tabs that go outside text position

[Scott]

Utterly inelegant subject heading, but I wasn't sure how else to give it
in a nutshell. What I'm looking to do is this:

Create formatting so that the last line before a carriage return, one
ending in a tab, can extend past where the rest of the paragraph
normally ends--sort of like a reverse hanging indent, with the last line
hanging to the right rather than the first to the left. Specifically, I
want a tabbed item to hand to the right. Sort of like this:

XYXY XYXY XYXYXY XYXYXYXY
XYXY XYXY XY XYXYXY XY
XYXY XY XYXYXY XY.......1212

XYXY XYXY XYXYXY XYXYYXY
XYXY XY XYXYXY XY.......3434

If necessary, I could simply cut the top lines to size with carriage
returns, but I was hoping for a more elegant, automatic way of doing the
same. Plus I'm going to have to mess with font, font size, and spacing
elements, and I'd like the line to automatically re-flow (rather than
have it extend too far or be cut too short if return is used).

Just a note: the ".......1212" part is a tab with a leader.

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word and Word Macintosh]]

Hi Scott:

OK, you can do "special things" with the FIRST line of a paragraph, but not
with the LAST.

The only sane way to do this is with a two-column table. You don't have to
show the lines, but you need the cells.

For the tab leader you can use a flush-right tab in the right-hand column of
the table, and if you do, you can add leader dots to it. That's probably
the easiest.

To insert a tab in a table cell, use Option + Tab. Tab on its own is "next
cell". In creating the table, make sure you switch off "allow rows to break
over pages", otherwise you will get paragraphs split at the bottom of the
page.

Your alternative approach, using carriage returns (Shift + Enter as opposed
to Enter) will work, but it's a pain and it won't reflow.

Hope this helps

Utterly inelegant subject heading, but I wasn't sure how else to give it
in a nutshell. What I'm looking to do is this:

Create formatting so that the last line before a carriage return, one
ending in a tab, can extend past where the rest of the paragraph
normally ends--sort of like a reverse hanging indent, with the last line
hanging to the right rather than the first to the left. Specifically, I
want a tabbed item to hand to the right. Sort of like this:

XYXY XYXY XYXYXY XYXYXYXY
XYXY XYXY XY XYXYXY XY
XYXY XY XYXYXY XY.......1212

XYXY XYXY XYXYXY XYXYYXY
XYXY XY XYXYXY XY.......3434

If necessary, I could simply cut the top lines to size with carriage
returns, but I was hoping for a more elegant, automatic way of doing the
same. Plus I'm going to have to mess with font, font size, and spacing
elements, and I'd like the line to automatically re-flow (rather than
have it extend too far or be cut too short if return is used).

Just a note: the ".......1212" part is a tab with a leader.

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <[email protected]>
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 (0) 4 1209 1410

 

[PhilD]

Utterly inelegant subject heading, but I wasn't sure how else to give it
in a nutshell. What I'm looking to do is this:

Create formatting so that the last line before a carriage return, one
ending in a tab, can extend past where the rest of the paragraph
normally ends--sort of like a reverse hanging indent, with the last line
hanging to the right rather than the first to the left. Specifically, I
want a tabbed item to hand to the right. Sort of like this:

I've just tried this with a Windows version of Word: it would probably
work with Mac, too.

Insert a right-aligned tab marker on the ruler, then drag it beyond the
right margin. Now, when you get to the "1212" part, tab first and it
should appear to the right. You may have to move the overall margins
inwards, too, depending on how much "overhang" you need.

I hope that's clear!

PhilD

 

[CyberTaz]

Clever approach Phil, I'm just not sure all printers will handle
content that ranges outside the defined margin.

On the same theme, another thought would be to set a somewhat narrower
rt margin, rt indent the para to what the margin 'should' be & set the
rt tab at the actual margin.

Not sure *either* would fall within John's definition of "sane",
however ;-)

Regards |:>)

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word and Word Macintosh]]

Hi Phil:

No, that won't solve his problem, on either Windows or Mac Word

Word will not place text outside the document margins, unless you set a
negative right indent on the paragraph.

And as a point of future reference, in Word it is really important NOT to
drag the margins around. You "can", but that way lies weeping and wailing
and gnashing of teeth...

If you drag a margin, you drag it for the whole section. That usually
creates utter mayhem with object placement within the section. However, if
you do it often enough, it also corrupts the document, leading to loss of
all of the information in it

Nice idea, though

Cheers

I've just tried this with a Windows version of Word: it would probably
work with Mac, too.

Insert a right-aligned tab marker on the ruler, then drag it beyond the
right margin. Now, when you get to the "1212" part, tab first and it
should appear to the right. You may have to move the overall margins
inwards, too, depending on how much "overhang" you need.

I hope that's clear!

PhilD

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <[email protected]>
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 (0) 4 1209 1410