Can't modify table style - font in table of contents window

[mimijel]

I'm flabbergasted after spending over 30 minutes trying to trouble shoot a
table of contents, so I deleted it and tried to create a new table of
contents formatted like the one I had before (font properties wise).

So I select the table of contents tab on the ribbon (Word 2007), then I
select "Insert a tabel of contents..." under the automatic and manual table
images above and I want to "modify" the "formal" format, since it's pretty
close to what I want except for the font color, type and size. I also want
to change the "options" since I have predefined styles I created in the
document and I want the "TOC"s to be assigned to these styles as opposed to
"Heading1, 2, etc.". I can change the options, but "modify" is no longer a
choice (faded).

At one point, during all my attempts I could "modify" any format in the
"Formats" list, but now only the "from template" format allows me to both
change the "options" or "modify".

If you're wondering why don't I just change the "from template" format, I've
tried but can't get the "tab leader" I want "..." to display.

There you have it! Help please!

 

[Terry Farrell]

Table of Contents are their own styles, a style for level 1 heading is TOC1,
level 2 heading is TOC2, etc. Unless you use direct formatting, the style
of the Heading is independent from the style of the TOC. I can edit them
all. What can't you edit, the TOC or the Heading? Why can't you get tab
leaders to display?

 

[J L]

I don't totally understand your reply, but my problem is that I think I have a bug or something with Word.

After I follow the procedures I described in my original post, normally (I have been able to do so before) I could modify the "formats" in the table of contents windows.

The problem I am describing is just that, I can no longer edit them and even the old table of contents (which keeps showing up as the "from template" format in my document (despite having deleted the actual table of contents from the document) keeps showing up in the "Formats" list in the table of contents window. And despite clearly seeing the "tabe leader" = "....." which I want displayed in the table of contents window for my "from template" Format, it doesn't display in the window above it nor the document (if I reinsert this table of content).

So perhaps you can make the modifications I want to make, but for some unexplained reason, I cannot (at least any more) within this document (I can make the changes if I create a new document) - thus, why I'm asking for help via the Microsoft Office-Word Newsgroup.



Terry Farrell wrote:

Table of Contents are their own styles, a style for level 1 heading is
27-Jan-10

Table of Contents are their own styles, a style for level 1 heading is TOC1
level 2 heading is TOC2, etc. Unless you use direct formatting, the styl
of the Heading is independent from the style of the TOC. I can edit the
all. What cannot you edit, the TOC or the Heading? Why cannot you get ta
leaders to display

-
Terry Farrell - MSWord MVP

Previous Posts In This Thread:


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[mimijel]

I don't totally understand your reply, but my problem is that I think I have
a bug or something with Word.

After I follow the procedures I described in my original post, normally (I
have been able to do so before) I could modify the "formats" in the table of
contents windows.

The problem I am describing is just that, I can no longer edit them and even
the old table of contents (which keeps showing up as the "from template"
format in my document (despite having deleted the actual table of contents
from the document) keeps showing up in the "Formats" list in the table of
contents window. And despite clearly seeing the "tabe leader" = "....."
which I want displayed in the table of contents window for my "from template"
Format, it doesn't display in the window above it nor the document (if I
reinsert this table of content).

So perhaps you can make the modifications I want to make, but for some
unexplained reason, I cannot (at least any more) within this document (I can
make the changes if I create a new document) - thus, why I'm asking for help
via the Microsoft Office-Word Newsgroup.

 

[DeanH]

I believe the Modify Button being greyed out for Formal TOC format is by
design and not a bug.
To add to Terry's comments (which are correct by the way).
I tend to stay away from these TOC formats (as I beleive they can cause more
aggrevation than value) and only use the "from template" format and modify
the TOC styles, via the Styles group in 2007 I believe, to get the effect I
am after, ie dot leader (found under Tabs property).
Even if you are using Formal format you can still Modify the TOC styles,
just not via the Table Of Contents dialog but via the Styles group.
Hope this helps
DeanH

 

[mimijel]

Okay, I did a little testing and understand what you are both saying, but in
a new document the "from template" allows you to insert or remove the "tab
leader" and in MY document, I cannot (which is all I want added back to the
table of contents I'd like).

