Published papers in a particular journal show tables in which the decimal
points of numbers are the vertical alignment reference within a column; i.e.
the decimal points fall on a vertical line through the column of data. Is
there a way to format for this or does one have to "force" the alignment
through the use of spaces, etc? Thanks
--
gyroman

Hi MikeL

One of my foremost rules for using Word is this: The space bar is for
putting spaces between words. If you're using the the space bar to position
text, you're doing something wrong.

To align numbers on the decimal point, use a decimal tab. As a test to see
how this works, type some text like this:

Green Apples[Tab]12.12
Oranges[Tab]45.45454
Bananas[Tab]1,234,343.3

Now, select all that text and do Format Tabs. Clear any tabs that are
already showing. In the Tab Stop position type an appropriate number (for
our example, try say 5cm). Click the Decimal option and click OK.

If you're doing lots of stuff like this, or if you need borders around the
data, put the data in a Table. Use Insert Table to create the table.
"Green Apples" goes in one cell and "12.12" goes in the next cell. Don't use
any tabs or spaces to position the text. Instead, select the whole of the
column holding the numbers and do Format Tab to set the decimal tab for
all the cells in that column. Experiment to get the Tab Stop Position
correct.

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word


"MikeL" wrote in message
...
Published papers in a particular journal show tables in which the decimal
points of numbers are the vertical alignment reference within a column;
i.e.
the decimal points fall on a vertical line through the column of data. Is
there a way to format for this or does one have to "force" the alignment
through the use of spaces, etc? Thanks
--
gyroman

...............but................

'cos you're inside a Table (where [tab] will move you to the next cell)
use [CTRL]+[tab] in place of [tab]).
--
Regards,
Pat Garard
Melbourne, Australia
_______________________

"Shauna Kelly" wrote in message
...
Hi MikeL

One of my foremost rules for using Word is this: The space bar is for putting spaces
between words. If you're using the the space bar to position text, you're doing
something wrong.

To align numbers on the decimal point, use a decimal tab. As a test to see how this
works, type some text like this:

Green Apples[Tab]12.12
Oranges[Tab]45.45454
Bananas[Tab]1,234,343.3

Now, select all that text and do Format Tabs. Clear any tabs that are already showing.
In the Tab Stop position type an appropriate number (for our example, try say 5cm).
Click the Decimal option and click OK.

If you're doing lots of stuff like this, or if you need borders around the data, put the
data in a Table. Use Insert Table to create the table. "Green Apples" goes in one cell
and "12.12" goes in the next cell. Don't use any tabs or spaces to position the text.
Instead, select the whole of the column holding the numbers and do Format Tab to set
the decimal tab for all the cells in that column. Experiment to get the Tab Stop
Position correct.

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word


"MikeL" wrote in message
...
Published papers in a particular journal show tables in which the decimal
points of numbers are the vertical alignment reference within a column; i.e.
the decimal points fall on a vertical line through the column of data. Is
there a way to format for this or does one have to "force" the alignment
through the use of spaces, etc? Thanks
--
gyroman

No, you don't need to insert a tab character at all to use decimal tabs in
table cells; as soon as you insert the tab stop, the (left-aligned) text
jumps to it automagically.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Pat Garard" apgarardATbigpondDOTnetDOTau wrote in message
...
..............but................

'cos you're inside a Table (where [tab] will move you to the next cell)
use [CTRL]+[tab] in place of [tab]).
--
Regards,
Pat Garard
Melbourne, Australia
_______________________

"Shauna Kelly" wrote in message
...
Hi MikeL

One of my foremost rules for using Word is this: The space bar is for
putting spaces
between words. If you're using the the space bar to position text,
you're doing
something wrong.

To align numbers on the decimal point, use a decimal tab. As a test to
see how this
works, type some text like this:

Green Apples[Tab]12.12
Oranges[Tab]45.45454
Bananas[Tab]1,234,343.3

Now, select all that text and do Format Tabs. Clear any tabs that are
already showing.
In the Tab Stop position type an appropriate number (for our example,
try say 5cm).
Click the Decimal option and click OK.

If you're doing lots of stuff like this, or if you need borders around
the data, put the
data in a Table. Use Insert Table to create the table. "Green Apples"
goes in one cell
and "12.12" goes in the next cell. Don't use any tabs or spaces to
position the text.
Instead, select the whole of the column holding the numbers and do
Format Tab to set
the decimal tab for all the cells in that column. Experiment to get the
Tab Stop
Position correct.

