TOCs (levels), the '\n' switch, and 'Jason' tabs

[Steve]

Hello,

I’m having my first joyous experiences with formatting Tables of Contents. I
have three questions to which I can’t seem to find answers, and I’d be
grateful for any advice anyone might be kind enough to give me. (I’m using
Word/Office 2000).

(1) I’m generating the TOC with Word’s built-in title styles, using 1-9.
When I generate the table, I choose the ‘From template’ option, as advised in
the help pages. The problem is that I need more than 9 levels of TOC styles,
and thus more than 9 levels of title styles (not much more only about 12). Is
this possible, or does Word limit us to 9 levels of automatically generated
TOC styles?

(2) If I want to omit the page numbers from level 1, I add the \n 1-1
‘argument’. And if I want to omit them from levels 1 & 2, I add the \n 1-2
‘argument’. No problem. But what if I ALSO want to omit the page numbers from
level 5, or from levels 5 & 6? Is this also possible? I’ve tried fiddling
with ‘arguments’ (for example: \n 1-2 5-5), but I can’t get it to work.

(3) So-called ‘Jason’ tabs. I’ve added a left-aligned tab to keep things
neat on the left side... only to have Word mess around inexplicably with some
of the automatically generated right-aligned tabs for the page numbers. I’ve
seen this article,
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/TOCJasonTabs.htm
but apart from this is there any way to get rid of these so-called ‘Jason’
tabs – or, in other words, to get the software working as it should?

I’m left with the distinct impression here that a typewriter might be quicker!

Thank you kindly in advance.

Stephen

 

[Stefan Blom]

1. Word only has nine levels of TOC entries, and there is no way around
this. Personally, I try to limit it to three levels; I find five or even
four confusing.

2. You cannot have multiple arguments for the \n switch (or multiple \n
switches in the TOC field code). Instead, you will have to "trick" Word by
mapping the heading styles to contiguous TOC levels and then reformat the
corresponding TOC styles to preserve the look of the TOC. See the example at
http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/TOCTips.htm.

3. Add the \w switch (which preserves tab characters) to the TOC field code,
and then define a tab stop in each of the TOC styles as needed. For example,
if you are using a hanging indent or heading numbering, you need one tab
stop for that, plus the one at the right margin.

 

[Steve]

Hello,

And thanks for your quick and helpful response.

Concerning the \w switch: I’ve added it, but it makes no difference. (I have
no tabs set in my original heading styles anyway).

What happens is the following.

First, I place the cursor inside a paragraph in order to modify the
corresponding TOC style (for example, TOC level 3. And yes, I do modify the
style, and not just the paragraph). If that paragraph/style contains a
right-aligned page number -- generated automatically after using the ‘From
the template’ command -- the automatic tab of that particular paragraph will
suddenly alter inexplicably.

For example, instead of being right-aligned, with dots taking it to the
right margin, the tab will no longer be right-aligned and the dots will
disappear.

Even more oddly, only the paragraph where the cursor sits when I modify the
style is affected, whereas the paragraphs directly above and below will
remain as they should -- containing right-aligned tabs with dots to the page
number.

The style modification prompting the change can be very simple, just a
change of value to the left margin, for example. I'm not even trying to add a
tab (although that has the same result).

Seems inexplicable. Is there anyway to keep the tabs consistent?

Thank you kindly in advance.

Stephen

 

[Stefan Blom]

In your original message, you mentioned that you added a left-aligned tab
stop. Where? If there are no tab characters in the headings, you don't need
the \w switch, or any tab stops in the TOC styles. The only exception is the
right-aligned tab stop for the page number, which Word sometimes fails to
redefine automatically, especially if you've modified the TOC styles.

 

[Steve]

Hello,

And thanks again for your prompt reply.

I have no tabs defined in the heading styles themselves, but have been
trying to add them to the TOC styles, by modifying these TOC styles. (If I've
understood correctly, I thus do not need the \w switch).

Here is where I have the tab, and where Word acts oddly. For example:

If I have "§ 12. Heading text etc....", I try to modify the TOC style to
give me a tab after the number 12. I then define what I think is called in
English a hanging indent equal to this tab value, for long headings that take
up two lines.

It's when I try to modify the TOC style that Word starts inexplicably to
mess things up. As you say, it's the pre-defined right-aligned tab for the
page number that Word then changes. Is there anyway to stop it doing this?

Thanks for your help. It's much appreciated.

Stephen

 

[Stefan Blom]

In the TOC style(s) affected, set the right-aligned tab stop at the right
margin (as you would do with tab stops in any paragraph style). Also add the
separator, if you want one.