Setting Tabs in Word X

[Steve Fox]

I have a document (table of contents) in which the alignment of page
numbers has to be exact. I made a new entry, but I cannot figure out
how to set a "right tab" in order to align page numbers. The previous
entries have the correct tab. Surely, there's got to be a way to set a
tab!!

Help!!

Thanks!

 

[Steve Fox]

Thanks for the suggestions. The problem seems to be that I can't set a
tab in the first place, from which all else flows. (See my reply to
Elliott Roper.)

As for generating a TOC, my book is not one document. It's a series of
separate chapters (docs).

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Hi Steve--

Did you try my suggestion 3) hitting enter from a properly formatted entry?

If you can get the dialog box, you should be able to set a tab even if
clicking on the ruler doesn't work.

I've done the double-clicking routine, but have NO IDEA what to do with the
settings options presented.

In the Format | Tabs dialog box, you should see a box for Tab Stop Position.
You can enter a new position there, and create a tab that way. For a right
tab, perhaps enter 5.5" ? Then select the radio button for right.
Underneath that box may be a list of existing tabs, denoted by .5", 1.5" ,
etc. You can highlight a tab (represented by its position in inches) and
then select one of the Alignment radio buttons to format that selected tab
as a right tab, or clear it, etc. (Sorry, I thought my brief directions in
the previous message would make sense when actually looking at the dialog).

FYI: Leaders would add, for example, a row of dots between entry and page
number, e.g.:
Chapter 3.............................65

**On a copy**, I suggest that you select all, Format | Tabs, Clear All Tabs,
and then use the dialog box to set the tabs you want, since you say clicking
on the ruler is not creating a tab. This will require some manual
intervention (you will probably have to hit tab again between each chapter
name and page number to move over the number) but should get you a more
cleanly formatted document. This will save you the frustration of seeing
tabs set in part of the document but not other parts.

That should clear up your tabs issue in the document. Tabs not appearing
when you click on the ruler is a separate issue, perhaps someone else can
help out?

Don't know anything about automatic generating. What in the world is "TOCn
styles"? How will auto generating come up with the necessary format?

Trust us, auto generating *can* create the necessary format, and save you
trouble. If you want to become a more skilled Word user, people (me) will
post you detailed info on creating an automatic TOC. It will require a
small investment of time and a willingness to do some experimentation on
test copies, but at the end of it you will have learned about Styles and
Outline View, both *exceedingly* useful techniques for anyone writing long
documents. If you could give us a sense of what your files are, it would
be best--if they are mostly text, I can help out--if you have lots of
figures and tables a more sophisticated method might be required.

Dayo

 

[Elliott Roper]

I've done the clicking on the ruler thing a zillion times. Doesn't work.

Something is busted in your copy of Word. I despair of this program
sometimes. There are all sorts of magic spells for getting it back into
shape. Use Google groups to read the almost incessant advice for
trashing your preferences, your settings files, restoring Normal.dot or
removing and re-installing the whole thing. They have the hubris to
call it an office *productivity* application.

I've observed the "strange box" as well and realize its purpose.

Does the tab direction change when you click on it? Yet you can't
create a tab in the ruler? Amazing. I believe you. It's just amazing.

I've done the double-clicking routine, but have NO IDEA what to do with
the settings options presented.

Now you have read Dayo's excellent response, you should be flying.

Don't know anything about automatic generating. What in the world is
"TOCn styles"? How will auto generating come up with the necessary format?

A little more on what Dayo said:-
If you look in the styles palette, you will see names like TOC1 TOC2.
They are automatic styles for Table Of Contents. If you have created
your document with Heading1, Heading2 etc. styles for each level of
heading, the "Create Table of Contents" will work magic for you. There
is much more to it than that of course, but well worth the effort to
learn if your documents are that kind of thing. You can, for instance
alter those styles so every table of contents you ever make will be
exactly how you want them to look.

That's what is so frustrating about Word. For all its quirks, it is
remarkably clever on sunny days.

 

[Steve Fox]

Affirmative on the return suggestion. Got me where I wanted to be with
a little manipulating. Thanks!

 

[Steve Fox]

Elliott,

Thanks for the help! I'm going to print yours and Dayo's procedures for
study and implementation. I'm very grateful.

Steve

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Hey Steve,

Glad you solved the tabs problem, which I just noticed has been bugging you
for a few weeks... Hitting return from a line that's correct is a
functional method, although a tad sloppy.

Just to confirm. When you click on the ruler, a little black L-shape
doesn't show up? Your text wouldn't necessarily move, but that black shape
is a tab.

Dayo

 

[Steve Fox]

Dayo,

Yep, I do know what the tabs look like. But that still doesn't make it
work like it should.

Steve

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Just making sure, sometimes frustration can make us overlook stuff. At
least you can work around it with Format | Tabs until you feel like putting
serious time into fixing it, if even possible.

Dayo