Pulling my hair out trying to update multilevel list styles in Word
Hello,
Unfortunately, all of my hair is already gone and I'm starting to pull out other things (which I really cannot afford to lose).
Following are two examples of the frustrations I'm experiencing:
Example 1:
Fig. 1 shows the default styles for "Normal" and two groups of the first four levels for one of the built-in options from the Home Tab > Multilevel List button in the ribbon:
After selecting line 8 and opening the paragraph box, Fig. 2 shows the default formatting for Level 2 (left indent set to 0.75"):
Fig. 3 shows the paragraph box after the left indent has been changed to 0.5". Note that the Level 2 text on line 8 has shifted left:
Fig. 4 shows line 8 selected and the menu option:
RightClick > Styles > Update "List Paragraph" to Match Selection
ready to be clicked:
After updating the style "List Paragraph," Fig. 5 shows the following:
• Line 3, despite being a Level 2 line, has not shifted to the left.
• Creating a new Level 2 line (by pressing Enter from the end of line 3) creates a new Level 2 line but at the original (default) indent setting rather than according to the updated style.
• But creating a new Level 2 line from the end of line 9 (which originally was line 8) does create a new Level 2 line at the updated style indent setting:
Question 1: Isn't there a way to update a level style and have the update applied to all rows which share the same level similar to how it occurs in a non-numbered Word doc?
Example 2:
Interestingly, repeating the above process with Level 3 results in something altogether different:
Fig. 6 shows the existing (default) left indent setting of 1.38" for Level 3 (line 11):
Fig. 7 shows line 11 after the left indent has been changed to 0.88":
Again, the "List Paragraph" style is updated to the selected formatting (Fig. 8):
but this time, the update is applied to all levels, above and below.
Question 2: What is the explanation for that behavior?
My overall quest currently is to discover or learn how to make changes (font, font size, font color, indentation, numbers to bullets and vice versa, etc) to any level and be able to apply those changes to the existing style in a way that:
• includes previous lines already at that level,
• will be applied to new lines (i.e. created, promoted, or demoted), and
• does not affect text at any other level.
Thanks
Unfortunately, all of my hair is already gone and I'm starting to pull out other things (which I really cannot afford to lose).
Following are two examples of the frustrations I'm experiencing:
Example 1:
Fig. 1 shows the default styles for "Normal" and two groups of the first four levels for one of the built-in options from the Home Tab > Multilevel List button in the ribbon:
After selecting line 8 and opening the paragraph box, Fig. 2 shows the default formatting for Level 2 (left indent set to 0.75"):Fig. 3 shows the paragraph box after the left indent has been changed to 0.5". Note that the Level 2 text on line 8 has shifted left:Fig. 4 shows line 8 selected and the menu option: RightClick > Styles > Update "List Paragraph" to Match Selection
ready to be clicked:
After updating the style "List Paragraph," Fig. 5 shows the following:• Line 3, despite being a Level 2 line, has not shifted to the left.
• Creating a new Level 2 line (by pressing Enter from the end of line 3) creates a new Level 2 line but at the original (default) indent setting rather than according to the updated style.
• But creating a new Level 2 line from the end of line 9 (which originally was line 8) does create a new Level 2 line at the updated style indent setting:
Question 1: Isn't there a way to update a level style and have the update applied to all rows which share the same level similar to how it occurs in a non-numbered Word doc?
Example 2:
Interestingly, repeating the above process with Level 3 results in something altogether different:
Fig. 6 shows the existing (default) left indent setting of 1.38" for Level 3 (line 11):
Fig. 7 shows line 11 after the left indent has been changed to 0.88":Again, the "List Paragraph" style is updated to the selected formatting (Fig. 8):
but this time, the update is applied to all levels, above and below.Question 2: What is the explanation for that behavior?
My overall quest currently is to discover or learn how to make changes (font, font size, font color, indentation, numbers to bullets and vice versa, etc) to any level and be able to apply those changes to the existing style in a way that:
• includes previous lines already at that level,
• will be applied to new lines (i.e. created, promoted, or demoted), and
• does not affect text at any other level.
Thanks
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ASKER
On the bottom-left on this panel you should click on More (my image shows Less, brcause I clicked More).
Yes, I have got the More (expanded) view selected. However, my question was not about being able to see the"Link level 2 style" box but rather about the options in the drop-down menu. since posting that question though, I discovered that the "List Number" menu option is indeed available. I had to scroll almost all the way down to find it but I did find it.
Now my next question is:
After defining Level 1 and linking it to the "List Number" style, when I go on to define Level 2, do I again linked that to the "List Number" style or do I link it to the next style in the menu (which is "List Number 2")?
Thanks
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ASKER
OK, thanks. I'm feeling much better about defining new multi-list levels. However, I'm still foggy about attaching or linking those list levels to styles. For example:
Say you create nine completely new levels, some of which use numbering with others using bullets (#1 in Fig. 1), should all nine levels be linked to the same style or should each level be linked to a different style (#2 in Fig. 1)?
What does it mean to "link" a level to a style? In other words, do the font & indent settings just defined in the "Define new Multilevel list" box overwrite the corresponding settings previously assigned to that style?
Should the style(s) to which levels are linked be newly created (custom) styles or should they be styles already present in the drop-down list (#2 in Fig. 1)?
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ASKER
Thanks to your responses and meticulously going through the notes at ShaunaKelly.com, I think I'm finally getting this. Thanks again for your patience and help.
ASKER
Thanks
ASKER
Paul, your diagrams with numbered steps are immensely helpful. Thank you for taking the time to create them.
Questions re the diagrams:
1) In step 1, what do you mean by creating a default bullet?
2) What is the purpose of creating the bullet in step 1 when in step 5, you have to select a bullet again?
3) In step 6, my "Link level to style:" menu does not include the "List Number" options that yours does. Is that something that must be defined ahead of time and if so, what is the appropriate way to do it?
Thanks again.