[2004] Numbered lists in custom template defaulting to TNR

[magrat_garlick]

I have a custom letterhead template (based on the Boutique style) that is
customised with my own fonts, point size, spacing, etc. However, the problem
arises when I attempt a numbered list. The first entry is fine but, after
that, when auto-list kicks in, it defaults to TNR but, oddly, only for the
numbers, the list text is unchanged.

<SIGH> I've just fired up Word again, gone back to the saved document, and
tried again. This time it behaved and followed the template convention. Just
for laughs, I began another letter, using the same custom template, and it,
too, only behaved itself the second time (after it was saved and Word
exited).

What's going on? Why won't it do as it's told straight off the bat? Is there
a setting somewhere that needs to be kicked? Some code that needs to be
embedded so that numbered lists will keep with the main document font (unless
otherwise specified)?

Running a fully updated 2004 on a fully-updated Tiger (10.4.3).

I'll probably find that this is an FAQ and I should have STFW better, but a
cursory Googling (as an aside, why this isn't yet in the OED is beyond me.
How long does a word/term have to be in use before they consider it? Google
was 'born' when - 1997? - so it must have been in use as a verb for at least
5 years.)

Anyway, what am I doing wrong? Surely a correctly numbered list isn't asking
*too* much?

Cheers

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Hmmm....

Well, the general advice would be, don't let auto-list kick in. Rather, set
up a numbered list style in that template, customizing one of the List
Number styles. Auto-list uses the formats that are set in the Bullets and
Numbering dialog, and those work in mysterious ways that are not
template-dependent and not so reliable for re-use.

Basically, I have not a clue why it works the second time--but some
speculations on what may be going wrong the first time:

1) When you create an auto-list, Word selects an existing gallery from
Format | Bullets and Numbering to use, based on the number style you choose
But any previous customizations made to that gallery in different documents
may still be hanging around, and Word tends to change those galleries based
on what it thinks you want.

2) Most of the Boutique template is in style Body Text, and what isn't is
based on Body Text plus something. This is a flaw in the template design, I
think, because Word is designed to cascade everything from Normal style, so
that you can change the font of just Normal, and headers, footers, etc, most
everything will pick that up. But the template doesn't take advantage of
that. It might be that auto-list bases stuff like the numbers on Normal
style, and in the template, Normal is still defined as TNR. Defining Normal
in that template to match your preferred font *might* prevent the problem.

I would try to test this, but I can't reproduce your experience where
numbers come out in TNR. Auto-lists are behaving properly here (Panther,
Word 11.2.0). How you customized the template in the first place may also
have something to do with this.

You can turn off auto-list in Tools | AutoCorrect. Customizing a List
Number style and checking "add to template" means you should get the same
thing every time you apply List Number.

With auto-list, you get what Word gives you, though you can control it
completely after the fact by going to Format | Bullets and Numbering and
clicking Customize for the highlighted gallery. If you do that, you should
be able to change the font for the numbers from TNR to whatever.

Daiya

 

[Jimbo]

STFW or RTFM
You stupid ****. That's what? Your line? Oh so sorry!


http://tinyurl.com/az88m