This is a result of the Keep track of formatting option (Tools - Options -
Edit). When you first apply a style to a paragraph, it is pristine. If you
apply direct formatting (using Format - Paragraph or using the ruler, for
example), however, you're introducing variant formatting to that paragraph
(unless the style is set to Automatically Update, in which case, when you
apply direct formatting, the style will automatically be changed, which will
automatically reformat all other text that has that style applied).
If you choose Tools - Options - Edit, and press F1, some of this is
explained.
The good thing about "keep track of formatting" is that it allows you to see
if non-style formatting has been added to the current selection. If you see
variant formatting applied and do want the style to be redefined, you can
right-click the style in the Styles and Formatting list and choose Update to
Match Selection, which will redefine the style that's in effect in that
document.
If Prompt to update style (also in Tools Options Edit) is enabled, if you
attempt to reapply the same style to a selection that contains variant
formatting, you're offered a choice of whether to reapply the style or to
redefine the style based on the selection.
For more understanding styles, you might take a look he
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/Formatting.htm
....and look around. There are also a number of books (which you can buy or
check out of your local library) that have extensive discussions of how
Word's styles work.
Hope this helps some...
--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
http://www.herbtyson.com
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Please respond in the newsgroups so everyone can follow along.
"Greg In Atl" wrote in message
...
When I have the Styles and Formatting window active and set to Reveal
Formatting, when I place my cursor on different paragraphs, the S & F
window
says they have the same paragraph style, but the have different left and
hanging indents (also different tab settings). How can this be? I thought
every paragraph that had the same paragraph style would have the same
indent
and tab settings. Maybe I misunderstand how styles work.
I want to get my document so that every paragraph that has the same style
has the same indent and tab settings
--
Greg in Atlanta