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#1
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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bar tab
What is it? Can't find in help. Doesn't seem to do
anything. rs |
#2
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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bar tab
They're almost entirely undocumented but useful in specific situations. I
gather that they are a holdover from DOS versions of Word that didn't have the ability to create true tables. To see how they work, you have to set one. When you do this, you create a vertical line in the paragraph that is always there (you don't have to insert a tab character to display it). It extends the height of the paragraph (including line spacing), so that if you have the same bar tab in several subsequent paragraphs, you have a continuous vertical line through the paragraphs. This can be useful in situations where you want the appearance of a ruled table but don't want to use a table. Here's an example: I create an attendance sheet for my Rotary club (rarely used now that we've gone to club management software but still useful in a pinch). I have defined a style with a bottom border and bar tabs at intervals. The member's name is on the left side of the paragraph and the bar tabs create vertical lines defining columns for the four or five meetings in a month. The sheet is formatted in three columns. When I want to add or delete a member, it's a simple matter of pressing Enter (to insert a new paragraph) or Delete; I don't have to fool with using Insert Rows/Delete Rows. If the roll were to be filled out online, I'd use a table, but because it's for hand entry, the bar tabs work well for me (I might add that I constructed this before I knew you could flow tables into newspaper-style columns, so that was undoubtedly one reason for choosing the bar tabs). If you don't have any reason for using bar tabs, you may consider them useless and puzzling, but if you experiment to find out what they do, you may someday find yourself in a situation where they would be useful, and this knowledge will be helpful. -- 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. "tcebob" handle @ gwi.net wrote in message ... What is it? Can't find in help. Doesn't seem to do anything. rs |
#3
Posted to microsoft.public.word.newusers
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bar tab
Aha. I might have noticed that but I had Show Tabs
configured full time. So I assumed the vertical line was just another tab symbol. Now that I know I will seek out a reason to use them -- and impress and befuddle my associates. Thanks, rs Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote: : They're almost entirely undocumented but useful in specific : situations. I gather that they are a holdover from DOS versions of : Word that didn't have the ability to create true tables. To see how : they work, you have to set one. When you do this, you create a : vertical line in the paragraph that is always there (you don't have : to insert a tab character to display it). It extends the height of : the paragraph (including line spacing), so that if you have the same : bar tab in several subsequent paragraphs, you have a continuous : vertical line through the paragraphs. This can be useful in : situations where you want the appearance of a ruled table but don't : want to use a table. : : Here's an example: I create an attendance sheet for my Rotary club : (rarely used now that we've gone to club management software but : still useful in a pinch). I have defined a style with a bottom border : and bar tabs at intervals. The member's name is on the left side of : the paragraph and the bar tabs create vertical lines defining columns : for the four or five meetings in a month. The sheet is formatted in : three columns. When I want to add or delete a member, it's a simple : matter of pressing Enter (to insert a new paragraph) or Delete; I : don't have to fool with using Insert Rows/Delete Rows. If the roll : were to be filled out online, I'd use a table, but because it's for : hand entry, the bar tabs work well for me (I might add that I : constructed this before I knew you could flow tables into : newspaper-style columns, so that was undoubtedly one reason for : choosing the bar tabs). : : If you don't have any reason for using bar tabs, you may consider them : useless and puzzling, but if you experiment to find out what they do, : you may someday find yourself in a situation where they would be : useful, and this knowledge will be helpful. : : : "tcebob" handle @ gwi.net wrote in message : ... :: What is it? Can't find in help. Doesn't seem to do :: anything. :: :: rs |