Line spacing

[Bert Coules]

If the answer to this is easily available, my apologies; I've searched and
can't find it.

I'm using Word 2000 runing under Windows XP Pro on a PC.

Is there a way to set the line spacing to, say "1.4" or maybe "1.45" or
similar? I used to find this very useful for a bit of "cheat formatting",
to avoid breaking a paragraph across two pages for example, but since I
moved to Word I haven't been able to work out how to manage it.

Many thanks.

Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

From the Format menu, select Paragraph then change the Line Spacing under
the Spacing section of the Indents and Spacing tab.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Bert Coules]

Doug,

From the Format menu, select Paragraph then change the Line Spacing under
the Spacing section of the Indents and Spacing tab.

I've been trying that, but - and forgive me if this is a stupid question -
what do I change it to? The default seems to be measured in points - I've
tried numbers like "11.5pts" but the result just seems to be single spacing.
Entering "1.45" and similar has the same effect.

Am I missing something obvious?

Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

 

[Bert Coules]

I've now done some more experimenting: as far as I can see, entering any
value lower than "12" in the "exactly" line-spacing box results in single
line spacing. Surely that can't be right? Is there another setting
somewhere which is affecting ths one?

Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

It isn't immediately obvious, since the spin box increments by half lines,
but using the Multiple setting, you can set any fraction you like (just type
it in). I often use 1.25 or 1.3 and even more frequently use .99 or less to
fit copy into a space that's not quite big enough for single-spaced text.

 

[Bert Coules]

I'm sorry to keep answering my own questions, but here we go anyway...

I'd assumed that because the line spacing box was reporting 12pt when I
selected "exactly" then that must be what the document was already set to -
in other words, I assumed that 12pt equals 1.5 spacing.

Now of course I've realised that it doesn't. I suspect that in fact 12pt
equals *single* line spacing (which is why reducing that figure produces
single line spacing, whatever the value). And I further suspect that 12pt
is in the box merely as a starting value, not as a reflection of the
existing document.

So - and I'm off to experiment with this - maybe *18pt* equals 1.5 spacing,
and therefore 17pt might give me the just-a-fraction-less format that I'm
after.

If all this is nonsense, somebody please tell me...

Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

 

[Bert Coules]

It isn't immediately obvious, since the spin box increments by half lines,
but using the Multiple setting...

"Not immediately obvious" is a bit of an understatement! I had no idea at
all what the Multiple setting did, though of course it's perfectly clear now
you've explained it. Many thanks.

As you might see from my other posts I think I've sussed out where I was
going wrong with the point setting too. Something else that's not
immediately obvious...

Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Actually, 12 pts is just the default setting for Exactly. It doesn't really
relate to anything (though one of my requests of MS in the past has been
that it reflect the currently applied spacing or at least the value of
Single spacing for the given font size). It does actually represent Single
line spacing for 10-pt TNR, but that's all. To approximate Single spacing
for any other font or point size, you just have to proceed by trial and
error. A good starting point is that Single spacing for TNR is approximately
120% of the nominal point size. Other fonts, however, have more or less
leading (line spacing) built in, so it's a hit-or-miss process.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Single spacing is approximately 120% of the font size in points.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Bert Coules]

...though one of my requests of MS in the past has been
that it reflect the currently applied spacing...

My immediate and instinctive reaction was that the figure represented
exactly that.

...or at least the value of Single spacing for the given font size.

Less obvious, perhaps, but it would still more useful than the present
arrangement.

Again, many thanks.

Bert
www.bertcoules.co.uk