Decimal Tabs Within a Table Don't Behave Normally

ID: Q71926

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

Decimal tab stops do not behave normally in a table.

Situation 1: When you set a single decimal tab in a Word for Windows table

            cell, the CTRL+TAB key combination within that cell does not
            work in the usual manner as expected. By contrast, when you
            set multiple tabs in the cell of which one is a decimal tab,
            the decimal tab works as expected when you press CTRL+TAB.

Situation 2: If the default paragraph formatting is set to either centered
            or right alignment, decimal tab settings will not align
            properly within a table.

CAUSE

Situation 1: This behavior is by design in Word. When a decimal tab is the

            only custom tab setting in a table cell, you do not have to
            press CTRL+TAB to go to the tab stop. Word moves automatically
            to this tab when you enter the cell if the decimal tab is the
            first tab in the cell. On the other hand, if the cell contains
            a nondecimal tab before the decimal tab, you must press
            CTRL+TAB to go to the decimal tab stop, as usual.

             In a table cell that contains a single decimal tab, if you
            press CTRL+TAB, the insertion point moves to the next default
            tab stop following the decimal tab.

             Outside a table cell, decimal tabs behave in the expected,
            usual manner.

Situation 2: This is by design, decimal tab settings will only align
            correctly if the text alignment is set to either left or
            justified.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, pages 133-134

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Reference," version 1.x, pages 354-357, 361-372

KBCategory: kbusage KBSubcategory: kbtable Additional query words: 1.x 2.0 2.0a 2.0a-CD 2.0b 6.0 word6 winword 6.0a winword2

Keywords          : kbtable 
Version           : 1.x 2.x 6.0 6.0a 6.0c
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: July 31, 1997