Bullets & Numbering via menu or toobar button.

[Jeff Layman]

I am puzzled by the behaviour of bullets & numbering with respect to
"aligned at", "tab after", and "indent at".

I start with a clean new document, simply formatted - A4 page, 2.5 cm
borders left & right, alignment left, indentation left 0 cm, right 0 cm.
Then I use Format | Bullets & Numbering | Numbered, & select first box to
right of "None". Then press "OK". I get a "1." and 1 cm tab, exactly as I
have set up. "Reveal Formatting" for "Bullets & Numbering" informs me I
have Alignment left, "Aligned at" 0 cm, "Tab after" 1 cm, and "Indent at" 1
cm. It also informs me that Paragraph formatting is Alignment left, and
Indentation is Left 0 cm, Hanging 1 cm, Right 0 cm. Tabs are 1 cm, List
tab. In the "Style" box on the formatting toolbar is "Numbered, Left: 0
cm, Hanging: 1 cm".

Now I start with another clean new document, formatted as before, and click
on the "Numbering" button in the Formatting toolbar. I get a "1." as
before, but the placement has changed. "Reveal formatting" for "Bullets &
Numbering" informs me I have Alignment left, "Aligned at" 0.63 cm, "Tab
after" 1.27 cm, and "Indent at" 1.27 cm! It also informs me that Paragraph
formatting has changed to Alignment left, and Indentation is Left 0.63 cm,
Hanging 0.63 cm, Right 0 cm. Tabs are 1.27 cm, List tab. In the "Style" box
on the formatting toolbar is "Numbered, Left: 0.63 cm, Hanging: 0.63 cm".

One other point; if I use the formatting menu to start B & N, type a few
numbered points, switch off B & N (with the toolbar button), type some
ordinary paragraphs, then start B & N again, I get the "menu-type"
formatting whether I choose the menu or the toolbar button! However, if I
start off B & N with the toolbar button, continue as above, and restart B &
N, with the toolbar button I get the toolbar formatting, but with the menu
selection I get the menu-type formatting.

Why does the toolbar button behave differently from the menu selection? I
always thought that the buttons were shortcuts to menu items or macros.
Although formatting problems with B & N are covered in "Troubleshooting B &
N" in Help, this one doesn't appear to be.

TIA

 

[Margaret Aldis]

Hi Jeff

I'm afraid you are likely to remain puzzled (at best - screaming mad is
another likely scenario) if you use the Bullets and Numbering dialog or the
standard buttons to apply bullets and numbering.

The button applies the current 'default' numbering or bulleting format
scheme. This is probably the last one you used, but not always, and it
certainly isn't guaranteed to be the same on different machines, in
different Word sessions, or after changes via the B&N dialog.

You don't say what Word version you are using, but the B&N and Customize
dialogs may make settings that you can't see (notably, Word 97 - not sure
about 2000 - didn't include separate tab and hanging indent settings for
single-level lists, but recording a macro will reveal Word often sets 0.63
tab position 'by itself').

The best solution to stay sane is to use styles to apply bullets and
numbering. For more information see Shauna Kelly's site, especially

http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html

If you really want to know more about some of the madder aspects of B&N,
read John McGhie's article

http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Numbering/WordsNumberingExplained.htm

--
Margaret Aldis - Microsoft Word MVP
Syntagma partnership site: http://www.syntagma.co.uk
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word

 

[Jeff Layman]

Margaret,

Thanks for the explanation. I've looked at Shauna's pages before - guess
I'll have to use Styles if I want consistency in numbering. I'll read
John's pages too - but trying to understand Microsoft's reasoning behind
some of Word's functioning (or non-functioning!) is like trying to grab air.

By the way, I'm on Word 2002. If you're old enough, why do I think
Word 97 = Dos 3
Word 2002 = Dos 4
Let's hope Word 2003 = Dos 5 (but I won't hold my breath).

Cheers,
--
Jeff
(Remove xxx from email address to reply)

Hi Jeff

I'm afraid you are likely to remain puzzled (at best - screaming mad is
another likely scenario) if you use the Bullets and Numbering dialog or the
standard buttons to apply bullets and numbering.

The button applies the current 'default' numbering or bulleting format
scheme. This is probably the last one you used, but not always, and it
certainly isn't guaranteed to be the same on different machines, in
different Word sessions, or after changes via the B&N dialog.

You don't say what Word version you are using, but the B&N and Customize
dialogs may make settings that you can't see (notably, Word 97 - not sure
about 2000 - didn't include separate tab and hanging indent settings for
single-level lists, but recording a macro will reveal Word often sets 0.63
tab position 'by itself').

The best solution to stay sane is to use styles to apply bullets and
numbering. For more information see Shauna Kelly's site, especially

http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html

If you really want to know more about some of the madder aspects of B&N,
read John McGhie's article

http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Numbering/WordsNumberingExplained.htm

(snip)