Tab and Shift-tab doesn't change outline level, it just tabs over

[Michael Karlin]

I thought that if you are doing an outline with automatic numbering, the
effect of pressing tab would be to increase the level and pressing shift-tab
would decrease the level. But when I press the tab or shift-tab, all that
happens is that it inserts a tab character, which I thought was supposed to
happen only when one presses ctrl-tab. Is there some setting that has gone
awry/

 

[garfield-n-odie]

In Word 97 and 2000, click on Tools | Options | Edit | check the
"Tabs and backspace set left indent" box | OK.

In Word 2002 and 2003, click on Tools | AutoCorrect Options |
AutoFormat As You Type | check the "Set left- and first-indent
with tabs and backspaces" box | OK.

 

[Michael Karlin]

Thanks very much. The curious thing is that I have no recollection of having
changed this. But this is just what I needed.

Michael

 

[peneus_str]

I don't have an option for "Tabs and backspace set left indent". I am having
the same problem on one computer and I can't figure out how, why, or what to
do to fix it. It's Word 2000, but there's no option as you described. I even
tried the procedure you specified for 2002 & 2003 but still no option.
Anything else?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Are you sure you are selecting Options from the Tools menu and then looking
at the Edit tab of the Options dialog? The referenced check box is toward
the end of the list.

 

[Shawn]

I just had to say thank you as I have been struggling with that one for two
months now. Worked like a charm.

 

[garfield-n-odie]

You're very welcome, and thanks for the feedback.

 

[peneus_str]

Yes, I have it open now. Went to Tools, Options, and then clicked on the Edit
tab. I have Editing Options: Typing replaces selection, Drag-and-drop text
editing, Use the INS key for paste, Overtype mode, Allow accented uppercase
in French, Use smart paragraph selection, Use CTRL + Click to follow
hyperlink, When selecting, automatically select entire word, Prompt to update
style, Keep track of formatting, 2 drop downs for Picture editor, 2
checkboxes for Cut and Paste options plus a Settings button, and Click and
type checkbox and drop down for paragraph style. There is nothing there
specifying Tab and Backspace..... I cannot find it on any other tab either.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Well, I never used Word 2000. I have described where it is in Word 97 and
2002/2003, and I assumed 2000 was the same as 97. Perhaps someone who has
2000 can point you to the right place. I must say, though, that the Edit tab
you describe sounds like the 2002/2003 one. Are you sure you don't have the
option on the AutoFormat As You Type tab of Tools | AutoCorrect Options.

 

[peneus_str]

Well, we just upgraded to 2003 and so far it seems to be acting better.
Thanks anyway!!

 

[Meghan Woods]

Thank you so much for this post. It fixed my problem perfectly. I don't know,
either, why it just stopped doing this because I never unchecked it. I've had
this happen in the past.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

When an Options setting is changed and you're sure you didn't do it, you can
usually blame a poorly written add-in that changes specific settings without
regard for its effect on others (often as a result of recording a macro and
not properly editing it afterward).

 

[Amit]

THi thanks for this for WORD 2007 its a bit different: Click on the windows
logo, then Word Options, then Proofing, the Auto Correct Options, AutoFormat
As You Type, and select the
"Set left - and first -indent with tabs and backspaces"

 

[Writer]

YESSS Amit. Us Word 2007 users greatly appreciate your revision of
instructions for us. This inane problem has bugged me for years with Word
2003. So I was relieved to find it not a problem when I first installed Word
2007. Then, suddenly, the old nemesis was back! But it's banished now, and I
feel Goood! Thanks.

 

[Sue Phillips]

I have set up styles and outline so that pressing tab demotes the heading to
the next level (and shift tab promotes it). This works for every heading in
the document except for the first one - the tab key inserts a tab instead. If
I use format painter to change the format of the first heading, the outline
does then work but the heading number changes from 1 to 2, and demoting this
heading creates a second level heading numbered 1.2. I cannot find any
heading or style markers or any text formatted as a heading earlier in the
document. If I then restart numbering to correct the heading number from 2
to 1, outline stops working again so I am back to the original problem. Is
this a known error and/or is there a way of correcting it?

 

[Stefan Blom]

If the Tab key doesn't work, try Alt+Shift+Right arrow. But it is not a good
idea to start an outline in Word with something other than level 1. The
reason is that Word assumes the presence of a higher level and adjusts
numbering accordingly (as you have noticed).

For more on setting up outline numbering, see
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html. If you are
using Word 2007, a lot has changed in the user interface, but the general
principles described in the article still apply.

 

[Sue Phillips]

Hi Stefan - thanks for your response. Alt+shift+right arrow changes the
first heading (numbered 1) to 1.2, then Alt+shift+left arrow changes it to 2.
I've spent so long on this document that I can't remember how I started the
outline, but it may be as you say that I was not at the top of the document.
However, given that I am where I am and I have already gone through setting
everything up, is there a way of fixing this or is the only option to start
again with a fresh document (I really hope not!!)? I am using Word 2003.

 

[Stefan Blom]

That is a bit strange. What happens if you select the paragraph and press
Ctrl+Q (to clear direct paragraph formatting, including numbering)? Does
that make a difference? If not, you may want to treat the document as
(possibly) corrupt. Copy the text, except for the final paragraph mark, into
a newly created document, and see if that helps.

 

[Sue Phillips]

In my original document, ctrl-Q had exactly the same effect as using format
painter to copy the formatting from another heading - the heading number
changed from 1 to 2 and using tab then demoted the heading.

By copying the text into a new document (without the final paragraph
markers), I seem to have eliminated the problem of the paragraph number
changing, but still have the tab problem. I copied the text, highlighted it
and selected "Heading 1" from the style drop down list, then added a "Heading
2", some normal text, another "Heading 1" and another "Heading 2". Using tab
to demote the headings works for all the headings except for the first.
Using format painter to copy the format from another heading made no
difference - but at least this time the numbering did not change.

 

[Stefan Blom]

In my original document, ctrl-Q had exactly the same effect as using
format
painter to copy the formatting from another heading - the heading number
changed from 1 to 2 and using tab then demoted the heading.

It is possible that the "Start at" number for the list was incorrectly set
to 2 in the original document. (Note that the "Start at" option can be
changed in the Customize Outline Numbered List dialog box.)

By copying the text into a new document (without the final paragraph
markers), I seem to have eliminated the problem of the paragraph number
changing, but still have the tab problem. I copied the text, highlighted
it
and selected "Heading 1" from the style drop down list, then added a
"Heading
2", some normal text, another "Heading 1" and another "Heading 2".

Using tab to demote the headings works for all the headings except for the
first. Using format painter to copy the format from another heading made
no difference - but at least this time the numbering did not change.

I think this is a limitation of using the Tab key; it doesn't work with the
first paragraph in an outline-numbered list. As I wrote, use
Alt+Shift+Left/right arrow instead.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP