Help with PowerPoint 2003 bullet levels

[Indigo99]

I have set up master slide text autolayout as follows:

Level one, no bullet or indent
.. Level two, bullet with indent
- Level three, bullet with indent

Here is the problem: After I type text in the first bullet level and press
enter to start a new paragraph, the tab key no longer works to change the new
paragraph to level two - have to use the outline arrows. I've experimented
and it looks like the tab will only function right if level one has a bullet.

I've experimented with inserting an "invisible" bullet in level one and
reducing it in size as far as possible (25% is the limit). It sort of works
but there is a slightly noticeable indent on the first line if level one
wraps to two lines.

Any ideas?

 

[Sandy Johnson]

I always use increase indent instead of Tabs (especially in this case). Is
the problem that you're doing this for someone else?

Sandy

 

[Indigo99]

I'm creating and troubleshooting a template that will be used by 20,000+
users so it has to work right. I know lots of people are accustomed to
changing bullet levels by pressing the tab key to get a sublevel bullet or
typing Shift+Tab to go back a level. I prefer this method myself because it's
much faster than using the outline toolbar arrows.

But the tab key no longer changes the next para to sublevel when level one
has no bullet. Any workarounds that you know of? We'd definitely like to keep
level one with no indent or bullet.

 

[Echo S]

Alt+Shift+Right Arrow will give you a bullet on the 2nd line if there isn't
one on the first. When I have clients that insist on a no-bullet for the
first line, we have to train their users to use the Increase Indent button
or the Alt+Shift+Right Arow instead of Tab. I know no other way around it.

 

[John Wilson]

Not a completely satisfactory workaround but I have done a couple of
templates with a full stop as bullet set to background 1 color and then
adjusted the lower ruler stop slightly to the right to make line 2 line up.
Sort of works.