Tab character in table of contents when using heading styles

[Rob Nicholson]

This is a pretty esoteric and fiddly question so I'll be real chuffed if
there is an answer

We make intensive use of headings (heading 1, heading 2 & heading 3) in 100+
page documents and the automatic generation of the table of contents. All of
a sudden on one PC, the formatting of the TOC is going AWOL. I've tracked it
down to the tab character from the heading being used in the TOC (TOC 2 in
this case) but not being able to define the position for this tab.

Consider the following heading:

1.2<TAB>Welcome to the machine

In heading 2 style, we use outline numbering configured to include a <tab>
after the number. All we type in is "Welcome to the machine"

When this is used in the TOC, TOC 2 style is applied. TOC 2 style is Heading
1+1.2cm indent. When the TOC is built, the following gets generated:

<1.2cm indent>1.2<TAB>Welcome to the machine<RIGHT TAB to 15.9cm with
dots>34 (page 34)

This is expected: the 1.2cm indent comes from the TOC 2 style, the first tab
from the tab in the heading style itself and the right tab and page number
added by automatic TOC function.

Now the problem is that first <TAB> brought in the heading string - the
position that ends up *varies* from PC to PC. There is no specific tab
position defined. On my PC (the faulty) one, a tab position is set at 5.93"
which causes a huge gap after the number. This used to work perfectly.
Another user on another PC it ends up at 1.69" which actually looks okay.

I guess the question is "Where is this tab stop getting it's value from?" as
it's not in any of the obvious styles (i.e. the heading or TOC styles).

A workaround is not use a tab character after the heading number in heading
2 - use a space instead. Things don't line up quite as nicely but it's okay
as workaround.

Cheers, Rob.

PS. Word 2000 on Windows 2000 Professional

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You need a tab stop in the TOC style. If you create a hanging indent in the
style, in most cases a tab stop is added automatically.

 

[Rob Nicholson]

You need a tab stop in the TOC style. If you create a hanging indent in
the

style, in most cases a tab stop is added automatically.

Hi Susanne,

Whilst that sorts out the left alignment in the TOC, the right hand tab then
fails as you end up with:

1.1<TAB>Heading Text<TAB>45

However, the line now has three tabs set:

1.5cm: The one I added in TOC 2 style
6.13cm: The one that's magically appearing
15.9.cm: The one that's added by the TOC mechanism to right justify the
page number

So in the above, "Heading Text" is postioned at 1.5cm (correct) but the page
number is position at 6.13cm as the heading text is short enough to end
before 6.13cm.

I can post an example if that helps?

Cheers, Rob.

 

[garfield-n-odie]

Hi, Rob. Maybe the following article will explain that magic tab:
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/TOCJasonTabs.htm .

 

[Rob Nicholson]

Hi, Rob. Maybe the following article will explain that magic tab:

http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/TOCJasonTabs.htm .

Indeed that does explain a lot - "Jason tabs", I like it There are a few
things to try.

Later...

Cheers, Rob.