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word


"MikeL" wrote in message
...
Published papers in a particular journal show tables in which the
decimal
points of numbers are the vertical alignment reference within a column;
i.e.
the decimal points fall on a vertical line through the column of data.
Is
there a way to format for this or does one have to "force" the
alignment
through the use of spaces, etc? Thanks
--
gyroman

Doh!

Oh!
automagically
I like...
--
Regards,
Pat Garard
Melbourne, Australia
_______________________

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message
...
No, you don't need to insert a tab character at all to use decimal tabs in
table cells; as soon as you insert the tab stop, the (left-aligned) text
jumps to it automagically.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Pat Garard" apgarardATbigpondDOTnetDOTau wrote in message
...
..............but................

'cos you're inside a Table (where [tab] will move you to the next cell)
use [CTRL]+[tab] in place of [tab]).
--
Regards,
Pat Garard
Melbourne, Australia
_______________________

"Shauna Kelly" wrote in message
...
Hi MikeL

One of my foremost rules for using Word is this: The space bar is for
putting spaces
between words. If you're using the the space bar to position text,
you're doing
something wrong.

To align numbers on the decimal point, use a decimal tab. As a test to
see how this
works, type some text like this:

Green Apples[Tab]12.12
Oranges[Tab]45.45454
Bananas[Tab]1,234,343.3

Now, select all that text and do Format Tabs. Clear any tabs that are
already showing.
In the Tab Stop position type an appropriate number (for our example,
try say 5cm).
Click the Decimal option and click OK.

If you're doing lots of stuff like this, or if you need borders around
the data, put the
data in a Table. Use Insert Table to create the table. "Green Apples"
goes in one cell
and "12.12" goes in the next cell. Don't use any tabs or spaces to
position the text.
Instead, select the whole of the column holding the numbers and do
Format Tab to set
the decimal tab for all the cells in that column. Experiment to get the
Tab Stop
Position correct.

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word


"MikeL" wrote in message
...
Published papers in a particular journal show tables in which the
decimal
points of numbers are the vertical alignment reference within a column;
i.e.
the decimal points fall on a vertical line through the column of data.
Is
there a way to format for this or does one have to "force" the
alignment
through the use of spaces, etc? Thanks
--
gyroman

Yeah, me, too. g

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Pat Garard" apgarardATbigpondDOTnetDOTau wrote in message
...
Doh!

Oh!
automagically
I like...
--
Regards,
Pat Garard
Melbourne, Australia
_______________________

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message
...
No, you don't need to insert a tab character at all to use decimal tabs
in
table cells; as soon as you insert the tab stop, the (left-aligned) text
jumps to it automagically.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Pat Garard" apgarardATbigpondDOTnetDOTau wrote in message
...
..............but................

'cos you're inside a Table (where [tab] will move you to the next cell)
use [CTRL]+[tab] in place of [tab]).
--
Regards,
Pat Garard
Melbourne, Australia
_______________________

"Shauna Kelly" wrote in
message
...
Hi MikeL

One of my foremost rules for using Word is this: The space bar is for
putting spaces
between words. If you're using the the space bar to position text,
you're doing
something wrong.

To align numbers on the decimal point, use a decimal tab. As a test
to
see how this
works, type some text like this:

Green Apples[Tab]12.12
Oranges[Tab]45.45454
Bananas[Tab]1,234,343.3

Now, select all that text and do Format Tabs. Clear any tabs that
are
already showing.
In the Tab Stop position type an appropriate number (for our example,
try say 5cm).
Click the Decimal option and click OK.

If you're doing lots of stuff like this, or if you need borders
around
the data, put the
data in a Table. Use Insert Table to create the table. "Green
Apples"
goes in one cell
and "12.12" goes in the next cell. Don't use any tabs or spaces to
position the text.
Instead, select the whole of the column holding the numbers and do
Format Tab to set
the decimal tab for all the cells in that column. Experiment to get
the
Tab Stop
Position correct.

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word


"MikeL" wrote in message
...
Published papers in a particular journal show tables in which the
decimal
points of numbers are the vertical alignment reference within a
column;
i.e.
the decimal points fall on a vertical line through the column of
data.
Is
there a way to format for this or does one have to "force" the
alignment
through the use of spaces, etc? Thanks
--
gyroman