list indent changes multiple lines when changing indent level

Question

Hi Everyone,

I have a styled list I created in word 2007, modified a little in word 2010, and work with now again in word 2007. This list is being applied to a large block of text that is not indented in any way. The text was brough across from MODI after OCR was performed on it. The spacing and spelling has all been cleaned up. This is just plain text at this stage.

When I select the entire block of text and apply the styled list everything starts off at the first indent level. I must then go through the block of text, chunk by chunk and change the indent to match the desired level. Changing a chunk to level 2 works no problem at all. If however I then proceed to try and change the chunk of text after a level two (remember that it is starting off at level one) it successfully changes to a level 2, then it changes to a level 3 BUT, and here is the bit I am stuck on, the previous line that was set at level 2 also changes now to level 3 as well. If I select the line that is supposed to be a level 2 and change it back to level 2, the following line that is supposed to be a 3 changes to a 2 as well. It is acting as though there is some sort of link between the lines of text.

FWIW each line is ended with a CR/LF so in theory should be starting a new paragraph. The text styles have been created for levels 1 and 2, but not for further levels down the chain, and linked to the indent level. Its a numbered list. I think that about covers it.

Can anyone advise me on what I have to change in order to have the correct indentation behaviour? I have mucked about with this for about a day and am stumped. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Andrew

Answer 1

Hi Guys,

Thanks for getting back to me. I dont have the ability to attach a file as it is against company policy to do so (even the template).

I have been trying to figure this out so I out some more time into it yesterday. The weirdest of things happens: The indentation works as expected in 2010, but not in 2007. I have crafted the paragraph / font / list styles and in 2010 they work exactly as defined and expected. On 2007 the wierd behaviour of indenting one line by an extra level (specifically level 2) indents the line above as well if it is a level 2 - so you end up with 2 level 3 indented lines. Damn strange.

For the short term I will have to keep working on the document in 2010 just to get it finished in time, however I would still like to get to the bottom of this problem as the bulk of my work is still done in office 2007. The only thing that I can think of is that there must be a difference in the way the two applications perform the indenting operation. I might try recording a macro later today and see what is going on behind the scenes. Might tell us something. Is there a setting I might have inadvertantly altered that could cause this behaviour?

Thanks for having a crack at this.

Cheers

Andrew

Answer 2

With numbered or bulleted lists, the indentation must be defined from within the numbering options. Place the insertion point in the first level 1 item, and then click Home tab | Multilevel List | Define New Multilevel List. Change the indentation in the dialog box (see http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/numbering20072010.html for details).

Answer 3

Can you upload a sample file, so that the problem can be checked.