[Bert Coules]

Is there a way of changing the left hand margin of a document but keeping
any tabs and indents in their old positions on the page, rather than having
them change too? Apart, I mean, from the obvious method of resetting the
tabs manually.

In other words, if I have a document with these settings:

left margin: 3.3 cms
tabs: 2 cms, 4 cms

and I want to change the left margin to 2.3 cms, is there an alternative to
deleting the old tabs and setting new ones at 3 cms and 4 cms?

(This is a much simplified version of the true situation.)

Many thanks,

Bert

[Bert Coules]

and I want to change the left margin to 2.3 cms, is there an alternative
to deleting the old tabs and setting new ones at 3 cms and 4 cms?

That should have read "and 5 cms" of course. Sorry.

And I should have said that I'm using Word 2000.

Bert

[Graham Mayor]

Tabs are measured from the margin so if you move the margin, you will have
to change the tab positions in order for them to remain in the same position
on the page. For an odd paragraph you could instead set a negative indent
i.e. -1cm

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Bert Coules wrote:
Is there a way of changing the left hand margin of a document but
keeping any tabs and indents in their old positions on the page,
rather than having them change too? Apart, I mean, from the obvious
method of resetting the tabs manually.

In other words, if I have a document with these settings:

left margin: 3.3 cms
tabs: 2 cms, 4 cms

and I want to change the left margin to 2.3 cms, is there an
alternative to deleting the old tabs and setting new ones at 3 cms
and 4 cms?
(This is a much simplified version of the true situation.)

Many thanks,

Bert

[Bert Coules]

Graham Mayor wrote:

Tabs are measured from the margin so if you move the margin, you will have
to change the tab positions in order for them to remain in the same
position on the page.

Ah, thanks for that. I knew it, of course, but I was hoping that there
might be an option somewhere to set tabs in absolute rather than relative
positions - a bit like that old-fashioned writing device, the typewriter.

For some reason, I always seem to have minor difficulties resetting tabs in
a whole document. I select the entire text and fiddle away (either on the
ruler or more usually in the menu) but the results tend to be a bit
variable. I just need more practice, I guess.

Bert

[Graham Mayor]

If you use styles to format your document tabs can usually be avoided
altogether, but at least you only have one place to change them.
Tabs can make a document very difficult to re-edit. I have a regular
correspondent who insists on using them to excess in a newsletter. I counted
519 of them in the last one of only two pages!

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Bert Coules wrote:
Graham Mayor wrote:

Tabs are measured from the margin so if you move the margin, you
will have to change the tab positions in order for them to remain in
the same position on the page.

Ah, thanks for that. I knew it, of course, but I was hoping that
there might be an option somewhere to set tabs in absolute rather
than relative positions - a bit like that old-fashioned writing
device, the typewriter.
For some reason, I always seem to have minor difficulties resetting
tabs in a whole document. I select the entire text and fiddle away
(either on the ruler or more usually in the menu) but the results
tend to be a bit variable. I just need more practice, I guess.

Bert

[Bert Coules]

Graham,

If you use styles to format your document tabs can usually be avoided
altogether, but at least you only have one place to change them.

An excellent point. Styles is (are?) something else on my waiting list to
get to grips with. Work (complete with many tabs) just keeps getting in the
way...

Bert

[Graham Mayor]

As Word formats documents with styles whether you set out to use them or
not, the use of styles should be moved up your list of Word things to
investigate. It should stop all that extra work getting in the way

Maybe this will get you started

THE RULES OF FORMATTING WITH STYLES
Word formats documents by using styles. It is not possible to avoid them, so
save yourself a lot of formatting grief and learn to use them.
RULE 1.
All paragraph formatting should be applied through the use of appropriate
paragraph styles. Each uniquely formatted paragraph within a document
should have a unique paragraph style applied. The styles you create should
be saved in document templates.
RULE 2.
Avoid the use of direct formatting wherever possible. Direct formatting
should only be used for emphasis within a paragraph e.g. to underline,
embolden or italicise a word (or words) within a sentence, and even then it
is probably wiser to create a character style and apply it.
Direct formatting may seem to be a quick solution to special formatting
needs, but it adds complexity when re-editing the document, particularly
when the document is passed to a third party for editing.
RULE 3.
Do not use the Format Painter.
The Format Painter is even worse than direct formatting, creating invisible
formatting links that ought to be controlled by proper application of
styles.
RULE 4.
Format follows function.
Name styles for the function text performs in a document, rather than the
method of formatting. For instance, the most common text in many documents
will use Body Text style.
If in some documents it needs to be single spaced, while in others double
spaced, don't use a "Single Space" style for one and a "Double Spaced Style"
for the other.
Use Body Text in both, but change the settings for Body Text (preferably
through application of a grouped set of styles maintained in a template).
Then the document will be instantly and accurately transformed from the
formats required by one practice to those of another, with no fiddling
around with formatting.
RULE 5.
Use common names for styles across the body of templates.
To change the overall formatting of documents, store the common style
settings in a template, and use the Style Gallery to switch formats.
RULE 6.
Avoid applying Normal style.
Normal style has some reserved functions within Word e.g. it is used as the
base style for an number of in-built styles and it is used to format labels.
Leave Normal style alone and create new styles based on 'no style' to format
your documents.
RULE 7.
Do not use the "Automatically Update" setting for any styles. It would have
been better had Microsoft omitted this option altogether as it is a constant
source of formatting problems.
RULE 6.
Use no empty paragraphs.
Empty paragraphs are a relic of typing. They have no text except the
paragraph mark. When documents use them for spacing, instead of styles set
with proper paragraph spacing, they corrupt the clean global transformation
of document formats.
A simple macro can clean out empty paragraphs.
Public Sub CleanEmptyParagraphs()
Dim aPara As Paragraph
For Each aPara In ActiveDocument.Paragraphs
If Asc(aPara. Range. Characters. First) = 13 Then
aPara. Range.Delete
End If
Next aPara
End Sub
RULE 7.
Tie automatic numbering to heading styles.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Bert Coules wrote:
Graham,

If you use styles to format your document tabs can usually be avoided
altogether, but at least you only have one place to change them.

An excellent point. Styles is (are?) something else on my waiting
list to get to grips with. Work (complete with many tabs) just keeps
getting in the way...

Bert

[Bert Coules]

Graham,

Thanks for all that. Since almost every document I type uses a uniform
layout, I suppose I should be able to apply a single style throughout.

Bert

[Graham Mayor]

If every paragraph is the same in layout - then certainly.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org



Bert Coules wrote:
Graham,

Thanks for all that. Since almost every document I type uses a
uniform layout, I suppose I should be able to apply a single style
throughout.
Bert

[Bert Coules]

I really can't get used to the way Word seems to think in paragraphs!

Bert