[Solved] Hanging Indent for list of definitions

[Kat27888]

I have a list of definitions in my document. I want a tab stop after the name of the first definition for the definition description. As it is more than one line I want the next and subsequent lines to align with the same tab stop, a hanging indent. I have tried hanging indent from styles and formatting but this causes the definition (before the tab stop) to indent slightly whereas I want that to stay at the margin (as I only want 1 tab stop where the definition description goes). I have played about with indent and spacing tab to no avail. Thanks in advance. (PS I realise it would probably be easier to do a table for this).

[floris v]

The trick is that if you don't want the first line to be indented, you set the Before text and First line to the same absolute values, so Before text might become 4 cm, First line then becomes -4 cm. In that case also set a left-aligned tab at 4 cm on the tabs tab.

[Kat27888]

Thanks I tried that but it doesn't work for what I want to do. I found a work around. I did my description first at 4cm hanging indent tab and then at the margin I added before the indent arrow the definition name. However that limits the number of characters I can use and it means I can only use the first line for the definition name. I tried to use columns but as far as I can see that only allowed me to use 2 equal sized columns which I don't want.

[MrProgrammer]

I want a tab stop after the name of the first definition for the definition description. As it is more than one line I want the next and subsequent lines to align with the same tab stop, a hanging indent.

Example of hanging indent using a style.

202211301852.odt

(26.43 KiB) Downloaded 305 times

However that limits the number of characters I can use and it means I can only use the first line for the definition name.

If your definition names don't fit into the 4cm area of the first line, you either need to make that area wider, make the font for those characters smaller, or use a 2-column table for your definitions. For the latter, select the definitions and use Table → Convert → Text to Table → Separate at → Tabs. Then apply the Text Body style instead of Hanging Indent.


If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit ☐ button and add [Solved] to the start of the Subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[Kat27888]

Thanks MrProgrammer the second option worked well for me. I added one large tab stop at 8 cm so could fit my definition name on. I then did the text with only the one tab stop dividing and no other carriage returns. I then converted it to a table and then adjusted the column sizes to suit. I just need to figure out how to remove that gap before the border inside the table before I remove the lines.