Using backspace with lists dangerous or not?

[Markus Schöpflin]

This question is for Word 2003, I think it worked differently in W2K.

When positioning the cursor just behind the bullet in a paragraph formatted
with list style and pressing backspace, word removes the bullet but doesn't
merge the paragraph with the previous one.

For example (assuming a list style L1):

Line 1, Style L1: - foo
Line 2, Style L1: - bar

Now positioning the cursor on line 2 just behind the - and pressing
backspace gives me:

Line 1, Style L1: - foo
Line 2, Style L1: bar

instead of:

Line 1, Style L1: - foobar

which is what I would expect. (W2K worked this way, IIRC.)

Now, what I'm worried about is that this might somehow corrupt my list
styles in the same way as for example using direct numbering. Is this true?
Or is this safe to use?

TIA,
Markus

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

You can control the effect that the use of the tab and the backspace key
have on list via the AutoFormat As You Type tab of the Tools>AutoCorrect
menu item.

This feature has not changed from one version of Word to the next. (Though
the actual setting may have changed)

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com

 

[Markus Schöpflin]

Am 11.03.2010 00:03, schrieb Doug Robbins - Word MVP:

You can control the effect that the use of the tab and the backspace key
have on list via the AutoFormat As You Type tab of the Tools>AutoCorrect
menu item.

This feature has not changed from one version of Word to the next.
(Though the actual setting may have changed)

I have disabled all the AutoFormat As You Type stuff anyway... too
dangerous for the lists. To observe the behaviour I described I think you
have at least to turn off the feature where you can control the left
indentation with Tab and Backspace.

No, what I'm worried about is that the described behaviour might result in
broken lists.

Regards,
Markus

 

[Stefan Blom]

I don't see why backspacing would break the lists. However, if you are
concerned with the stability of lists, make sure to attach them to paragraph
styles; see http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html.