WD: Cannot Create Hanging Indent in Multilevel Numbered List

ID: Q120917

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a

SYMPTOMS

Word may display and print regular indent formatting when you apply hanging indent formatting to a paragraph formatted for multilevel list numbering.

CAUSE

Word behaves as if you applied regular instead of hanging indent formatting to a paragraph in a multilevel numbered list if you also applied Skip Numbering formatting to the paragraph. (To apply Skip Numbering formatting to a numbered list, click the right mouse button on the paragraph and then, from the shortcut menu that appears, choose Skip Numbering.)

For example, in the multilevel numbered list below, if you choose Skip Numbering for the "Note" paragraph under section I, then apply 1-inch hanging indent paragraph formatting, Word incorrectly displays and prints the paragraph as if you formatted it for a 1-inch left indent. This happens even though the ruler and the Format Paragraph dialog box correctly display the hanging indent formatting.

I. Fruits

     A.  Apples
     B.  Oranges
     C.  Pears
     Note: This list does not contain any tropical fruits such as guavas,
     mangos, pineapples, or papayas.

II. Vegetables

     A.  Carrots
     B.  Lettuce
     C.  Rutabagas

By contrast, if you interrupt the numbering by choosing Stop Numbering from the shortcut menu for lists, Word correctly displays and prints any hanging indent formatting you apply to the paragraph.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, upgrade to the latest version of Microsoft Word.

To work around this problem, remove numbering from the multilevel numbered list item. To do this, choose Stop Numbering (instead of Skip Numbering) from the shortcut menu for lists. You must then restart numbering for the next multilevel numbered list item.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Word listed above. This problem was corrected in Word 97 for Windows and Word 98 Macintosh Edition.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, pages 152-155

Additional query words: wrong

Keywords          : kbnumbering 
Version           : MACINTOSH:6.0,6.0.1,6.0.1a; WINDOWS:6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

Last Reviewed: February 6, 1998