I want space between each item in a numbered list

[David Walker]

I have read many posts here, and elsewhere on the 'net, but Word 2007 keeps
insisting on turning ON the checkmark that says "Don't add space between
paragraphs of the same type", when those "paragraphs" are items in a
numbered list.

I have tried creating my own numbered list style, and linking each
paragraph format to a customized paragraph format, but STILL it forgets
this part.

I don't want to have to uncheck this paragraph setting every time I create
a new numbered list; that's just silly.

Can anyone, please, tell me HOW to tell Word 2007, once and for all, that I
ALWAYS WANT space (6 points) between items in a numbered list? And that I
want Word to remember this from now on, forever, and this should be the
default, and I don't ever want to create numbered lists without space
between the individual items, ever again, until the end of time? I find it
REALLY hard to read a numbered list that has no vertical space between the
numbered items.

Why Word 2007 insists on ignoring this particular paragraph setting, when
it's doing a numbered list, is beyond my comprehension.

How hard can this be?

Thanks. Sorry for the tone, but this is frustrating.


David Walker

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I would imagine this might be one of the unforeseen consequences of
divorcing list style formatting from paragraph style formatting and
requiring you to apply a list style to a paragraph style in order to have
outline numbering. I'm still far from understanding how any of this works,
but if the list style doesn't have a setting for this (and it doesn't) and
you have defined it as part of your paragraph style, then I don't know where
you'd go from there.

 

[David Walker]

I would imagine this might be one of the unforeseen consequences of
divorcing list style formatting from paragraph style formatting and
requiring you to apply a list style to a paragraph style in order to
have outline numbering. I'm still far from understanding how any of
this works, but if the list style doesn't have a setting for this (and
it doesn't) and you have defined it as part of your paragraph style,
then I don't know where you'd go from there.

Ack! That's horrible. With any set of defaults, you can only please half
the people, so Word 2007 shouldn't make it IMPOSSIBLE to modify the default
settings so that numbered lists are formatted with space in between each
item.

I don't recall seeing any books published with no space between the
numbered items in a list, so of course, I think the way Word 2007
stubbornly does it, while refusing to change its ways, is WRONG.

If anyone else can think of a way, please let us know. Thanks.

David Walker

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

One of the MS team who helped develop the new numbering design tells me that
the solution to your problem is to modify the List Paragraph style (remove
the "Don't add space" check mark for that style). Let us know if that solves
the problem.

 

[PamC via OfficeKB.com]

Another possible way to keep that awful spacing between bullets (grins, I
couldn't resist) is to clear the check box next to "Use Normal style for
bulleted or numbered lists" in Word Options > Advanced > Editing Options.
The bullets will also have the spacing of normal.

The new List Paragraph style is one of the good things about W2007. It makes
it easier to clean up manually formatted documents and apply the hierarchal
list and bullet styles.

PamC

One of the MS team who helped develop the new numbering design tells me that
the solution to your problem is to modify the List Paragraph style (remove
the "Don't add space" check mark for that style). Let us know if that solves
the problem.
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]

David Walker

 

[David Walker]

One of the MS team who helped develop the new numbering design tells
me that the solution to your problem is to modify the List Paragraph
style (remove the "Don't add space" check mark for that style). Let us
know if that solves the problem.

That worked!!! Thanks.

You know, I didn't notice the bottom down-arrow thing above "Styles" that
would show me the additional styles.

I like the ribbon better than the old way, but there sure is a learning
curve there for some things.

Thanks again.


David Walker

 

[David Walker]

Another possible way to keep that awful spacing between bullets
(grins, I couldn't resist) is to clear the check box next to "Use
Normal style for bulleted or numbered lists" in Word Options >
Advanced > Editing Options. The bullets will also have the spacing of
normal.

The new List Paragraph style is one of the good things about W2007.
It makes it easier to clean up manually formatted documents and apply
the hierarchal list and bullet styles.

PamC

You know, that check box is already off. But thanks for the suggestion. I
appreciate the help.

Why do you want your list items all scrunched up together? They need some
breathing room! Sorry, I couldn't resist either.

Yes, now that Suzanne pointed me to the List Paragraph style, I think it is
an improvement.


David Walker