Tabs again

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ngazidja
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Tabs again

Post by ngazidja »

I thought this problem would be solved by the 2.7 beta (it wasn't) and then by the 2.7 release, but still no. Sometimes when I open my files the last line in each paragraph has the wrong indentation - either an indent (corresponding to the first line indent) or no indent (when the para should be indented). The tab settings in the ruler are correct, it's just that the last line doesn't obey the rules.
There is absolutely no easy way I can find of fixing these - even removing all attributes and styles doesn't do it (and I wouldn't want to do that anyway, since all my italics go, etc.). The only way I can correct the indents is to go to the last line in every affected paragraph, type something (I generally do "return" and "delete") to force the file to reformat.
Grrr.
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martin
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Post by martin »

This is a bug in Apple's text engine that unfortunately we can do nothing about. However, they did fix the bug for 10.4 (Tiger), so upgrading should fix it.
Candace
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Post by Candace »

I'm having plenty of trouble coming in from Classic Nisus to NWE - for instance, I don't yet understand HOW to set tabs. But I can't believe that the only way to fix this last line indent thing is to upgrade to 10.4.

I've gone through the doc again and again, setting it to a predetermined style, which seems to fix it.....then I do something else, and I look again, and it's back to the last line indent....Grrrrr is just the beginning.

I don't understand how a person can do a serious document without a table of authorities feature, how you can work on something without being able to see the rulers setting the styles, and I'm having a hard time understanding the import styles dialogue. Now my document morphs under my nose - which means I can't even print it out without losing the proper form. This just can't be right...
ssampler
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Post by ssampler »

TABS: See pages 100-103 (printed page numbers 89-92) of the pdf manual and the Structuring Paragraphs section of help. I've found the advice there useful.

Before reading these sections, I tried to change an existing tab by selecting it and then changing its type. That didn't work. You must first delete the existing tab, set the new type, and then set a position.

If you want to delete a tab by dragging, I suggest dragging it out at nearest document border. Sometimes when I try to drag a tab along the ruler l wind up leaving it at the far right.
Candace
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Post by Candace »

Thanks; I'm flying to Pennsylvania tomorrow and I will spend some time with the manual then. ......What happened to the simplicity of having tabs you could just drag across the top? TABS, which have an actual meaning as far as editing a document goes, not DROPLETS, which don't. And CONJOINED DRAG? Yes, I guess I can ultimately figure out what that means, but it's a long way from the intuitive ease of the old system. Why is this being made so hard when it was so simple?
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martin
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Post by martin »

You can also change a tab's location and type (alignment) by double-clicking its ruler marker (the little black arrows).
Candace
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Post by Candace »

Sorry, Martin. The only little arrows I see are at the far right of the ruler bar under tools. When I click on them, I see a listing for left, right, etc., but nothing changes in the document or in my next paragraph.
There's a little black arrow under Lists, but that doesn't tab either.

Where should I be looking?
cchapin
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Post by cchapin »

Hi, Candace. I'm sorry you're having such trouble getting used to Nisus Writer Express.

That tab symbol at the right end of the menu bar simply lets you choose the type of tab. Whatever type is displayed there is the type that will be added to the menu bar if you simply click in it (above the thin, black line, where you see the tiny dots). Once you've done that, you should see the tab marker displayed at (or near) that position. You can then drag the tab marker to another position, drag it off the ruler to delete it or double-click it to edit its position and settings.

The droplets are to set margins for the selected paragraph(s). I hope this helps.

--Craig
Candace
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Post by Candace »

Hi Craig - Thank you for your commiseration - I'm sorry you're all having to suffer through my having such a hard time switching over.
Your instructions were very exciting, because now for the first time I do have little black arrows I can move about. I have not really gotten the hang of the interaction between droplets and tabs, however --- for instance, I want to set an indent of five for the first line - got that - move the first line droplet. But then I set a tab for further in, the droplet follows it - so it seems that the tab and the first line droplet are doing the same thing, and I can't just set a tab and go there for one line, then go back to my old (preset) first line indent.
I am printing out the PDF manual as we speak and am going to lug it with me on the plane together with my new Macbook, and maybe when I get back I will be saying how NWE is so fabulous and intuitive!
Thanks for your help. By the way, has anyone figured out a way around the no Table of Authorities problem?
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martin
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Post by martin »

Candace wrote:I want to set an indent of five for the first line - got that - move the first line droplet. But then I set a tab for further in, the droplet follows it
I'm not sure I understand what it is you are describing. The indentation droplets (the fat blue triangles) and tab markers (black elbowed arrows) should be completely separate.

There is one exceptions to this that perhaps you are being confused by: there is always an automatic tab stop set at the same location as the left indent for the paragraph. This tab stop does not have a corresponding black arrow marker on the ruler.

Hopefully all that makes sense. Let us know how it goes.
Candace
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Post by Candace »

Thank you, Martin. It was the left margin that moved the droplet. So we are on the same page.
I very much appreciate the support of these forums and the attention of an "Official Nisus Person" to my queries, and I look forward to the day when I can rip through my NWE docs with the same comfort and efficiency I knew in Nisus Classic.
Or else I will bring back my blue iMac and go back to 9.2..... Cheers, Candace
rmark
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Tabs again

Post by rmark »

Candace,

Martin asked that I check in on you and your problem. It seems that you now have the situation in hand. Please let me know if you continue to get confusing behavior.

We're here to help make your experience of using Nisus Writer Express as smooth as possible.
Write On!
Mark Hurvitz
Nisus Software Inc.
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martin
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Post by martin »

Candace wrote:I very much appreciate the support of these forums and the attention of an "Official Nisus Person" to my queries
And don't forget Craig... with the way he so promptly helps out we should probably start paying him :P
ssampler
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Post by ssampler »

This discussion about tabs and indent markers has been very helpful. One more question.

In the help it states:

"You can move the left indent marker and first line indent of selected text by pressing OPTION RIGHTARROW. This moves the left indent marker and first line indent in one-half and one-quarter inch increments (respectively) to create a "hanging indent".

Alternatively, pressing OPTION LEFTARROW moves the left indent marker and first line indent out one-half and one-quarter inch increments (respectively) (until both are flush left)."


I can't get these actions to work. If I select text (line or paragraph) and hit option arrow, the cursor moves word by word on the line it happens to be on. If I select text and then click on a marker the same thing happens.

.
OS X 10.4.7 PB G4 1.5


Thanks
rmark
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Tabs again

Post by rmark »

ssampler calls our attention to what the manual states:
"You can move the left indent marker and first line indent of selected text by pressing OPTION RIGHTARROW. This moves the left indent marker and first line indent in one-half and one-quarter inch increments (respectively) to create a "hanging indent".

Alternatively, pressing OPTION LEFTARROW moves the left indent marker and first line indent out one-half and one-quarter inch increments (respectively) (until both are flush left)."
Actually (sorry about this confusion/error), you need to press the COMMAND key as well.
The menu key equivalents for these commands are indicated on the menus.

So corrected:
"You can move the left indent marker and first line indent of selected text by pressing COMMAND OPTION RIGHTARROW. This moves the left indent marker and first line indent in one-half and one-quarter inch increments (respectively) to create a "hanging indent".

Alternatively, pressing COMMAND OPTION LEFTARROW moves the left indent marker and first line indent out one-half and one-quarter inch increments (respectively) (until both are flush left)."
Write On!
Mark Hurvitz
Nisus Software Inc.
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