Tabs Broken in PowerPoint 2008?

[KSDenison]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Tabs don't seem to work in PowerPoint 2008 past the first line in a text box.

I can use several right aligned tabs in the first line, but then the second line treats these tabs as if they were left aligned. Even when I remove and reset the right aligned tab in the second line it continues to work like a left aligned tab.

Several other posts seem to confirm this. Anyone seen a fix yet?

 

[Jeff Chapman]

I noticed this too. PowerPoint seems to do
all right when you select ALL of the text
in the text box, and then make your tab
stop settings apply to everything in the
box. But when you select the second line
and make a whole new group of tab stop
settings, PowerPoint apparently gets very
confused, mixing up right tab stops with
left tab stops in places. I've confirmed
this on version 12.1.3.

Would like to see this addressed by Microsoft
myself...

Jeff

 

[KSDenison]

I noticed this too. PowerPoint seems to do

 

[dcmurrin]

Mac Pro 2x2.8GHz Quad
12GB RAM
OSX 10.5.5
PPT 12.1.4

Count me in the tab problem. Just when they fixed the text wrap bug
now I notice my tabs are screwy. Some lines in a multiple line list
will abide by the set tabs and some will not. It makes no difference
if it is a left, center, or right align tab. I've found no solution
other than converting the text to tables, but that is only a
workaround and very time consuming at that.

 

[sdweiss]

Mac Pro 2x2.8GHz Quad
12GB RAM
OSX 10.5.5
PPT 12.1.4

Count me in the tab problem. Just when they fixed the text wrap bug
now I notice my tabs are screwy. Some lines in a multiple line list
will abide by the set tabs and some will not. It makes no difference
if it is a left, center, or right align tab. I've found no solution
other than converting the text to tables, but that is only a
workaround and very time consuming at that.

 

[sdweiss]

I just discovered the tabs bug in PPT 2008 for Mac and everyone confirms it
and no one has a workaround.

Has anyone filed a support issue with MSFT on this issue?
If not, I'll file one by email tomorrow.

-scott

 

[Andy Sparkes]

I have this problem too. I noted this happened after the upgrade to Office
12.1.0 for the Mac. I posted a message on Mactopia
(http://www.officeformac.com/?13@@.ee9c2ca) back in May but have had no
response/follow-up. I found that downgrading to the original install (12.0)
solved the problem ... but not exactly what you want given all the problems
subsequent updates have addressed. I have foudn this affects PowerPoint 2008
on both my MBP and my iMac and tab alignment is totally wrecked. Seems you
can get left-aligned tabs to work if you are careful about use of bullets
etc., but try to get centre or right aligned tabs to work and everything is
messed. I would love a fix to this - I am a heavy PowerPoint user and use
right and centre aligned tabs a lot. At present I am having to use all sorts
of compromises and work arounds (like putting up with left aligned tabs or
using tables instead of tabs) to get round this.

Andy

 

[sdweiss]

I got resolution from Microsoft Support. They know about the problem and have
no promise for a fix and THERE IS NO WORKAROUND. Lovely.

"...The issue with the tabs is known and is under review by the development
team. It is related to decimal tabs and at this time there is no work around."

Good luck!

 

[Jeff Chapman]

It's good to hear someone contacted Microsoft support
about this tab alignment issue. Think I'll add my voice in to
the fray and send feedback to Microsoft as well right
now.

Jeff

 

[Jeff Chapman]

Went ahead and sent my feedback to the Microsoft
product feedback forum for PowerPoint 2008.

I wrote as follows:

There seems to be a bug related to tabs and alignment of text in tabs within
text boxes in PowerPoint 2008.

For instance, let's say I create a 5 cm x 10 cm text box with the following
text:

[tab] Products for Sale [return]
[tab] Product A [tab] $10 [return]
[tab] Product B [tab] $20 [return]

Now, let's say I select the first line of text, and add a center-aligned tab
stop at the 4.75cm mark. The first line of text is now correctly aligned
with my tab. So far, so good.

Next, I select the second line of text. Using the ruler, I add a
left-aligned tab mark at the 1 cm tab stop, and a right-aligned tab mark at
the 7 cm tab stop. Here's where the problems begin. For some reason,
although the right side of the zero in the figure "$10" should be positioned
flush right with the 7 cm mark (since it is preceded by a tab), PowerPoint
instead positions it flush with the 9 cm mark, and it seems to ignore the 7
cm right-aligned tab mark entirely.

Finally, I select the third line of text. Using the ruler, I add a
left-aligned tab mark at the 1 cm tab stop, and a right-aligned tab mark at
the 7 cm tab stop. This time, the figure "$20" appears to be left-aligned
against the 7 cm tab stop, not properly right-aligned against the 7 cm tab
stop as it should be.

In short, the behavior of tab stops in PowerPoint using varied tab stops and
multiple alignment settings is extremely unpredictable.

It's wonderful to be able to select different tab settings for multiple
lines... but it would be even MORE wonderful if it actually worked.

Would appreciate your looking into this. I know that other users on the
PowerPoint forum have been befuddled by this one...

Jeff Chapman