Deleting the "Blank Bullet" Option

[ryshan]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)

In my toolbox, in the bullet menu, one of the bullets is just blank. This is always the default bullet when I begin a new document. I want to delete this bullet. I've tried to replace it with a different symbol, but that never seems to work. How do I permanently delete a bullet?

 

[CyberTaz]

Go to Format> Bullets & Numbering - Bulleted, then reply back indicting
*exactly* what you see there.

Also, indicate your specific version info for both OS X & Office.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Sara]

Mac OS 10.5.5
verion 12.1.2

I see a toolbar at the top with tab-like options. the toolbar buttons read “Bulleted” “Numbered” “Outline Numbered” and “List Styles”.
Clicking on one of the options on the toolbar brings up different options. For example, the bulleted button displays 8 bullet previews (the first being “none”).
Is that the kind of information that will help?

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Sara;

Yes - on the Bulleted page the top left box should contain the word "None".
Describe what you see in each one of the other 7 boxes. More specifically,
are any of them blank, and if so which one?

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[ryshan]

When I initially accessed my bullets, the "blank bullet" was there. I changed the symbol associated with that bullet. In result, the symbol I replaced the blank one with is there, but the blank bullet is still there to. My problem with the blank bullet is that it always defaults to that one when I start a new document. But I don't want a bullet that is blank, seems to defeat the purpose of a bullet. I wouldn't mind leaving the bullet on the drop down menu of my toolbox if it didn't default to that when i want to add a bullet.

 

[CyberTaz]

OK, let's go this route...

Follow the instructions on the following link to test your Normal.dotm & see
if the problem goes away. I believe that will fix it but I'm still trying to
figure out what's causing the problem. Just make sure you Quit any Office
apps before beginning:

http://word.mvps.org/mac/MacWordNormal.html

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[John McGhie]

I think you are getting confused by the Word user interface.

In the Bullets and Numbering dialog, position 1 is "Blank" or "None" always.

When you first enter that dialog, the cursor is in text that does not have
bullets or numbering, so it will always show "None" as the current
selection.

The "Bullets" button on the toolbar, on the other hand, is a "learning"
control. If you hit it, it will always apply the style of bullet
most-recently used and stored in your Normal template.

I find this to be too much of a lottery for me: I set up the List Bullet
style with exactly the format that I want, and save it to the Normal
template. I then always use the List Bullet style, so I always know what I
am about to get

Cheers

When I initially accessed my bullets, the "blank bullet" was there. I changed
the symbol associated with that bullet. In result, the symbol I replaced the
blank one with is there, but the blank bullet is still there to. My problem
with the blank bullet is that it always defaults to that one when I start a
new document. But I don't want a bullet that is blank, seems to defeat the
purpose of a bullet. I wouldn't mind leaving the bullet on the drop down menu
of my toolbox if it didn't default to that when i want to add a bullet.

--

Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi John;

I don't believe the NONE default is the problem

In the list of bullet styles one of the choices is simply blank - it's near
the middle of the list. It applies all the other bullet formatting but
includes no bullet character. From what the OP describes it sounds it sounds
like this blank style has somehow gotten locked in as the default rather
than any style that may have been previously applied.

Any thoughts?

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Bob:

Not here, in a default plain vanilla Normal.dotm it's not

If that's the case, the user should click the "Reset" button on the blank
format, because it is supposed to have something in it

There is a List Style named "No List" in the Styles list that does not have
a generated character, but I didn't think that is what she was talking
about.

Cheers

Hi John;

I don't believe the NONE default is the problem

In the list of bullet styles one of the choices is simply blank - it's near
the middle of the list. It applies all the other bullet formatting but
includes no bullet character. From what the OP describes it sounds it sounds
like this blank style has somehow gotten locked in as the default rather
than any style that may have been previously applied.

Any thoughts?

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

--

Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

OK, it looks like I have another mission

I just checked in 2008 on my G5/Tiger & the blank bullet item isn't there,
but in 2004 on the same system it is. I believe I was working from my
MBP/Leopard when I posted the other reply. I *know* I've seen the blank item
in WinWord 2003 as well.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Sara]

Thanks for your help... the blank bullet option is still there... "From what the OP describes it sounds it sounds like this blank style has somehow gotten locked in as the default rather than any style that may have been previously applied" is an accurate description of the problem, if that's any help.
Thanks for the effort, I'll just try to lower my stress level to make accommodations for the minor inconvenience.

 

[Clive Huggan]

Hello Sara,

I haven't been reading this thread since I haven't yet moved to Word 2008.
I've skimmed through it now.

It occurs to me that you may be having to select another type of bullet each
time you want to use bullets. If that's the case, are you aware that you can
create your own style in which you choose the type of bullet you want, then
whenever you want that type of bullet you just key Command-Shift-s followed
by one or more letters. One of my bulleted styles is "sb", which applies a
small sub-paragraph indentation, appropriate spacing between the paragraphs
and, most relevant here, a bullet at the distance out from the first line
that I have specified. For more information, see page 174 of some notes on
the way I use Word for the Mac, titled "Bend Word to Your Will", which are
available as a free download from the Word MVPs' website
(http://word.mvps.org/Mac/Bend/BendWordToYourWill.html).

[Note: "Bend Word to your will" is designed to be used electronically and
most subjects are self-contained dictionary-style entries. If you decide to
read more widely than the item I've referred to, it's important to read the
front end of the document -- especially pages 3 and 5 -- so you can select
some Word settings that will allow you to use the document effectively.]

Or you can key a bullet via Option-8. I do this often, so I have an
AutoCorrect item for a more convenient keystroke; see page 85, "€" in the
table for details.

Cheers,

Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
(My time zone is 5-11 hours different from the Americas and Europe, so my
follow-on responses to those regions can be delayed)
====================================================

 

[Kristin]

I've been having this same problem since I purchase a new laptop a year ago
(Vista platform with Office 2007). According to this thread it doesn't look
like a solution has been found. I'd be curious to know of anyone else has
told you how to fix it.

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Kristin:

You couldn't possibly be having the same problem.

This thread is all about Office 2008 on the Mac. They are completely
different programs. So whatever problem you're having, "ours" is not it

You have landed in the Macintosh Word group by mistake. Sorry about that,
not your fault: the Microsoft website design is appalling!!

The PC Word groups are here:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/flyoutoverview.mspx

I suggest that you post a new message over there: the nice folks will give
you an answer soonest. When you do post, I suggest that you include a lot
more detail about what you are doing to get the problem -- there is not
enough information in your current post to enable anyone to answer it
successfully.

Hope this helps

I've been having this same problem since I purchase a new laptop a year ago
(Vista platform with Office 2007). According to this thread it doesn't look
like a solution has been found. I'd be curious to know of anyone else has
told you how to fix it.

--

Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:[email protected]