Increase/Decrease Indent Buttons Don't Change Numbering Level

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

SYMPTOMS

If you remove the Increase Indent or Decrease Indent button from the Formatting toolbar, then add the button back to that toolbar, this button no longer changes the numbering level on paragraphs to which you applied multilevel numbering formatting. The button still works to change indent formatting, but it no longer changes multilevel numbering formatting. (To modify the Formatting toolbar, choose Customize from the Tools menu, select the Toolbars tab, and then select Formatting from the Categories list.)

This is also true of the quick key assignments, CTRL+M and CTRL+SHIFT+M.

CAUSE

There are two Word commands that perform an indent, "IncreaseIndent" and "Indent," and two that remove an indent, "DecreaseIndent" and "UnIndent." Only the IncreaseIndent and DecreaseIndent commands work to promote and demote paragraphs in a multilevel list.

The default toolbar button uses the IncreaseIndent and DecreaseIndent commands for the Increase Indent button. If you add the Increase Indent button or Decrease Indent button from the Format category in the Customize dialog box, however, the new buttons incorrectly use the Indent and UnIndent command, respectively.

The default CTRL+M and CTRL+SHIFT+M implement the "Indent" and "UnIndent" command, respectively. The default ALT+SHIFT+Right Arrow and ALT+SHIFT+Left Arrow implement the "IncreaseIndent" and "DecreaseIndent" command, respectively.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Word versions 6.0, 6.0a and 6.0c for Windows and Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0 and 7.0a. This problem has been corrected in Word 97 for Windows.

WORKAROUND

Do not add the Increase or Decrease Indent buttons back to your Formatting (or any other) toolbar by dragging the button icon back to the toolbar from the Tools Customize dialog box. Instead, use the instructions below to select the IncreaseIndent or DecreaseIndent Word command and drag it back to the toolbar. When you drag the Word command instead of the toolbar button, the commands retain full functionality.

1. From the Tools menu, choose Customize and then select the Toolbar tab.

2. From the Categories list, select All Commands.

3. With the mouse, select IncreaseIndent or DecreaseIndent in the Commands list. When the mouse pointer changes to a gray rectangle, drag the command to the Formatting (or other) toolbar and drop it.

4. Choose the Close button.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, pages 716-724