using custom paragraph borders to separate items in a long list

[lynn_prospect]

I've got a lengthy list that could benefit from some means of visually
separating each entry. Each entry is basically one word, followed by a
tab, followed by a short explanatory paragraph. It's set up as a
hanging indent. Each paragraph has a single carriage return at the end,
and there is a small amount of 'space after'. Then the next entry
begins. I've created a custom style to apply all the formatting.

I don't want to use leader dots between the word and the explanatory
paragraph - I'd prefer a narrow horizontal line underneath each entry.
If I was doing this in a DTP package I'd be able to format each
paragraph by automatically applying a horizontal 'rule' after each
carriage return.

I thought I could do the same in Word by using the 'borders and
shading' option: apply a custom border to each paragraph, and deselect
the left, right and top borders. But it doesn't work - or at least, it
will only show the bottom border beneath one of the list entries,
instead of beneath all of them. This seems completely illogical and I
can't figure it out.

I could solve the problem by converting the list into a table, but I
don't want to do this - it needs to stay as a straightforward bit of
typing.

I'm using Word X.

 

[Paul Berkowitz]

I've got a lengthy list that could benefit from some means of visually
separating each entry. Each entry is basically one word, followed by a
tab, followed by a short explanatory paragraph. It's set up as a
hanging indent. Each paragraph has a single carriage return at the end,
and there is a small amount of 'space after'. Then the next entry
begins. I've created a custom style to apply all the formatting.

I don't want to use leader dots between the word and the explanatory
paragraph - I'd prefer a narrow horizontal line underneath each entry.
If I was doing this in a DTP package I'd be able to format each
paragraph by automatically applying a horizontal 'rule' after each
carriage return.

I thought I could do the same in Word by using the 'borders and
shading' option: apply a custom border to each paragraph, and deselect
the left, right and top borders. But it doesn't work - or at least, it
will only show the bottom border beneath one of the list entries,
instead of beneath all of them. This seems completely illogical and I
can't figure it out.

I could solve the problem by converting the list into a table, but I
don't want to do this - it needs to stay as a straightforward bit of
typing.

I'm using Word X.

At the end of the paragraph:

Return (new para), remove hanging indent, Insert > Picture > Horizontal Line

Default Line.

--
Paul Berkowitz
MVP MacOffice
Entourage FAQ Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq/index.html>
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otherwise.

 

[lynn_prospect]

I'd thought about that, but the list will be kept up-to-date by someone
with a very basic understanding of Word. They want to just 'click and
type' without having to worry about the formatting. Embedding something
in the custom style would be the most foolproof option, so when they
insert a new entry anywhere in the list, all the formatting is applied
automatically. But maybe it's just not possible in Word X.

 

[Clive Huggan]

Below.

Cheers,
Clive Huggan
=============

I'd thought about that, but the list will be kept up-to-date by someone
with a very basic understanding of Word. They want to just 'click and
type' without having to worry about the formatting.

What a fond hope! Maybe use a basic text editor? Otherwise, it's
unrealistic to bury their head in the sand ...

Embedding something
in the custom style would be the most foolproof option, so when they
insert a new entry anywhere in the list, all the formatting is applied
automatically. But maybe it's just not possible in Word X.

They could insert a formatted AutoText entry that incorporated the line and
any other formatting (e.g. styles) that you need. I do that, for example,
to insert pre-formatted panels for entering paragraphs I want to emphasize
in a paper -- I key two letters by which the entry is identified, type
Command-Option-v, and voilà!
CH