I will try your work around Dean, but I still think something is buggie
since I can't change the "tab leader" to my "from template" format in the
document I've already created while being able to do so in a new document.
It's as though I have some kind of unseen formatting fixed into my document
concerning the table of contents.

 

[mimijel]

And oh, I just tried to modify the "tab" under "Format" for the "Modify
style" window" of the TOC style and it changes what you see in the "Table of
Contents" window's "tab leader" but not the display above it nor in the
document. I still get a table of contents inserted WITHOUT my "....." leader.

arghhhhh!

 

[mimijel]

Sorry, this is a repeat of my previous reply tha tI posted directly to the
Egghead site when I couldn't find my original post on the MS newsgroup.
Please ignore.

 

[DeanH]

You don't mention what version of Word you are using (always useful) but for
Word 2003 and prior, Tools, Options, Track Changes, Changed Lines, change to
Outside Border.
In 2007 look in the Word Options under the Microsoft Office button
Hope this helps
DeanH

 

[DeanH]

Apologies, the previous posting is in reply to a totally unrelated posting.
The system must be having a really-bad day ;-)
DeanH

 

[mimijel]

No problem DCEan, an yes, it is having a slow day because that's how I made
the mistake I made as well, because I couldn't find my post although it had
been over 30-45 minutes (maybe more) since I had posted it. No matter, but
if you or Terry get a chance do reply to the last post I made to your
suggestion, my issue is still an issue and I'm trying to figure out how to
recopy my document into a new document just to be able to do what you
suggested.

 

[Terry Farrell]

To remove the Leader, just Format Tabs, select the tab in question and clear
the checked TAB by selecting No Tab and Apply. If you want to keep that, use
the Update to match current style option.

Terry

 

[mimijel]

Hi Terry,

I have Word 2007 and I'm not following where to do what you are suggesting.
I will explain what I have done though:

I have a document that no longer "visibly" has a table of contents. I go to
the ribbon bar tab "References" select "Table of contents" and get scroll
list which shows me pictures of built-in tables (automatic and manual).
Underneath I have the option to either "Insert a table of contents..." or
"Remove a table of contents" (which I don't no why since I am not supposed to
have a table of contents in document, but I have the option. The third option
to "Save selection to ..." is grayed out, normal I assume).

So I have been selecting "Insert a table of contents..." and I see the
"Table of contents" window that gives me a "print preview" of my "From
template" Format. "Show page numbers" is selected (which I want), "Right
align page numbers" is grayed out and "Show levels" is available (I have 2
selected, which is fine). "Tab leader" is selected to "..." (though I do not
see it in the print preview window nor does it show if a table is inserted).
The web preview selections don't interest me, so they are fine. I also have
"Options" and "Modify" available.

Under "Options", automatically TOC's are assigned to styles "Heading 1, 2, &
3" but I removed them, because to my knowledge I have no "headings" styles
set in the document (unless they're there and I can't see them or it's
standard and preset for "From template" - this seems confusing to me). I have
predefined styles that I use in my document which I created called "PlanTitle
Style, Plan Subtitle Style, & Plan Body Style". So, I set them to "TOC 1, 2
& 3" respectively. "Outline levels" is selected and "Table entry levels" is
not. I select "OK" and my "Print preview" window on the "Tabel of contents"
window chagnes to reflect my TOC assignments to my document styles.

Under "Modify" of the "Table of contents" window, I can "modify" the TOCs
styles, so for TOC1, I have:
Name: TOC1
Style type: Paragraph
Style based on: Normal
Style for following paragraph: Normal

I select my font choices & I select "Format" to add the leader under "tab".
And for "numbering" I make "1." the choice for TOC 1. I make no other
"Format" changes. What I see in the "Modify Style" window is what I want,
except again I see no leader and I assume that here, this is normal.

I do the same for TOC 2, with its "numbering" set to "1.1", all else is the
same.

So, I click "OK" and "OK" again on the Table of contents" window to finally
insert my table of contents and I get a table that doesn't have leaders "..."

The only way I can get the leader is to select an automatic table of
contents with leaders in it, but then I can't properly modify the TOC Style.

