Formatting an index with tab stops?

[Hobbes01]

I am trying to create a nomenclature page for my master's thesis using an
index. I essentially want three columns in the nomenclature - the
abbreviated term, the expanded version, and the page number of the first
instance used. I would like the abbreviated terms to be aligned at 0" on the
ruler; the expanded version to be left aligned beginning at 1.5"; the page
numbers to be right aligned at 6.5".

Getting the page numbers aligned is not an issue. My problem is
establishing the second column. Below is an example with the default marked
entry text within the field code:
DOF{ XE "DOF: degree of freedom" }

I can go into each entry and delete the colon and insert a tab, but I cannot
get it to display correctly when I update the index. The tab appears in the
index simply as a space. Two tabs = two spaces. Imagine the "->" equals the
tab arrow in my reformatted example below:
DOF { XE "DOF -> degree of freedom" }


I have also tried the following:
Right-click on the index -- Edit field -- Index -- Modify (using the "From
template" as my format) -- Modify (with Index 1 highlighted) -- Format -- Tabs

The tabs dialog box already had 6.49" entered as a tab stop position. I
added 1.5", chose left aligned, with no leader, clicked Set and then OK.

This still doesn't allow my inserted tab within the field code to appear as
a tab in the Index - it leaves it as a space. After updating the index I can
manually format it to my desired look but as soon as I update the entire
table
to refresh the page numbers it goes back to the default formats. Any
thoughts?

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

Just a guess -- what happens if you use ^t instead of pressing the tab
key in your index entry?

 

[Jay Freedman]

There is no way to alter the code within Word that composes the text result
of the Index field. You're fighting a losing battle. The only procedure
that's likely to succeed is this:

- Leave your XE fields with colons.
- While the document is under construction, just ignore the fact that the
index doesn't look like what you want.
- After the document is complete (all the XE fields are in place, and there
won't be any further editing that might change the pagination), update the
index and then, with the cursor in the index, press Ctrl+Shift+F9 to
"unlink" it (convert the index to plain text). Note that this destroys the
"field-ness" and precludes any more updates that draw from the XE fields.
- Modify the Index 1 style to add the 1.5" tab stop.
- Select the index text, and use the Replace dialog to replace colons with
tab characters (use the ^t code in the Replace With box).

Since your index is now plain text, you can make small edits in it with no
trouble. If you need a large-scale change -- such as repagination -- you'll
have to delete the whole index, insert a new Index field, update, unlink,
etc. (None of this affects the XE fields, which remain in the document.)

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.