Outline format – using several indents (Word 2000

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I’m sure there is a simple answer to this (in fact, I think I did get it to work once, but now cannot remember how!)
I’m creating notes in an outline format, so I have items numbered 1. , 2., etc, and under some of those I have sub-items numbered a., b., etc. – which Word does mostly automatically once I enter the first “1.” if I just indent properly.

My question is how – after creating some sub-items like this:
1. Item one
a. Sub-item 1a
b. Sub-item 1b

How do I get my next line to go back and create Item 2.? Of course when I hit “return” it’s automatically advancing as if I were going to enter sub-item 1c, but if I hit the backspace to get it out to the margin, it cancels the numbering altogether instead of creating a 2. for me.

I’ve always just worked around this by being sure to create Item 2 before adding in the sub-items under Item 1 – but I’m sure there must be a smoother way to accomplish this so that I can just type through the document in order. Am I right?

Thanks,
-cynthia

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I usually using the Outline mode (View>Outline) so I’m not sure how it works in the other modes. After pressing Enter, if you press Shift+Tab to “backtab.” does it “outdent” the new paragraph to the higher level?

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I usually using the Outline mode (View>Outline) so I’m not sure how it works in the other modes. After pressing Enter, if you press Shift+Tab to “backtab.” does it “outdent” the new paragraph to the higher level?

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Bingo!
Thank you – I think I hit it simply with clumsy fingers once, but then couldn’t remember what I’d hit next time I tried to get it to work.

Thanks much,
This will make the typing go much more smoothly.
-cynthia

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(Edited by Phil Rabichow on 23-Mar-04 08:03. to correct a mistake)

Hi Cynthia:
And if you want to work in normal (or Print Layout) view, you press Alt+Shift+left or right arrow to promote or demote respectively.
Cheers,

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Hmm. The shift+tab method JScherr described worked fine in normal view for me (I’ve never worked in outline view – have to try that sometime!). But nothing happens when I use alt+cntrl+arrow – either left or right.
No matter, I guess, since the other method works.

-cynthia

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My apologies, Cynthia. I meant Alt+Shift+left or right arrow. I’ve corrected my previous post. However, tab & shift+tab don’t change the outline level for me except in Outline view. They just simply enter a tab (or indent if I have Tools/Options/Edit tab/tab & backspace set left indent checked.

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Phil, I suspect this is related to the poster’s AutoFormat as you Type options, i.e., allowing Word to create a new outline level based on use of the tab key. That’s why I thought perhaps the backtab key would be interpreted to go up a level. Someone with a lot of time (or who gets paid by the hour) should catalog the way it works with and without those settings and post a FAQ somewhere. Admittedly, this FAQ might already exist; I haven’t gone looking.

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Thanks, Jefferson. I rarely use any of the Autoformat as you type features. But even turning on Headings (under Autoformat as you type), doesn’t let me promote & demote using Tab & Shift+Tab.

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Thanks, Jefferson. I rarely use any of the Autoformat as you type features. But even turning on Headings (under Autoformat as you type), doesn’t let me promote & demote using Tab & Shift+Tab.

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Phil, I suspect this is related to the poster’s AutoFormat as you Type options, i.e., allowing Word to create a new outline level based on use of the tab key. That’s why I thought perhaps the backtab key would be interpreted to go up a level. Someone with a lot of time (or who gets paid by the hour) should catalog the way it works with and without those settings and post a FAQ somewhere. Admittedly, this FAQ might already exist; I haven’t gone looking.

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You are right! That (shift+alt+arrow) works now, too (and shift+tab STILL works for me in the regular view, as well – I haven’t ever monkeyed with any of those autoformat settings, so apparently both of those work as the default in the version I’m running)

Thanks to both of you,
-cynthia

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You are right! That (shift+alt+arrow) works now, too (and shift+tab STILL works for me in the regular view, as well – I haven’t ever monkeyed with any of those autoformat settings, so apparently both of those work as the default in the version I’m running)

Thanks to both of you,
-cynthia

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My apologies, Cynthia. I meant Alt+Shift+left or right arrow. I’ve corrected my previous post. However, tab & shift+tab don’t change the outline level for me except in Outline view. They just simply enter a tab (or indent if I have Tools/Options/Edit tab/tab & backspace set left indent checked.

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Hmm. The shift+tab method JScherr described worked fine in normal view for me (I’ve never worked in outline view – have to try that sometime!). But nothing happens when I use alt+cntrl+arrow – either left or right.
No matter, I guess, since the other method works.

-cynthia

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(Edited by Phil Rabichow on 23-Mar-04 08:03. to correct a mistake)

Hi Cynthia:
And if you want to work in normal (or Print Layout) view, you press Alt+Shift+left or right arrow to promote or demote respectively.
Cheers,

Reply | Quote

Bingo!
Thank you – I think I hit it simply with clumsy fingers once, but then couldn’t remember what I’d hit next time I tried to get it to work.

Thanks much,
This will make the typing go much more smoothly.
-cynthia

Reply | Quote