I guess, Word 2007 simply can't create a TOC with the precise styles you
want and then allow you to save it. I thought I did this before (as I had
the leaders in place and everything, but I made some changes to the styles in
the document and everything went array afterwards.


Thanks any how!

To remove the Leader, just Format Tabs, select the tab in question and clear
the checked TAB by selecting No Tab and Apply. If you want to keep that, use
the Update to match current style option. "Outline levels" is selected and "Table entry fields" is not. I then say "ok".

Under "Modify"

 

[DeanH]

I have no idea why the Leader is not showing on the preview screen, even when
selected.
But have you tried the following, which I believe is repeating what Terry
and I have already suggested.
Create a TOC from whichever format you want to get the precious Leaders
showing.
Once the TOC is displayed in the document, go to the Style and Formatting
dialog, NOT via the TOC insert dialog because as you have stated the Modify
button is greyed out on some of the TOC formats but from the Styles group,
select the TOC 1 style and change the necessary format attributes but leaving
the Leader on the Tab dialog as is. Repeat for TOC 2 and 3.

Refresh the TOC.
Do the Leaders remain?
Does the formatting change to your requirements?

Generally the only time I use the TOC insert dialog is for the initial
insertion of a TOC. All subsequent changes, font, indenting, leaders, etc. I
have always done via the Style and Format dialogs.

Cross-fingers
DeanH

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

And in fact, since TOC styles are by default set to update automatically,
any changes you make to any single entry at a given level should be
propagated to all (the style will be updated). I have found, however, that
this is more true for paragraph formatting (including tabs and leaders) than
font formatting, which often has to be changed directly in the Modify Style
dialog.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Stefan Blom]

I too have noticed difficulties with font formatting. But it should work,
assuming that you carefully select an entire TOC entry and then set its font
properties.

 

[mimijel]

I didn't leave this issue, but took a break to do a few other things and then
tried again.

Here's where I am:

I finally relooked over all the advice and I'm pretty close to what I want.
I reached it by clearing all tabs (both the paragraph tabs under the Modify
TOC with the Insert TOC window and the TOC modify tab button) and only having
the leader selected and the pages numbers & right align pages numbers
selected. I think it was the right align that did it (Dah on my part) as I'm
don't think it was selected thus the leader wouldn't show.

Now, despite all of this, I have only one issue I can't resolve, and that is
that automatically a 3.38" tab inserts between the number before the TOC
entry:

Ex. 1. Purpose.................................1
2. Body......................................3
2.1 Fact 1..............................5

And of course, I'd rather have it look like this:

1. Purpose..................................1
2. Body.......................................3
2.1 Fact 1...............................5

Once in my document, I can of course delete the tab and format my table as I
want, but if I try to save it to the gallery afterwards, the formatting is
lost. (As my final goal is to save my precious TOC to the TOC gallery so I
can select it from the list whenever I enter a new TOC.

I've looked everywhere to see where this automatic tab is coming from and
can't figure it out. I've changed the Modify TOC style based on (within the
Insert TOC window), by creating a style I set up without tabs and I've
already cleared all tabs as I mentioned above. I've changed the Modify TOC
for the first lines to"body text" (that is to say "1. & 2. are at "body text"
level and 2.1 is at "level 1" as opposed to having 1. & 2. at "level 1" and
2.1 at "level 2") and once got the TOC to show as I wanted, but then when I
tried to save this TOC in the gallery, the format didn't stay nor did it
remain if I refresh the TOC in order to update it.

Any clue where this tab is coming from and how I can get rid of it? And
then ultimately "save" my painstakingly TOC to the gallery?

 

[mimijel]

And oh, I also tried a "go around" by inserting a preformatted automatic TOC
that is very similar to what I want, but still the 3,38" tabs are inserted.

 

[Stefan Blom]

If automatic numbering is followed by a tab character, a tab stop and a tab
character will also be added to the corresponding TOC entry. You cannot
delete the tab stop, but you can move it to a more appropriate position (in
this case, closer to the number). With the insertion point in the
appropriate TOC entry, just drag the tab stop using your mouse and the style
should adjust automatically.

 

[mimijel]

Thanks! that's pretty much what I resolved to do and I see that I won't be
able to save my TOC in the gallery with the format I'd like exactly. I'll
manually make the change each time.