path: root/doc/kword/tabstops.docbook

<sect1 id="tab-stops">
<sect1info>
<authorgroup>
<author>
<firstname>Mike</firstname>
<surname>McBride</surname>
</author>
<!-- TRANS:ROLES_OF_TRANSLATORS -->
</authorgroup>
</sect1info>
<title>Using Tab Stops</title>
<indexterm><primary>tab stops</primary><secondary>using</secondary></indexterm>
<indexterm><primary>paragraph</primary><secondary>setting tab stops</secondary></indexterm>

<para>Tab stops are a (very useful) holdover from the days of
typewriters.  They allow you to align text into columns quickly and
easily.</para>

<para>When a tab stop is in place, you can immediately jump to a
horizontal position on the page by pressing the <keycap>Tab</keycap> key.  Tab stops
are most commonly used to align columns in a table, or to automatically
indent paragraphs.</para>

<para>Tab stops are part of the properties of a paragraph.  Each
paragraph keeps track of its own set of tab stops.  To view the tab
stops of a particular paragraph, place the mouse pointer within a
paragraph, click once, and check the top ruler.  The tab stops are
marked as symbols in black. </para>

<para>&kword; recognizes 4 types of tab stops.  Each of these types has
a corresponding symbol to help you identify the type in the
ruler.</para>

<informaltable><tgroup cols="4" align="left">
<thead>
<row><entry align="center">Type</entry><entry align="center">Example</entry><entry align="center">Symbol</entry><entry align="center">Description</entry></row>
</thead>
<tbody>
<row><entry>Right Tab Stop</entry>
<entry align="left"><mediaobject><imageobject><imagedata fileref="rtab2.png" format="PNG" align="center"/></imageobject></mediaobject></entry>
<entry><mediaobject><imageobject><imagedata fileref="rtab.png" format="PNG" align="center"/></imageobject></mediaobject></entry>
<entry>With a right tab stop, the right edge of the next set of words is aligned at the tab stop. </entry></row>

<row><entry>Center Tab Stop</entry>
<entry align="left"><mediaobject><imageobject><imagedata fileref="ctab2.png" format="PNG" align="center"/></imageobject></mediaobject></entry>
<entry><mediaobject><imageobject><imagedata fileref="ctab.png" format="PNG" align="center"/></imageobject></mediaobject></entry>
<entry>With a center tab stop, the text is centered at the tab stop. </entry></row>

<row><entry>Left Tab Stop</entry>
<entry align="left"><mediaobject><imageobject><imagedata fileref="ltab2.png" format="PNG" align="center"/></imageobject></mediaobject></entry>
<entry><mediaobject><imageobject><imagedata fileref="ltab.png" format="PNG" align="center"/></imageobject></mediaobject></entry>
<entry>With a left tab stop, the left edge of the next set of words is aligned at the tab stop. </entry></row>

<row><entry>Decimal Tab Stop</entry>
<entry align="left"><mediaobject><imageobject><imagedata fileref="dtab2.png" format="PNG" align="center"/></imageobject></mediaobject></entry>
<entry><mediaobject><imageobject><imagedata fileref="dtab.png" format="PNG" align="center"/></imageobject></mediaobject></entry>
<entry>With a decimal tab stop, the decimal points of the text are aligned at the tab stop. </entry></row>

</tbody></tgroup></informaltable>

<sect2 id="tab-stop-setting">
<title>Setting Tab Stops</title>
<indexterm><primary>tab stops</primary><secondary>setting a new tab stop</secondary></indexterm>

<para>Tab stops can be set one of two ways:</para>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para><link linkend="tab-stop-setting-rulers">Using the rulers of
&kword;</link></para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para><link linkend="tab-stop-setting-dialog">Using a specialized dialog
panel.</link></para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>

<sect3 id="tab-stop-setting-rulers">
<title>Using the Ruler</title>

<para>You can use the top ruler of &kword; to interactively insert tab
stops.</para>

