capable of importing word 2003 flawlessly because I've found that to be a big problem with DTP packages. #3 That may work with few instances of text + pictures, but with the number of models, figures and drawings in my document it will simply be too restictive and cumbersome.

The problem with importing might be better solved by not trying to import the highly formatted Word 2003 document but using a more primative form, ascii text or RTF. The DTP packages just cannot correctly translate the word formatting. I haven't done complex layout for a while. My friend who did a doctoral thesis used LaTex on a Unix system. Another friend who does journals and other articles, uses Quark now, before PageMaker on Mac systems. He has constructed a large amount of templates and style sheets. He does pre publication layout from people using mostly Microsoft Word. His clients supply photos and figures separately and he does the final layout, mostly in layers. He has done the same conferene proceedings annually for more than 15 years. Your problem is you are only making a one of and the learning curve of other systems is very large. I prefer the use of style sheets and layers. The problem is the rigorous application of the rules to the finished document. Note that higher DTP packages are designed for the type of finished document. PageMaker, Quark, and Word for the shorter ones and FrameMaker and the old Ventura Publisher for the longer ones. A suggestion. I wouldn't try for a single document. Break it into sections. However this will give you problems with auto table of contents, indexing, and foot noting. Your choice. Another, print draft's frequently, so you can find error especially if you update style sheets.

Erling, try creating a table with two columns and one row. Then put the graphic in one column and the text in the other. This would keep them side by side.