First line paragraph indent not working

[Guest]

I normally use Windows XP with a laptop but that computer isn't working now,
so I've switched to our desktop with Win2000, and there seems to be a bug
when I'm using that with Word 2003. When I'm typing a new document with the
Normal paragraph style, which includes a .5" first line indent, after I type
the first paragraph and hit Enter, it goes all the way to the left instead of
indenting. If I apply the Normal style afterwards, then it does add the
indent. I've also tried to use Word 97 and it's doing the same thing. I
never have this problem with WinXP. Why is it doing this, and how do I fix
it? Thanks!

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Unless you have some other style set as the following style, I would guess
you might have the WordPerfect options enabled on the General tab of Tools |
Options. FWIW, it's not a good idea to apply a first-line (or any) indent to
Normal style, as it will affect all the styles based on Normal (which is
basically all of them). Better to modify Body Text (or use Body Text First
Indent). If you want this formatting all the time in new documents, open
Normal.dot, select the default empty paragraph, and apply the Body Text (or
whatever) style instead of Normal.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

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