formatting a list of numbers

  • Thread starter Thread starter kalmatt
  • Start date Start date
K

kalmatt

Is there a way to format a list of numbers so they "line-
up" by the decimal point or by the colon (in times, i.e.
6:00a.m. to 7:00pm)
 
If you use a decimal tab, the numbers will align on the first non-numeric
character (aside from the thousands separator). In this case, this would be
the first colon.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
Select the column
Format > Tabs
Set a decimal tab at the position you require the tab.
Add a tab before the number in each line of the list, which will line up the
colons on the tab positions.
You can use the replace function to do this
Find the times by use of a wildcard search (copy and paste from here) for

([0-9]{1,2})[:.]([0-9]{2}[apm. ]{2,})

replace with

^t\1:\2

This will find times in any of the following patterns and line them up on

10:55pm 11.32am 12.00a.m. 1:00 p.m.

match them to

10:55pm 11:32am 12:00a.m. 1:00 p.m.

and line them up on the colons.

You may find it more convenient to create a paragraph style with the tab as
part of its configuration. It won't insert the tabs for you, but it will
have the tab stop position available for any paragraph you apply the style
to.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.dsl.pipex.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
 
Graham's instructions are a bit misleading in one respect: "Select the
column." If the numbers are in a table column, you don't need to insert a
tab character; the numbers will snap to the decimal tab without one. If
you're dealing with text paragraphs, you need to select all the paragraphs
in which you want the tab stop before setting it.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

Graham Mayor said:
Select the column
Format > Tabs
Set a decimal tab at the position you require the tab.
Add a tab before the number in each line of the list, which will line up the
colons on the tab positions.
You can use the replace function to do this
Find the times by use of a wildcard search (copy and paste from here) for

([0-9]{1,2})[:.]([0-9]{2}[apm. ]{2,})

replace with

^t\1:\2

This will find times in any of the following patterns and line them up on

10:55pm 11.32am 12.00a.m. 1:00 p.m.

match them to

10:55pm 11:32am 12:00a.m. 1:00 p.m.

and line them up on the colons.

You may find it more convenient to create a paragraph style with the tab as
part of its configuration. It won't insert the tabs for you, but it will
have the tab stop position available for any paragraph you apply the style
to.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.dsl.pipex.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>



Would you supply more specific information? thanks, K
 
You are right - it was a bit misleading :-(
The suggestion concerned a list of times that are not in a table

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.dsl.pipex.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>


Graham's instructions are a bit misleading in one respect: "Select the
column." If the numbers are in a table column, you don't need to
insert a tab character; the numbers will snap to the decimal tab
without one. If you're dealing with text paragraphs, you need to
select all the paragraphs in which you want the tab stop before
setting it.


Graham Mayor said:
Select the column
Format > Tabs
Set a decimal tab at the position you require the tab.
Add a tab before the number in each line of the list, which will
line up the colons on the tab positions.
You can use the replace function to do this
Find the times by use of a wildcard search (copy and paste from
here) for

([0-9]{1,2})[:.]([0-9]{2}[apm. ]{2,})

replace with

^t\1:\2

This will find times in any of the following patterns and line them
up on

10:55pm 11.32am 12.00a.m. 1:00 p.m.

match them to

10:55pm 11:32am 12:00a.m. 1:00 p.m.

and line them up on the colons.

You may find it more convenient to create a paragraph style with the
tab as part of its configuration. It won't insert the tabs for you,
but it will have the tab stop position available for any paragraph
you apply the style to.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.dsl.pipex.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>



Would you supply more specific information? thanks, K


-----Original Message-----
If you use a decimal tab, the numbers will align on the first
non-numeric character (aside from the thousands separator). In this
case, this would be the first colon.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

Is there a way to format a list of numbers so
they "line-
up" by the decimal point or by the colon (in times, i.e.
6:00a.m. to 7:00pm)

.
 
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