<para>First, you should select the type of tab stop you want to
use.</para>

<para>Place the mouse cursor over the current tab character (located
directly to the left of the top ruler).  Click once with the &RMB;.  A small popup menu
will appear.  You can select the tab stop you want from the sub
menu.</para>

<tip>
<para>You can also use the left mouse button to cycle through the
different types of tab stops.  </para>

<para>Click once on the current tab character, and the tab stop changes
from left tab stop, to center tab stop.
If you continue to click with the left mouse button, you will change to
right tab stop, then to decimal tab stop,
then back to left tab stop. </para>
</tip>

<para>Once you have the correct type of tab stop, you can simply place
the mouse pointer on the top ruler bar at the desired position, and click once with the
&LMB;.  This will place a tab
stop at that position.</para>

</sect3>

<sect3 id="tab-stop-setting-dialog">
<title>Using the Dialog Box</title>

<para>The fastest way to get to the tab stop dialog panel, is to select
<menuchoice><guimenu>Format</guimenu><guimenuitem>Paragraph...</guimenuitem></menuchoice>
from the menubar or type <keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;&Alt;<keycap>P</keycap></keycombo>.  
This will bring up a dialog box with 5 tabs. Click on the tab
labeled <guilabel>Tabulators</guilabel>. </para>

<screenshot>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject><imagedata fileref="fpara5.png" format="PNG"/>
</imageobject>
</mediaobject>
</screenshot>

<para>You can now add tab stops by:</para>

<orderedlist numeration="arabic">
<listitem>
<para>Click the <guibutton>New</guibutton> button at the bottom of the list of tab stops.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Type the horizontal location of the tab stop in the space
labeled <guilabel>Position</guilabel>.  The units used and the current frame width 
are listed below the text box.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Select the type of tab stop from the list of radio buttons labeled 
<guilabel>Alignment</guilabel>.</para></listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Determine what you want to fill the empty space to the tab stop with.  
In most cases this should be left as <guilabel>Blank</guilabel>. For information on other options in this section, see 
<link linkend="tab-fill">Tab filling</link>.</para></listitem>

</orderedlist>

<para>You can now add another tab stop.  When you are done adding tab stops, you can click
<guibutton>OK</guibutton> to finish.</para>

</sect3>
</sect2>

<sect2 id="tab-stop-moving">
<title>Moving Tab Stops</title>
<indexterm><primary>tab stops</primary><secondary>moving</secondary></indexterm>

<para>Tab stops can be moved one of two ways:</para>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para><link linkend="tab-stop-move-ruler">Using the rulers of
&kword;</link></para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para><link linkend="tab-stop-move-dialog">Using a specialized dialog
panel.</link></para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>

<sect3 id="tab-stop-move-ruler">
<title>Using the Ruler</title>

<orderedlist numeration="arabic">
<listitem>
<para>To move a tab stop with the ruler, place the mouse over the
desired tab stop.  The mouse pointer will change to a double
arrow.</para>
</listitem>

<listitem>
<para>Click and hold down the &LMB;.  Drag the tab
stop to its new location</para>
</listitem>

<listitem>
<para>When the tab stop is where you want it, release the mouse
button.</para>
</listitem>
</orderedlist>

</sect3>

<sect3 id="tab-stop-move-dialog">
<title>Using the Dialog Box</title>

<para>Select <menuchoice><guimenu>Format</guimenu><guimenuitem>Paragraph...</guimenuitem></menuchoice>
from the menubar or type <keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;&Alt;<keycap>P</keycap></keycombo>.  
This will bring up a dialog box with 5 tabs. </para>

<para>Click on the tab labeled <guilabel>Tabulators</guilabel></para>

<para>A very fast way to edit existing tab stops is to simply double click on the
tab stop you want to edit in the top ruler of &kword;.  This will also bring up
the <guilabel>Tabulators</guilabel> dialog box with the desired tab stop already selected.</para>

