Gid,
The most likely cause, if you're experiencing this in new blank documents
that you create (if not, post back) is that you have changed the formatting
of your "first" paragraph *manually* -- most likely on a base of Normal.
Word will apply Times 12 point, single space when you hit the Return key --
most probably that's what you have as "Normal" style -- because that's what
it has been told to do.
Now, you can tell Word to do something else:
Open a new blank document and choose Format menu -> Style -> click the "New"
button -> click the "Format" button then "Font" -> set the 24 pt and Times
New Roman properties -> OK. Then choose "Paragraph" -> set the line spacing
to "double" -> OK.
Now you'll be back in the window titled "New style". Down the bottom, check
"Add to template" (this makes this change happen in all new documents based
on the Normal template). At the top, give a name to this new style you've
created (you'll find it's best to name it by the function -- such as "draft"
or whatever -- than to describe it, e.g. "24TNR double"). Then pop down the
menu at "Style for following paragraph" to the new name you have keyed in
(this will stop the phenomenon that you've been experiencing). Then OK ->
Apply.
Whenever you want 24 point Times New Roman double spacing, don't apply it
manually -- apply your new style. This can be done via the Format -> Style
menu, or by using the Styles pop-down menu on the Formatting toolbar. Or --
quickest of all -- you can set up a keystroke to bring up the Style window.
What you've experienced is Word revealing to you that it's based on styles,
and that applying manual formatting can only go so far. Once you study
styles, the effort will be rewarded, and -- if you prepare more than just
short letters in Word -- you'll never look back. Here are some reading
recommendations:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A very good article on templates, styles and typography by John McGhie, Guru
Extraordinaire of the Word newsgroup, is at:
www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2.htm
(If you download CreateATemplate.zip from that page, the resulting Word
document covers styles from page 18. Or to see the coverage of styles on the
MVP website, go to the bottom of the opening web page from which John¹s
article can be downloaded and click "Styles".)
Related articles on the Word MVPs website are:
What do Templates and Add-ins store?:
www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/WhatTemplatesStore.htm
Mac Word Normal Template:
www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/WordMac/MacWordNormalTemplate.htm
Install a Template on Mac: :
www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/WordMac/InstallTemplateonMacContent.htm
Creating a Template ‹ The Basics (Part 1) :
www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart1.htm
[Part 2 of this series is John McGhie's article referenced above]
Creating a Template (Part 2): Other things:
www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2/OtherThings.htm
Creating a Template (Part 2): File properties:
www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2/FileProperties.htm
Another good article, by Microsoft, is at
http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/legal/Styles.asp
(it¹s based on Word for Windows and covers legal formatting, but is well
worth reading if you¹re unfamiliar with styles).
I also cover styles in my notes on the way I use Word, called "Bend Word to
your Will", which are downloadable at
www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/WordMac/Bend/BendWord.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-- Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
* Please post all comments to the newsgroup for the benefit of others who
may be interested.
* If you post a question, keep re-visiting the newsgroup for a few days
after the first response comes in. Sometimes it takes a few responses before
the best or complete solution is proposed, and sometimes you'll be asked for
further information so that a better answer can be provided.
* Remove "the" from my address above if you need to send an e-mail to me
directly (although that would be exceptional). Please note that e-mails
with an attachment will be automatically rejected.
* If anyone is still reading down this far, here's a question: is it time
for you to back up your Normal template and all your Word settings files?
(This should be on a medium other than the internal hard drive and, if you
also want to protect against theft and fire, stored in a different
building.)
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