Hanging indent, special case... how to do it?

M

MacGyverS2000

Actually, I'm not sure if this is a special case or not, but...

I have a number of text sections that follow the format:
Item:<tab>Description line 1
<tab><tab>Continuing description line 2
<tab><tab>Continuing description line 3

etc. The description is a hanging indent of sorts. In the case of the
"Item" section being long, I would like the "Description" section to start on
the following line, but at the same level of indention set previously. For
example:
Really long item:
<tab><tab>Description line 1
<tab><tab>Continuing description line 2
<tab><tab>Continuing description line 3

Currently this is done through tab settings on the ruler and judicious use
of the keyboard. I would like to create a style that accomplishes all of
this (as well as being able to save it in a template), so i can highlight the
appropriate line and click the style.

Is there a (relatively) easy way to do this? I considered tables, but
that's too much work for too little benefit.
 
A

Anne Troy

Seems to me you need two styles. You want to separate paragraph formattings,
so that's two styles. Create one style for the first line, and one for the
paragraphs beneath it. Don't use tabs, of course. Use indentation on the
paragraph. You'll have a hanging indent on your first line, and a regular
left indent on your second.
Good luck!
*******************
~Anne Troy

www.OfficeArticles.com
www.MyExpertsOnline.com
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

You should never need to use two tabs to do the job of one. Set your hanging
indent where you want the runover lines to start, which is presumably the
same place that the description begins; there will be an automatic tab stop
at that position. So you type "Item:" and press Tab (or a couple of spaces
if the "items" are of varying lengths), then begin to type the description.
It will wrap naturally to the hanging indent on the next line. When the item
runs long, enter a line break (Shift+Enter) to begin the description on the
second line.
 
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