How-To: Understanding Tab Stop Types - OpenOffice.org Writer
- This screencast demostrates the different types of tab stops. Note that nonprinting characters like this are enabled to illustrate clearly the tabs and tab stops.
- First, we will look at the "Left" tab stop, which is the default. Its marker looks like this.
- When the tab is set to "Left" the tab stop will always be on the LEFT of the text.
- While any text will always appear only on the RIGHT of this tab stop.
- Next, we will look at the "Right" tab stop type.
- Its marker looks like this.
- As you can see, the tab stop here is positioned on the "Right" of the text...
- while all text will always appear only on the LEFT of the tab stop.
- Take note as well that the tab has shortened to accomadate the change.
- Now we will look at the "Decimal" tab stop type.
- Its marker looks like this.
- In this tab stop type, the decimal point is always fixed on the tab stop's position...
- ...while numbers and characters can appear on either side of it.
- Lastly, we are going to look at the "Center" tab stop type.
- In this type of tab stop, the text will always adjust itself in such a way that it is always centered on the tab stop's position.
- To fully understand the decimal and center tab stop types, we shall now illustrate how text behave when those types are used.
- For the decimal tab stop, when you add characters, they will appear either to the left or right of the tab stop position depending on where the cursor is.
- Take note that the decimal point stays firmly fixed on its position.
- On the center tab stop however, the text automatically adjusts so that it is always centered on the tab stop's position as seen here.
- Great! You have seen the different types of tab stops in action.
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Understanding Tab Stop Types
This screencast demonstrates four different types
of tab stops and
how they align the text.
You learn:
- How to use a left aligned tab stop.
- How to use a right aligned tab stop.
- How to use a decimal aligned tab stop with decimal numbers.
- How to use a center aligned tab stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why does the screencast show the tabulator characters with an arrow, while they are 'invisible' on my screen?
A: The tabulator character is a non printing character. You can make the
tabulator character visible by making the non printing characters visible. To learn how to view
nonprinting characters go to the view nonprinting characters screencast.
Advanced topics
For related functionality see:
- Format with default tab stops.
- Change type of an existing tab stop.
- Change tab stop type for new tab stops.
- Set multiple tab stops at once.
- Insert a new tab stop.
- Insert tab stop fill characters.
- Remove a tab stop.
- Remove a tab stop using the horizontal ruler.
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