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Question

Renumbering and spacing in multilevel lists vs numbered list.

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
June 2, 2022
11 replies
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Using RoboHelp 19 Classic.

Several issues with multilevel lists illustrated by the image above (and attached), which shows a multilevel list, another multilevel list, and then an ordered list:

1. How do I get the second multilevel list to start at 1 again? I've tried selecting "Restart Numbering at: 1" in the Bullets and Numbering dialog box but that seems to do not have any effect. I understand that multilevel lists are automatically set to autonumber instead of working like an ordered list. Is there a way to ahve multilevel lists work like an ordered list in terms of numbering?

2. I would like the spacing between the number (e.g., "1.") and the actual text to be the same whether it's an ordered list or a multilevel list. In other words, I want the finished output to look the same whether it's an ordered list or a multilevel list. But no matter what values I adjust in my css (x-lvl-1-text-indent and x-lvl-1-margin) it doesn't seem to affect the spacing between the number and text.

3. When a list item is multiple lines, I'd like the text indent to be the same on every line. In the multilevel list, the second line aligns with the number. In the ordered list the text aligns with the text above it. How can I get the multilevel list to align text like the ordered list?

4. The spacing between the last line in the multilevel list and the paragraph that follows it is different from the spacing between the last line in the ordered list and the paragraph that follows it. I can adjust the spacing of the ordered list by adjusting margin-bottom for OL. But I can't figure out a way to adjust the spacing for the multilevel list.

I'm new at this so any insight would be appreciated. Thank you!

This topic has been closed for replies.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I would not rely on View Item as it is a sort of mocked up browser and I wouldn't regard it as more indicative. Create content and generate, then check in the main browsers. Bear in mind the browser have their own CSS which can impact your output. It shouldn't but it can.

Ultimately the only test is generating.

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

@RoboHelpHelpNeeded Have you got any further with this?

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R

RoboHelpHelpNeededAuthor

Participating Frequently

I think the issue is that there are 2 ways of viewing the topic. One is simply opening RoboHelp and opening the topic. This is what I was referring to as the "editing window" in my earlier posts. When looking at the topic that way, the text in the bullets do align, although the text in the first list using a multilevel list does not align with the text in the second list which uses an ordered list:

The second way of viewing the topic is to then click "View Item" in RoboHelp (on the Edit tab). A new window opens showing the topic. From what I understand, what you see when you click "View Item" is more correct than what you see when you just open a topic in RoboHelp (which is what I'm calling the "editing window" for lack of a better term). In that view (the new window you get after you click "View Item"), things look different from the editing window. In the "View Item" window, the text in the numbered items do not align and the text in the first list using a multilevel list does not align with the text in the second list which uses an ordered list:

This is why I asked earlier if both images (the editing window and the "View Item" image) look different on your computer. I'm not sure why the two ways of viewing the topic yield slightly different results, but on my computer they do. Does that shed any light on things?

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

All I have done is open the project you sent me in RoboHelp 14.0.14.002, open your single topic and take this screenshot.

The alignment is perfect. I have also magnified the topic.

I can't believe it is your screen. I would install RoboHelp on another machine in trial mode. Also try viewing the output on a different machine.

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I have emailed you the CSS I changed.

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

I am not seeing that in the project you sent me. Have you checked it there?

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R

RoboHelpHelpNeededAuthor

Participating Frequently

I'm a little confused. The images are from the project I sent you so yes, I did check it in that project. I made those images right before I sent it to you so unclear how we're seeing different things. Do both images (the editing window and the "View Item" image) look different on your computer? I'm using RoboHelp 2019 Classic and I have the latest updates.

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Re 2 I think maybe the other fixes will take care of this one. Make the changes I have suggested and then post back to tell us how you have got on.

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Re 4. The spacing between the last line in the multilevel list and the paragraph that follows it is different from the spacing between the last line in the ordered list and the paragraph that follows it. I can adjust the spacing of the ordered list by adjusting margin-bottom for OL. But I can't figure out a way to adjust the spacing for the multilevel list.

The vertical space between styles does create problems as it is the sum of the margin bottom one style and the margin top of the next style. You need to play around with both but the editor does not give that option for multilevel lists. Right click the CSS and click Edit With Code Editor. There you can copy margin-bottom from another style definition and add it to your multilevel lists. Alternatively you can adjust the top and bottom margins of your normal style. It's all a matter of trial and error. I suggest you create a copy of the CSS so that it's easy to go back to where you started.

________________________________________________________

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Peter Grainge

Community Expert

The second line of the text lining up below the number is fixed as shown.

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R

RoboHelpHelpNeededAuthor

Participating Frequently

Thanks for your help. I did as you suggested and on the left is what the spacing looks like in the editing window. I'm not sure what the correct term for the editing window is...but the window where you can type, apply styles etc. On the right is what it looks like when you click on "View Item," which maddeningly looks pretty different from the editing window, though that's just a side complaint.

So with the new multilevel list settings, I still see a few issues which after playing with the numbers in the css I'm not able to successfully adjust:

When you click on "View Item," which I understand is more correct that the editing window, any lines after the first don't line up vertically with the first line (although they do line up in the editing window). I added the orange box to the image on the right to better tell if things lined up or not. I've tried playing with the values in the css and can move things, but not in any logical way. I don't understand how x-lvl-1-margin and x-lvl-1-text-indent interact with one another. It seems you have to adjust them both but it's not clear how to adjust them to get what I'd like to see.
The text of the first line of the multilevel list seems to almost line up with the text of the regular lists. It seems like just one pixel or point to the right of text in the numbered list. The numbers in the multi-level list also seem a couple of pixels/points to the left of the numbered list. Again, I was unable to fix this by manually playing with the values in the css.

Do you have any thoughts on how I can adjust this further? Again really appreciate all the help!

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

Just the restart numbering issue for now. How are you trying to restart the numbering?

I right clicked in the list and then clicked List Style to get this screen.

I selected the Restart check box and set it to 1. That gives this numbering.

I will look at the other issues when I can.

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

R

RoboHelpHelpNeededAuthor

Participating Frequently

Ah. I was right-clicking and choosing "Bullets and Numbering" and checking "Restart numbering at: 1." Choosing "List Style" worked. Thank you for this!

Peter Grainge

Community Expert

@RoboHelpHelpNeeded Use whatever forum name you want but see below if you want to make it more friendly. It doesn't have to be your real name.

The short answer to your question is it's all in the CSS. You just have to configure that correctly, he says smiling as I do know how difficult that can be when it's all new.

In this case I think it will be best if you create a new project and import the topic used for your screenshot and the CSS. Check it shows as above. Then see the Contact page on my site and send the project to me as instructed there.

I will take a look and see if I can get it working as you want. I can then send it back and I will post the changes made.

________________________________________________________

My site www.grainge.org includes many free Authoring and RoboHelp resources that may be of help.

Help others by clicking Correct Answer if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

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