Outlook 2007 paragraph spacing, reprise

[Chris]

Hello,

Perhaps in response to the earlier outcry, the Outlook 2007 (with
Vista Ultimate) that I just installed came with the Normal Style
defaulting to 0 space after paragraphs. This meant that, typing a new
message into the HTML editor, I had to hit Enter twice in order to
have any visible space between my paragraphs. This, then, had the
effect of sending my messages with an extra paragraph (nbsp) between
each paragraph. Still, it looked okay in Outlook.

However, it did not look okay to others, in Gmail and elsewhere. And
it did not look okay when echoed back to me in the form of replies.
So, what to do? I searched and read up on the problem.

I changed the Normal style to have a 10pt space after each paragraph.
This way, when I hit Enter once in the editor, I can see a space
between the paragraphs, and I am happy. Also, the resulting messages
still look okay (at least in Gmail and Outlook both). So far so good.

However, when I reply to a message sent from Gmail, or try to carry on
a sequence of replies with anybody, I still have problems. Here is an
easy sequence to replicate:

1. Write message to Gmail user. Looks good to both me and him.

2. Gmail user replies. Looks good to me and him.

3. I try to reply to the Gmail reply. I have the Normal style as the
default, but suddenly the Normal style no longer has 10pt spaces after
paragraphs. That aspect of the Normal style has been stripped by
Gmail. So, again, in order to see space between my paragraphs, I am
forced to hit Enter twice. This then causes double-spacing and the
well-known annoyances.

4. To avoid the problem, every single time I reply I must change the
Normal style to add back in the 10pt space.

Notice that the 10pt space is only stripped for replies. If I compose
a new message, the Normal style is as it should be, complete with its
10pt space.

So, I ask: is there any way, with Outlook 2007, to carry on a
conversation with non-Outlook users, and not have spacing problems
creeping in?

Thank you very much,

Chris

 

[Nikki Peterson]

I am not sure but there is a thing called "Smart Paragraph" that
when you copy something, it will always grab the paragraph
mark and include it, thereby making your line breaks to appear
double.

To turn Smart Paragraph Selection off in:
- OL2007: Tools -> Options -> Mail Format tab -> Editor Options...
button -> Advanced -> deselect Use Smart Paragraph Selection.
- Word2007: Office Button -> Word Options -> Advanced and
deselect Use Smart Paragraph Selection.
- OL2003: Tools -> Word Options -> Edit tab and deselect Use
Smart Paragraph Selection.

Now, having stated this, I do not think this is quite the same,
however maybe a bit of perusing in this area may unveil something
more towards that which you seek. If you do find something or
if this works, please write back and let us know.

Nikki Peterson

 

[Chris]

Thanks for your suggestion. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to correct it.

Perhaps the most succinct way to state my problem is this: when I hit Enter
at the end of a line, when writing a message, I want to see a visible break
between my first paragraph and my second (so that I am not tempted to hit
Enter twice and thus unwittingly send readers a message with huge spaces
between paragraphs); by modifying the Normal style to have a 10pt space after
paragraphs, I am happy when writing new messages; however, when replying to
messages sent by Gmailers and others, the Normal style temporarily loses its
10pt space setting and thus requires two Enters to see any space between
paragraphs (resulting, then, in loads of extra space to others).

All I want is to have messages look correct (a) to me when I'm writing, and
(b) to those who read my messages. Amazingly, I have so far found this to be
utterly impossible.

Chris

 

[Nikki Peterson]

Gosh, the general consensus is that plain text is the answer.
Not a happy for me either.
The Control + Enter will give you a single return char, but
that isn't a very good answer either.
I will play with this for a while, but at this point I would have
to agree with you that this seems to be an "irritation" not a feature.

Nikki

 

[Chris]

Thanks, Nikki. The funny thing is that I have traditionally been one of the
last plaintext holdouts, but since so many others write in HTML, my replies
are most often in HTML. So I figured if I had to get used to single-Enter on
reply, I should just send all messages that way. How annoying this is! (I
wish we had all just stayed with plaintext!)

Chris

 

[Chris]

Okay, so here's the best "solution" I've come up with: I've edited the
NormalEmail.dotm template to add a new Quick Style Set to match the default
set of styles (which includes a single-spaced Normal, with 10pt
below-paragraph space); I've then added the Quick Style Sets gallery to the
Quick Access Toolbar; now, every time I reply to a message, I select my new
Quick Style Set from the Quick Access Toolbar. It makes some quoted message
text from Gmail look a little funny, but at least it makes my text look good
to me and people reading my messages.

So, two less-than-ideal aspects of this solution: (1) I have to hit two
extra mouse clicks every single time I reply to a message, and (2) this
quoted message history gets a little goofy-looking.

If I could figure out from where Outlook pulls its style set for
reply/forward, then I could update that style set and be done with it. Sadly,
I can't find it anywhere!

Chris