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Rob Nicholson
 
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Default Tab character in table of contents when using heading styles

This is a pretty esoteric and fiddly question so I'll be real chuffed if
there is an answer :-)

We make intensive use of headings (heading 1, heading 2 & heading 3) in 100+
page documents and the automatic generation of the table of contents. All of
a sudden on one PC, the formatting of the TOC is going AWOL. I've tracked it
down to the tab character from the heading being used in the TOC (TOC 2 in
this case) but not being able to define the position for this tab.

Consider the following heading:

1.2TABWelcome to the machine

In heading 2 style, we use outline numbering configured to include a tab
after the number. All we type in is "Welcome to the machine"

When this is used in the TOC, TOC 2 style is applied. TOC 2 style is Heading
1+1.2cm indent. When the TOC is built, the following gets generated:

1.2cm indent1.2TABWelcome to the machineRIGHT TAB to 15.9cm with
dots34 (page 34)

This is expected: the 1.2cm indent comes from the TOC 2 style, the first tab
from the tab in the heading style itself and the right tab and page number
added by automatic TOC function.

Now the problem is that first TAB brought in the heading string - the
position that ends up *varies* from PC to PC. There is no specific tab
position defined. On my PC (the faulty) one, a tab position is set at 5.93"
which causes a huge gap after the number. This used to work perfectly.
Another user on another PC it ends up at 1.69" which actually looks okay.

I guess the question is "Where is this tab stop getting it's value from?" as
it's not in any of the obvious styles (i.e. the heading or TOC styles).

A workaround is not use a tab character after the heading number in heading
2 - use a space instead. Things don't line up quite as nicely but it's okay
as workaround.

Cheers, Rob.

PS. Word 2000 on Windows 2000 Professional