Text line position changes

[Cookie]

I am using Word 97 on an XP OS. I recently lost autocorrect and other
template info, and am rebuilding.

I have styles for instruction steps in my documents. To number the steps, I
insert a numbering sequence field, to avoid the numbering problems that occur
when using the number fomats.
The field for the first step contains the \r 1 switch to get the 1. value.
Subsequent steps have the \n switch to get the 2., 3., etc values. I created
autocorrect entries for these fields because I use them a lot.

I key the autocorrect, press tab to indent the paragraph and type the
instruction. When the paragraph wraps to the second line, it drops down about
1 font height. Now my para's look like this
1.
Here is the first instruction....................
.........wrapped line of instrucion

instead of like this

1. Here is the first instruction.....................
.........wrapped line of instrucion

The paragraph line only drops when it starts to wrap to the next line. This
did not happen when I used this method before.

I really need help with this. I am the only tech writer in the company, and
I always have more work than time to do it in.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Does your AutoCorrect entry perhaps contain nonbreaking spaces?

 

[Cookie]

I hate to sound ignorant, but I don't know what "nonbreaking spaces" are.
Here is the actual field code that I use;

*SEQ step \* Arabic\r 1\* MERGEFORMAT *1*.

When I key 1] the result is 1. Which is perfect....until the line wraps.


--
Thanks for the help,

Lorna

Does your AutoCorrect entry perhaps contain nonbreaking spaces?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I'm not sure what the asterisks represent. Field codes are usually enclosed
in braces, and I don't know what the last 1 in the code is doing, either.

But the field code is irrelevant because the issue here would be with
nonbreaking spaces in the text following the number. A nonbreaking space is
inserted using Ctrl+Shift+Space and is represented by a degree symbol (°) if
you have nonprinting characters displayed. If you had nonbreaking spaces
between the words in your instructions, then they would wrap to the next
line, breaking at the ordinary space following the SEQ field number.

I hate to sound ignorant, but I don't know what "nonbreaking spaces" are.
Here is the actual field code that I use;

*SEQ step \* Arabic\r 1\* MERGEFORMAT *1*.

When I key 1] the result is 1. Which is perfect....until the line wraps.

 

[Cookie]

I changed my view to display all non-printing characters, and I don't see any
symbols showing in the text.

The field code I quoted was from the autocorrect dialog box. Tthe actual
field code has braces. I did not add the last '1' to the code. I think word
did that when I created the autocorrect instruction.

I have found a work-around. If I format my existing text first, I can use
the autocorrect function to add the number to my step without any of the
lines dropping down. I then copy and paste for the next instruction. This
returns a value of one, but I edit the field code to replace the r 1 with n.
When I press F9 it updates correctly.
I used to have an autocorrect entry for subsequently numbered steps. I have
not been able to successfully recreate an autocorrect entry for this field
code. (I had it before my template went kablooey.)

To paraphrase one of the MVPs, word truly does not miss an opportunity to
"perplex".

--
Thanks for the help,

Lorna

I'm not sure what the asterisks represent. Field codes are usually enclosed
in braces, and I don't know what the last 1 in the code is doing, either.

But the field code is irrelevant because the issue here would be with
nonbreaking spaces in the text following the number. A nonbreaking space is
inserted using Ctrl+Shift+Space and is represented by a degree symbol (°) if
you have nonprinting characters displayed. If you had nonbreaking spaces
between the words in your instructions, then they would wrap to the next
line, breaking at the ordinary space following the SEQ field number.

I hate to sound ignorant, but I don't know what "nonbreaking spaces" are.
Here is the actual field code that I use;

*SEQ step \* Arabic\r 1\* MERGEFORMAT *1*.

When I key 1] the result is 1. Which is perfect....until the line wraps.


--
Thanks for the help,

Lorna

Does your AutoCorrect entry perhaps contain nonbreaking spaces?



I am using Word 97 on an XP OS. I recently lost autocorrect and other
template info, and am rebuilding.

I have styles for instruction steps in my documents. To number the steps,
I
insert a numbering sequence field, to avoid the numbering problems that
occur
when using the number fomats.
The field for the first step contains the \r 1 switch to get the 1. value.
Subsequent steps have the \n switch to get the 2., 3., etc values. I
created
autocorrect entries for these fields because I use them a lot.

I key the autocorrect, press tab to indent the paragraph and type the
instruction. When the paragraph wraps to the second line, it drops down
about
1 font height. Now my para's look like this
1.
Here is the first instruction....................
.........wrapped line of instrucion

instead of like this

1. Here is the first instruction.....................
.........wrapped line of instrucion

The paragraph line only drops when it starts to wrap to the next line.
This
did not happen when I used this method before.

I really need help with this. I am the only tech writer in the company,
and
I always have more work than time to do it in.