MS Word: Split Windows Vertically

Microsoft’s Winword provides a facility to split the screen of the active document horizontally, but not vertically.

I searched for a way to do this on the Net, and was surprised when I couldn’t find one, so I wrote a macro myself.

It doesn’t split in exactly the same way as the horizontal split works, but it is effective.

The VBA macro takes the active window, makes it two, and then arranges them side by side.

I have annotated the code so it can be easily read and modified, which you are allowed to do (GNU).

The code splits the window into equal halves, but with some small adjustments could split it 1/3-2/3 or any other dimensions you require.

The code was only tested in Word 97 and Word 2007.

Sub SplitVertically()

' script by Anandajoti (GNU license)
' this macro takes the active window makes it two
' and then arranges them side by side
' if the active window is already duplicated
' it closes the duplicate instead

Dim Win1 As Integer
Dim Win2 As Integer

Dim WinWidth As Integer
Dim WinHeight As Integer

' the first part is a toggle function
' it looks to see if there are windows
' that have already been duplicated
' and if there are it closes the 2nd
' and maximises the first
' and then exits

' if you don't want/need this part delete up to "Next Win"

Dim Win As Word.Window
Dim DocString As String
Dim FirstString
Dim SecondString
Dim StringLength As Long

For Each Win In Application.Windows
DocString = Win
FirstString = Right(DocString, 1)

    If FirstString = "1" Then
    
' if there is a duplicate
    
    StringLength = Len(DocString) - 2
    SecondString = Left(DocString, StringLength)
    
' close the copy

    Windows(SecondString & ":2").Close
    
' activate and maximise the doc that was found

    Windows(Win).Activate
    Windows(Win).WindowState = wdWindowStateMaximize
    
' jump to the end

    GoTo TheEnd
    
    End If

' otherwise check the next window

Next Win

' if there are no duplicates
' make sure the window is maximised
' so we can get the necessary dimensions
' the view it is in is unimportant

    ActiveWindow.WindowState = wdWindowStateMaximize

' find the serial number of the window
' we are dealing with and set the variable

    Win1 = ActiveWindow.Index

' set the dimension variables

    WinHeight = ActiveWindow.Height - 20
    WinWidth = ActiveWindow.Width

' make a new window from the first

    NewWindow

' find the serial number of the new window
    
    Win2 = ActiveWindow.Index
    
' arrange all windows (it won't work if the window is maximised)

    Windows.Arrange

' set the size of the two windows we found

    With Windows(Win1)
        .Left = 0
        .Top = 0
        .Height = WinHeight
        .Width = WinWidth / 2
    End With
    
    With Windows(Win2)
        .Left = WinWidth / 2
        .Top = 0
        .Height = WinHeight
        .Width = WinWidth / 2
    End With
   
' return to the first window

    Windows(Win1).Activate
    
TheEnd:
        
End Sub

or if you would prefer without annotation:

Sub SplitVertically()
Dim Win1 As Integer
Dim Win2 As Integer
Dim WinWidth As Integer
Dim WinHeight As Integer
Dim Win As Word.Window
Dim DocString As String
Dim FirstString
Dim SecondString
Dim StringLength As Long
For Each Win In Application.Windows
DocString = Win
FirstString = Right(DocString, 1)
    If FirstString = "1" Then
    StringLength = Len(DocString) - 2
    SecondString = Left(DocString, StringLength)
    Windows(SecondString & ":2").Close
    ws(Win).Activate
    Windows(Win).WindowState = wdWindowStateMaximize
       GoTo TheEnd
    End If
Next Win
    ActiveWindow.WindowState = wdWindowStateMaximize
    Win1 = ActiveWindow.Index
    WinHeight = ActiveWindow.Height - 20
    WinWidth = ActiveWindow.Width
    NewWindow
    Win2 = ActiveWindow.Index
    Windows.Arrange
    With Windows(Win1)
        .Left = 0
        .Top = 0
        .Height = WinHeight
        .Width = WinWidth / 2
    End With
    With Windows(Win2)
        .Left = WinWidth / 2
        .Top = 0
        .Height = WinHeight
        .Width = WinWidth / 2
    End With
    Windows(Win1).Activate
TheEnd: 
End Sub

If anyone can improve on the coding (and I wouldn’t be surprised) please leave a comment.

I hope this will be useful to others.