Specifying paragraph attributes and tab settings

Specifying paragraph attributes and tab settings

In Browse mode, you can format individual paragraphs (including setting tabs) for text in a field. In Layout mode, you can specify paragraph attributes for fields that hold text and for text that's not in a field.

Note In both Browse mode and Layout mode, you can use the Format menu to set paragraph and tab settings. In Layout mode, you can also use the Inspector and specify the settings in the Paragraph and Tabs areas of the Appearance tab.

To specify paragraph attributes and tab settings:

1.

In Layout mode, select the text or field you want to format. Or, in Browse mode, select the text you want to format.

For more information, see Selecting text.

Note The formatting you specify in Browse mode will be stored with the data, and you will see it in any layout that displays the field. For more information, see Formatting text.

2.

Choose Format menu > Line Spacing > Other.

3.

In the Paragraph dialog box, specify spacing and alignment.

To

Do this

Specify paragraph alignment

For Alignment, select an option.

Specify paragraph margins and indentation for the first line

For Indent, type a value for Left, Right, and First.

Specify line spacing

For Line Spacing, type a value for Height, Above, and Below and choose a unit of measure. The lines unit of measure varies with the font you use and is slightly more than the font height.

4.

To specify tab settings for the paragraph, click Tabs.

5.

In the Tabs dialog box, specify tab settings.

To

Do this

Set a new left, center, or right tab

Select Left, Center, or Right, type a value for Position to set where the text will align, and then click New.

Set a new decimal tab

Select Align on and type a character for the text to align to (for example, a “.”), type a value for Position to set where the text will align to that character, then click New.

Use a character to fill across to the tab

For Fill Character, type a character (for example, for a phone listing, you can fill the area between the name and the telephone number with periods).

Change a tab's settings

Select the tab's settings in the scrolling list, change any of the options in the dialog box, then click Set.

Remove a tab

Select the tab's settings in the scrolling list, then click Clear.

6.

Click OK.

To change paragraph indents and tabs using the rulers:

1.

In Browse mode or Layout mode, display the rulers.

In Browse mode, choose View menu > Ruler. In Layout mode, choose View menu > Rulers.

2.

In Browse mode, select a field. In Layout mode, create text or select existing text.

In the horizontal ruler, you see the paragraph settings for the current selection. In Browse mode, you see the current field’s settings. In Layout mode, you see the settings of the selected text.

3.

To change paragraph settings, drag a margin marker to set margins and the first-line indent marker to set the first-line indent. When you move the left margin marker, the first-line indent marker also moves unless you press Alt (Windows) or Option (OS X) as you drag either marker.

To change text alignment in paragraphs:

With the field or text selected, in the formatting bar, click one of the following buttons to change alignment:

Align Left , Align Center , Align Right , or Align Full .

Notes

•

You can specify vertical text alignment for text and fields. In Layout mode, choose Format menu > Align Text, then choose Top, Center, or Bottom.

•

You can use the ruler to set margins or tabs for text data in Browse mode or for text in Layout mode. You can't use the ruler to format fields in Layout mode, you must use the Paragraph and Tabs dialog boxes.

•

To quickly set a left tab, click the ruler where you want the tab stop placed. To delete a tab from the ruler, drag it downward off the ruler.

•

You can double-click in the ruled part of the ruler to open the Tabs dialog box.

•

OS X: If you have set up tab stops for a field, you need to press Option-Tab to move the insertion point to the next tab stop.

Related topics

Adding text to a layout

To	Do this
Specify paragraph alignment	For Alignment, select an option.
Specify paragraph margins and indentation for the first line	For Indent, type a value for Left, Right, and First.
Specify line spacing	For Line Spacing, type a value for Height, Above, and Below and choose a unit of measure. The lines unit of measure varies with the font you use and is slightly more than the font height.

To	Do this
Set a new left, center, or right tab	Select Left, Center, or Right, type a value for Position to set where the text will align, and then click New.
Set a new decimal tab	Select Align on and type a character for the text to align to (for example, a “.”), type a value for Position to set where the text will align to that character, then click New.
Use a character to fill across to the tab	For Fill Character, type a character (for example, for a phone listing, you can fill the area between the name and the telephone number with periods).
Change a tab's settings	Select the tab's settings in the scrolling list, change any of the options in the dialog box, then click Set.
Remove a tab	Select the tab's settings in the scrolling list, then click Clear.

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