Tab K

[Kenneth]

Howdy,

I am using Word 2002 with XP.

I'm doing a rather elaborate outline for a piece of writing
and am indenting with Tabs. I am doing the outlining
manually, that is, without any of Word's available Outline
Formatting features.

I have Tools | Options | View | Formatting Marks | Tab
Characters checked, so I can see the many Tab characters I
am entering.

So, for a fourth level entry, I hit Tab-Tab-Tab and start
typing producing three right-pointing arrows followed by my
new entry.

Occasionally however, I hit the appropriate number of Tabs,
start typing, and only later discover that no Tab Characters
are visible for that entry.

At that point, I have to go to the Paragraph Marker (also
visible) just above, hit Enter (to create a new empty line
above the entry I just created) touch Delete to bring the
entry to that line, and finally hit the Tab key the
appropriate number of times to make the tabs visible.

I know that the formatting information is held as if "in the
paragraph" marker, but still am baffled.

Might you suggest some possible reasons that the "Tab Key
Visible" setting seems to turn itself Off on occasion?

Many thanks for any help on this,

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

In certain circumstances, the Tab key indents instead of tabbing (which
would actually be a better way to accomplish what you're trying to achieve,
I think). On the AutoFormat As You Type tab of Tools | AutoCorrect Options,
check to see whether "Set left- and first-indent with tabs and backspaces"
is enabled.

 

[Kenneth]

In certain circumstances, the Tab key indents instead of tabbing (which
would actually be a better way to accomplish what you're trying to achieve,
I think). On the AutoFormat As You Type tab of Tools | AutoCorrect Options,
check to see whether "Set left- and first-indent with tabs and backspaces"
is enabled.

Hi Suzanne,

Many thanks for the speedy response...

Yes, the "Set left and first indent with tabs and
backspaces" is Checked.

Are you suggesting that I remove the check?

Either way, how might that setting account for the
"sometimes" nature of the problem?

Also, why are you suggesting that indenting might be a
better approach than tabbing. They seem virtually the same
to me, but I am sure I am missing something.

All the best,

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Yes, if you have that option enabled, then the Tab key will, at the
beginning of a paragraph, indent instead of tabbing. If you are creating an
outline, then you want paragraphs that are indented by different amounts.
Unless no paragraph is longer than one line, a tab won't really do what you
want; you need an indent instead. Ideally, if you're creating a classic
outline, you'd apply outline list numbering; see
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html. When your
styles are part of an outline-numbered list, you can use either Tab and
Shift+Tab (with that option enabled) or Alt+Shift+Right/Left Arrow
(regardless of the setting) to demote and promote outline levels.

 

[Kenneth]

Yes, if you have that option enabled, then the Tab key will, at the
beginning of a paragraph, indent instead of tabbing. If you are creating an
outline, then you want paragraphs that are indented by different amounts.
Unless no paragraph is longer than one line, a tab won't really do what you
want; you need an indent instead. Ideally, if you're creating a classic
outline, you'd apply outline list numbering; see
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html. When your
styles are part of an outline-numbered list, you can use either Tab and
Shift+Tab (with that option enabled) or Alt+Shift+Right/Left Arrow
(regardless of the setting) to demote and promote outline levels.

Wow...

Many thanks for the great help,

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You're welcome.