Separate alignments in single paragraph

[DavidacrossAmerica]

In this text box to the right of this graphic, I want each of the bold words ("Who," etc.) to be right justified with each other (as shown in the second image below), and then the beginning of each description to the lined up with each other. I've played with the various indentation controls, but cannot get it to work. I think I am probably missing some basic function here. Right now, all this text is part of a single text box. Advice?

 

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Hi @DavidacrossAmerica:

You'll need to set a right-align tab stop and a hanging indent. Start by adding a tab before and after the bold words, then set as follows:

• Shift+drag the the lower white triangle in the Tab ruler (Type > Tabs) to set the hanging indent. (The top triangle remains at the left margin.)
• Add a right-align tab to set the position of the colon. 
• Adjust either to control the spacing. 

~Barb

[DavidacrossAmerica]

Thanks much. But I don't understand how the bold words are right aligned.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Through tabs. 

Here is an example of different tabs. All of the text is left aligned as far as the paragraph alignment is concerned.

[DavidacrossAmerica]

When I drag the bottom tab arrow as you describe, the whole paragraph does not move as it does on your example. Can you determine from this screenshot what I am doing wrong?

[DavidacrossAmerica]

Never mind, I got it working though I swear I didn't do anything differently when it finally started working.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

You did not add a tab. And you want to leave the First Line Indent alone (the top triangle). 

[Barb Binder]

Hi @DavidacrossAmerica:

Can you determine from this screenshot what I am doing wrong?

In my video, I selected (highlighted) all of the text prior to Shift-dragging the bottom triangle.

In your video, you only had your cursor clicked in the first paragraph. That's why only the first paragraph moved.

When you're trying to format multiple paragraphs, you need to select them.

~Barb 

[DavidacrossAmerica]

I may not have in that video, but I did do that several times with the same outcome. I just did it again to confirm. I think I need to find a good tutorial on using tabs. It's pretty cumbersome it seems.

[Barb Binder]

Hi @DavidacrossAmerica:

There is definitely a learning curve  on setting tabs. On the bright side, once you know how to do it in one application, you can use that same information in any application. For example, it's the same approach using Word or InDesign or FrameMaker, etc.

You might start here and then look for video tutorials to supplement and demo the basic concepts: https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/tabs-indents.html

And of course you can ask us any questions you like. Both @Dave Creamer of IDEAS and I are career trainers on InDesign, FrameMaker and other applications, and are experienced teaching tabs.

If you have additional questions on this process, go ahead and ask them here. If you have a new question on tabs, please create a new thread.

~Barb

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@DavidacrossAmerica

You could convert your text into a Table?