For some long time, Catty has been trying to figure out how to set tabs in Word 2003. I choose the type of tab I want, click on the position where I want it, but when I go to the next line, it vanishes, so I have to set it again for each line. How can I put it where I want it and make it stay there?

Thanks for any help.

There are several variables that you should consider. I believe the best answer is in the MS Word Help file.

Click Help, then type in: set tabs

Click the hyperlink that you wish to read.

I would suggest that you start with:

Set Tabs with the ruler

You can just go directly to this page if you like, or in the MS Word Help check the online answers. It would take you to the same page.

I hope this helps!

Dwight

Thank you, Dwight, but I have already done all that. According to the link you sent me, you are supposed to be able to drag existing tab stops to a new position. It also says that for a new paragraph, the tab stop will not show on the ruler. Not only does it not show, it doesn't hold, the type goes clear on to the next tab stop. In making a list, each line is apparently treated as a new paragraph and must be put in anew. Does this sound right to you?

I know from experience that if you select a portion of text, such as a paragraph, and then set the tabs the settings will apply to all of the text selected. That's not a complete answer but I hope it helps.

I'm sorry but this is such a big topic and with all the variables involved it is going to be very difficult to try to give you the answer that you're seeking.

MS Word is available in many different versions dating back to pre-Windows days. It seems that every version has its own "quirks". To answer, we would need the version of Office that you're using. I see that you noted that you're using Word 2003. What Service Pack number? You find that information in Word--> Help--> About Word... If it isn't Service Pack 2 or higher, I suggest you click on MS Word Help--> Check for updates and download the service packs.

And also...it is possible that you're are using the correct procedure, but it doesn't work because your MS Word installation is damaged. If that turns out to be the case, there is a "Repair" tool available for the MS Office installation. Post again if you need the repair procedure.

The tool is available in the Control Panel--> Add-Remove Program--> MS Office.

Here is a stab at providing something that may be helpful for you.

One simple method for a complicated group of tabbed items is type them all in with just ONE tab in between the entry. Then when you are done entering text, highlight it and choose Table--> Convert--> Text to Table

If you like, you can skip the single tab and put in whatever character that you want use to set the columns. See this picture for an example. In the first paragraph, I didn't set any tabs. I just highlighted the paragraph and in Tables-->Convert--> Text to Tables, set the break as the period mark. It set the columns. Then if I wanted to, I could set the table Auto-format to "None" so that the column/row lines don't show.

This method will make a document appear to have tabs even though it doesn't. If your end product is to be printed out, it would work fine. If you needed to send the document on to others, but not for them to edit, you could print to a .PDF format and they would see what appears to be tabs, but they could not easily move or edit them. (Note: Print to .PDF does not mean to print out on paper, but rather to save the documents in the .PDF format). It would open in Adobe Reader which is a free download if you don't have it. See this picture for an example showing the use of the pdf995 .PDF printer. Click here to see the whole .PDF document.

To make this one, in the Word file, I used the ~ character placed in after the word "fox". I used the Edit--> Find--> Replace tool to put the character in. Then once the table had been built, I again used the the Edit--> Find--> Replace tool to remove the ~ character. Download the shareware program PDF995 from this page.

In an effort to make this easier to follow, I will number each line that represents a continuing step.

1. When you work with tabs I suggest you show the ruler. Choose View and make sure there's a check-mark next to Ruler.

2. You'll see the little icons in the ruler when you click in a line of text. The default tabs are the little vertical dashes that appear in the gray area below the numbers on the ruler (at .5 inch increments). If you click in the ruler, you set a tab. Example: A left tab looks like a little "L" in the white area.

3 To remove a tab you set, you just click and drag it off the ruler.

4. You can also set tabs more precisely and/or change the default tab settings by choosing Format--> Tabs.

Note that the tabs affect only the paragraph you are in, so if you want to change the tabs for an entire document, you need to choose Edit--> Select All to select the entire document first. If you use Word's styles, you can set tabs for all paragraphs using a particular style as well.

5. Indents and hanging indents are modified with the little triangles on the left-hand side of the ruler. If you want to create an indent, you drag the top upside-down triangle to the right. To create a hanging indent you drag the bottom triangle. Remember that you need to note where your cursor is...the change will only affect the paragraph you are in unless you highlight the other text you want changed.

6. If you are doing something complicated with tabs it can help to "show tabs." Choose Tools--> Options and click the View tab. Place a check-mark next to Tab Characters in the non-printing characters section. Then you'll see little arrows that indicate where you have a tab.

I would suggest that you figure out one method and then stick with that. Don't try to learn all the possible methods.

Oh, Dwight, that is so helpful, thank you very much. I will try those methods and see which works for me.

I must apologize, I should have told you I am trying to set tabs within a column. Does that make a difference?

Hey, Dwight, Edit/Select all appears to have worked. Thank you so much for taking all that trouble. You're the greatest.

I'm glad to hear that this was helpful.

"...should have told you I am trying to set tabs within a column." cattywampus0

This is one of the problems of on-line technical assistance. The questioner knows exactly what tools they are working with and exactly what it is that they are attempting to do.

The person attempting answer often does not know what the details are and so the answer is by necessity filled with generalities.

The more details that one can include with ones question, the better able the answerer is to provide the correct answer with the first response.

As time goes on and we add yet another version of the Windows operating system (Vista) the more complicated this will become.

But I want to thank you for the feed back. It is very helpful to know if my response was "on-target".

Dwight

Catty, I use Word 2003. Under (Format) click (Tabs).
You can set tabs anywhere you want and they stay put.
Work with it, you will learn a lot.