Hi Keith;
There could be several reasons why pressing Tab yields that result, but
without more details it's rather difficult to know which it might be. Use
the non-printing characters (¶) as well as the devices on the Ruler to help
determine what is influencing the behavior. Also, confirm that both Office &
OS X are fully updated. If you can provide that additional info there should
be a straightforward solution.
I don't mean to insult or offend, but it sounds like you may be under some
misconceptions pertinent to the use of word processing software.
For one thing, Tab Stops & Indentation are 2 separate & distinct formatting
attributes of a paragraph. Granted, Microsoft has clouded the issue by
including an AutoFormat As You Type 'convenience feature' which enables the
use of the Tab key to set an indent. However, it only does so if you press
Tab at the beginning of an existing paragraph of text. It does not apply an
indent when pressed at the start of a new paragraph, it simply moves the
insertion point to the first tab stop ‹ usually the first default tab stop
at .5" on the ruler. In a formal, structured document, though, that feature
is better left unused, as are most of the other gimmicks of that ilk.
In correctly formed, stable documents formatting is achieve through the use
of Styles. Without an understanding of how to create & use Styles, trying to
attain a professional result is a path littered with frustration & having
little likelihood of a successful outcome. I'm not certain what your second
paragraph is intended to convey (Why is this your 4th computer? Over what
time frame?), but it gives the impression that you expect the 'computer' or
the software to do the structuring & formatting for you automatically.
That isn't totally impossible, but it doesn't happen directly out of the
box... The software first must be constructed to provide that facility. Word
is a very sophisticated toolbox, but you can't just throw a pile of lumber &
nails at it with the expectation that it will build your dream house for
you. There may be a Template (predefined file) available to provide the
Styles & structure you require, but it still takes knowledge of how to apply
those features effectively.
Again, no offense, but you may not have that knowledge nor have the time or
inclination to learn the program. That's quite understandable ‹ many people
are in the same boat. If that's the case it may be to your advantage to
concentrate only on the content. Leave the formatting to someone who does
have the requisite word processing skills, even if it means hiring a
professional to render the final output for you.
Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac
