Bullets and Numbering Control Panel Not Available

[dhood_UX]

When using InDesign on Mac, I have access to Bullets and Numbering within the Control Panel. When using InDesign on Windows, Bullets and Numbering is not included in the Control Panel -- the one on the side.

I have reviewed each of the Workspace options, but no matter what I do, I can't get the Bullets and Numbering portion of the panel to display.

What can I do? This slows down my work efforts.

[jane-e]

Hi

Can you show a screen shot? Usually if a set of controls isn't showing, it's because of the monitor size or your resolution. You can turn off other controls using the menu for the Control panel and it should show up.

Also, to confirm: you have an insertion point with the Paragraph settings (pilcrow) selected in the Control panel, correct?

As work arounds you could use the Paragraph panel or Quick Apply (Ctrl+Enter), but lets look at fixing this first.

~ Jane

[dhood_UX]

Here's the Paragraph panel. This is where I'm used to seeing the Bullets and Numbering options, at the bottom of this panel. I don't want to change the way I work (decreases efficiency), so I'm hoping not to use the panel at the top of the page or any shortcuts. Thx! I appreciate any insights. 

[Willi Adelberger]

You should not do it with this panel, much better is to do this task with a Paragraph Style (which can be saved for future use for you and your co-workers in a CC Library) together with a dedicated character style. 

But in this panel you find it in the Panel Menu, the 4 stripes at the top right is the menu and there you find bullets and numbers.

[jane-e]

"When using InDesign on Mac, I have access to Bullets and Numbering within the Control Panel. When using InDesign on Windows, Bullets and Numbering is not included in the Control Panel -- the one on the side."

"Here's the Paragraph panel. This is where I'm used to seeing the Bullets and Numbering options, at the bottom of this panel."

Hi

Your first post says you are looking for Bullets and Numbering in the Control panel, and the second says it's the Paragraph panel, so please clarify.

What version do you remember seeing B&N in the Paragraph panel? This is a screen shot from 2018 and it's not there. I have older versions that I can check.

And please confirm: do the buttons show in your Control panel?

~ Jane

[dhood_UX]

Sorry. I thought the panel on the side was referred to as the Control Panel.

When using my Mac, I access bullets and numbering via the Paragraph panel. Been doing it this way for quite some time, so it's a critical efficiency point for me. I don't want to change the way I'm working because of what's happening on Windows. Most of my InDesign work is performed on the Mac.

I'm also not sure how the other person's answer was marked as correct. I didn't mark that as the correct answer and don't agree.

The screen shot that I posted is from Windows, but the Paragraph panel on my Mac (not shown) includes much more functionality, including the bullets and numbering.

I hope this helps clarify.

DH

[dhood_UX]

Just in case it helps, here's a screen shot from my Mac. It might be more accurate to say that Bullets and Numbering are docked.

[Migintosh]

Here's a screen shot from the oldest version I have (CS5.5).

Do you have third-party software that is causing this?

[jane-e · Accepted solution]

It does help to see the screen shot for CS5.5, Migintosh, thank you,

DHood,

The newer versions use a workspace called "Essentials with three panels. If you switch to "Essentials Classic", you will get panels similar to older versions of InDesign. I start with the workspace called "Advanced" and modify it.

The panel you are showing is the Properties panel and the name should be at the top.

If you go to Window menu > Workspace > Advanced, it will include the Control panel. There are two icons on the left. The "A" is the Character panel, and the pilcrow (red box) is the Paragraph panel. All panels can be opened from the Window menu. I also drew a red box around the bullets and numbers. I would do it this way.

This is Migintosh's screen shot from CS5. It does not have Bullets and Numbering. The buttons in the lower right are for the baseline shift. You will find B&N if you click the menu in the upper right.

While I agree that styles are the way to go, I use overrides, then update my style, so I use the Control panel. And styles are not what you are asking about. You are asking how to do Bullets and Numbers.

You can use the Advanced Workspace or turn on the Control panel from the Window menu, then use the Paragraph section of the panel.

But they are not in the Paragraph panel of CS5.5 as buttons, nor in the versions I looked in. If you can find another screen shot that displays them, I'll look again.

I hope this helps. And thanks for speaking up when someone marked the wrong reply as being correct. You get to decide.

~ Jane

[dhood_UX]

Thanks, Jane, for the thorough and empathetic response. This is all great info.

Re styles, I've found them to be more efficient for some documents (especially long ones). Been using InDesign since day one and admit that I have different workflows than what's likely considered to be the standard or norm, but it has worked for me all these years with no regrets.

Based on feedback from you and Willi, I will experiment and evaluate the modified workflow for some of my more simplistic work and see if effeciency is detrimentally impacted or not.

Thanks loads!

[jane-e]

You're welcome, D Hood. I'll give you one more method, even though you don't like keyboard shortcuts.

1. Select text
2. Ctrl+Enter (to open Quick Apply)
3. Start to type in part of what you want, in this case, "apply bullets". Do this the first time only, as it is sticky.
4. Enter (to apply the bullet formatting)

It will be pretty quick: Select > Ctrl + Enter > Confirm > Enter

Also, you can click the disclosure triangle to turn off features you don't want included.

Later when you are ready for styles, start a new thread and we will be here for you. They are essential if you are making PDFs that are to be read by screen readers and a good idea elsewhere. I make sure that all of my text is using styles — always. But that's for another session! 😊

~ Jane

[Willi Adelberger]

You are reffering to the Property Panel, not the Paragraph Panel.

But I am sorry for you if you not work with paragrpah styles you work with a lousy workflow.

[Hassan27619920ogf8]

First you have to click on the paragraph then you will get the options of bullet and numeric point

[KayBeeGee]

It's 2023 and I am having this same issue HOWEVER, your solutions do not work. There is no "Control Panel" option under Window >  Workspace >Advanced. There is NO option for creating bullets anywhere on any of the panels. This is entirely frustrating, this should be included on the Paragraph panel automatically and not hidden somewhere in some obsolete area.  Applying bullets should not be this difficult, but here I am, two hours into Googling how to do this with no attainable solutions. 

WHERE DID YOU HIDE THE BULLETS AND NUMBERING PANEL NOW, ADOBE?! 

[BobLevine]

The bullets and numbering options are in multiple places including the paragraph panel, the paragraph styles panel, the control panel (if you have text selected and paragraph selected in the panel).

You can turn on the Control Panel the Window > Control command.

[jane-e]

There is no "Control Panel" option under Window >  Workspace >Advanced.

By @KayBeeGee

In addition to what Bob said, go to Window > Workspace > Reset [Advanced] Workspace to restore the Advanced Workspace to its defaults and the Control panel will be near the top of your screen again.

Jane

[Willi Adelberger]

I wrote above that you should use Paragraph styles, there you can set up bullets with the help of character styles. 

[KayBeeGee]

I finally found where Bullets and other options are hidden - and yes, it is hidden. You have to highlight the text first, then the Bullets and Other Options menu appears on the Paragraph panel. Otherwise, the other options folks mentioned here do not work. 

[BobLevine]

They most certainly do work.

[Willi Adelberger]

Do you work with paragraph styles?