Leaders not consistent in list of figs in word 2007

[Dana R.]

I read post "page No.s for TOC level-1 won't align..." and it was helpful,
but not quite. I have inconsistent leaders in List of figures when I insert
Table of figures. Set Leader tab as needed for margin, but out of 9 items
(tables) listed I have three that have no leader, just as Lisa H described.
I have repeatedly reset the tabs and checked right margin tab but cannot get
software to give me leaders on all items in list. Please help.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Are the items with no leader very short ones?

 

[Dana R.]

Yes, sort of, they are long captions which run from previous line, I have a
first line indent and a single tab symbol (right arrow), then the page
number, but no line of peiods (leader?) I appreciate your swift response.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

First-line indent or a hanging indent? If it's the latter, there will be a
tab stop associated with the indent. I'd guess that the runover line is not
long enough to pass this (or some other) tab stop.

 

[Dana R.]

I want to rephrase my response. The captions are long and lap over onto a
second line. There is a first line, then an indent on second line followed
by maybe 1-2 words of caption, then a single tab symbol (right arrow), then
the page
number, but no line of periods (leader?). I hope this is more articulate.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Okay, so we're dealing with a hanging indent (and I wasn't thinking clearly,
either). By default, Word sets a tab stop at the hanging indent position.
This can be an issue in a short first line but shouldn't be on the second.
If the problem isn't solved by selecting the text and pressing Ctrl+Q, then
I would guess the problem is another tab stop to the right of the short bits
of text (but left of the one where the page number belongs). This isn't a
problem with long titles but will be with short ones (or short runover
pieces of ones). The ruler should show you whether there are any extraneous
tab stops.

 

[Dana R.]

I have a hanging indent, not first line, by .33. Tried switching to by .2,
and tried putting in (none) for special indent, got slightly diff results
with same problems, just on diff list items. My tab stops are as follows,
..25 dec. with leader; .5, .96, .88, 1.05, and 1.25 left with no leader; 5.63
dec. with leader, and 5.74 right with leader. I set it on either 5.63 or
5.74, but it doesn't make a difference. Leaders still inconsistent. what
does a tab stop do?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

In a list of figures you should not need any tab stops except the one at the
hanging indent and the one for the page number. Try deleting all the rest.

What a tab stop does is provide a place for the tab to stop. By default,
Word sets built-in tab stops every half inch. When you set a specific tab
stop, Word clears all the built-in ones to the left of it so that a single
tab character will take you to the tab stop you have set.

 

[Dana R.]

Between this post from you and the last post from you, I fixed the problem.
I had incorrectly added all of the tab stops that I needed for the entire
document into the Table of figures under References. Based on your
suggestion, I went into these settings and deleted all but the right
justified one and voila, it worked. Thank you for allof your help. This is
the only place that I know of to find help on microsoft 2007, though this
problem was not limited by the software but the user. Thank you so much.