ms word question - how to align already type decimal numbers

[kalos]

hello

in MS Word, in order to align decimal numbers according to their decimal point, we need to first set a decimal tab stop and then go to that point via TAB key and start typing, and the alignment will be on the fly as we write

however I need to do that type of alignment in an already typed list of decimal numbers

how can I do that?

also, in the line tab stop, how can I adjust the distance between the line and the text? and how can I remove that line? it is still there even if I choose to remove all tab stops

thanks

[Target]

to align existing text you have to set a manual tab stop

select the text (block), then toggle through the tab types till you get the decimal (click the tab stop icon in the top left of the ruler), and finally click in the ruler where you want the tab set.

note that you will need to also manually add tabs to replace any default/automagical ones in the text, ie unless you do this the one you just added becomes the FIRST tab which will likely play havoc with your layout

can't help you with the second part though (I've never used it  )

[mwang]

also, in the line tab stop, how can I adjust the distance between the line and the text? and how can I remove that line? it is still there even if I choose to remove all tab stops

-kalos (July 01, 2009, 04:01 AM)

If you mean the "bar" tab stop (as it's called in Word), then no, you can't adjust the distance between the line and the text. The "bar tab stop" is an old way to draw a vertical line in text, and is kept only for backward compatibility. If you want more control (incl. adjusting  the distance between the line and the text), use the line tool (Insert - Shapes - Line in Word 2007).

Removing all tab stops does remove the bar tab stop here (or just removing it from the ruler).

I apologize if you are talking able another kind of tab stop, but I can't see any "line" tab stop here.

[AndyM]

in MS Word, in order to align decimal numbers according to their decimal point, we need to first set a decimal tab stop and then go to that point via TAB key and start typing, and the alignment will be on the fly as we write

however I need to do that type of alignment in an already typed list of decimal numbers

how can I do that?

-kalos (July 01, 2009, 04:01 AM)

I assume you are looking for a quick way to do this to a long list of numbers (if it was short, you could have inserted the decimal tabs manually)

Is each number in the list in a separate line followed by a paragraph mark, with no punctuation
other than the decimal point and possibly commas?

Are there any tabs at present?

Are there any tab stops set at present?

If it's just the list of numbers, each followed by a paragraph or end-line mark, you can do a search and replace, searching for the paragraph or end-line mark and replacing it with a paragraph/end-line mark followed by  a tab.  This will put a tab before each number (except the first).  Then select the whole list and put a decimal tab stop where you want it right/left-wise (I like using the tab bar at the top for this sort of thing, but you can also use the tab dialog).

This list should snap to your tab stop, with all the decimal points directly underneath.