<screenshot>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject><imagedata fileref="fpara5.png" format="PNG"/></imageobject>
</mediaobject>
</screenshot>

<orderedlist numeration="arabic">
<listitem>
<para>Click on the tab stop you want moved.  The list of all tab stops
is in the box on the left side of the dialog panel.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Type the horizontal location of the tab stop in the space
labeled <guilabel>Position</guilabel>.  The units used and the current frame width 
are listed below the text box.</para>
</listitem>

<listitem>
<para>If you need to make changes, select the type of tab stop from the
list labeled <guilabel>Alignment</guilabel> or change the white space character
under <guilabel>Tab Leader</guilabel>.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Click <guibutton>OK</guibutton> when you are done moving all tab stops around.</para>
</listitem>
</orderedlist>
</sect3>
</sect2>

<sect2 id="tab-stop-remove">
<title>Removing Tab Stops</title>
<indexterm><primary>tab stops</primary><secondary>removing</secondary></indexterm>
<indexterm><primary>tab stops</primary><secondary>deleting</secondary></indexterm>

<para>
Tab stops can be removed one of two ways:
</para>

<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para><link linkend="tab-stop-delete-rulers">Using the rulers of
&kword;</link></para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para><link linkend="tab-stop-delete-dialog">Using a specialized dialog
panel.</link></para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>

<sect3 id="tab-stop-delete-rulers">
<title>Using the Ruler</title>

<orderedlist numeration="arabic">
<listitem>
<para>To delete a tab stop with the ruler, place the mouse over the
desired tab stop.  The mouse pointer will change to a double
arrow.</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Click and hold down the &RMB; on
the mouse. A popup menu will appear.  Select <guimenuitem>Remove Tabulator</guimenuitem>.</para>
</listitem>
</orderedlist>
</sect3>

<sect3 id="tab-stop-delete-dialog">
<title>Using the Dialog Box</title>

<para>Select <menuchoice><guimenu>Format</guimenu><guimenuitem>Paragraph...</guimenuitem></menuchoice>
from the menubar or type <keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;&Alt;<keycap>P</keycap></keycombo>.  
This will bring up a dialog box with 5 tabs. </para>

<para>Click on the tab labeled <guilabel>Tabulators</guilabel></para>

<para>A very fast way to edit existing tab stops is to simply double click on the
tab stop you want to edit in the top ruler of &kword;.  This will also bring up
the <guilabel>Tabulators</guilabel> dialog box with the desired tab stop already selected.</para>

<screenshot>
<mediaobject>
<imageobject>
<imagedata fileref="fpara5.png" format="PNG"/></imageobject>
</mediaobject>
</screenshot>

<orderedlist numeration="arabic">
<listitem>
<para>Click on the tab stop you want removed.  The list of all tab stops
is in the box on the left side of the dialog panel</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>Click the <guibutton>Delete</guibutton> button.</para>
</listitem>
</orderedlist>

<note><para>You can delete all tab stops at once by clicking <guibutton>Delete All</guibutton>.</para>
<para>&kword; will not prompt you prior to deleting all tabs, so make sure that is your intention prior to selecting the
<guibutton>Delete All</guibutton> button.</para>
</note>

<para>When you are done deleting tab stops, you can click
<guibutton>OK</guibutton> to finish.</para>

</sect3>
</sect2>
<sect2 id="tab-fill">
<title>Tab filling</title>
<indexterm><primary>tab stops</primary><secondary>tab filling</secondary></indexterm>

<para>By default, &kword; uses the standard tab function that you are familiar with when using a typewriter or most wordprocessing programs.
You can, however, have &kword; insert dots or lines to fill the tab space.</para>
<para>To change the way the tab fills work in &kword; you change the combo box labeled <guilabel>Filling:</guilabel>.  This combo box
gives you many different line styles to choose from.</para>
<para>You can change the thickness of the lines by using the <guilabel>Width:</guilabel> spin box.</para>



</sect2>
</sect1>