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Barry MacDonnell's
Toolbox for WordPerfect

Macros, tips, and templates for Corel® WordPerfect® for Windows®
© Copyright 1996-2024 by Barry MacDonnell. All Rights Reserved.

 Page updated Apr 12, 2020

WordPerfect Tips
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. . . . Indent paragraphs
        with dot leaders
        (like this one)

Related pages and tips -

•  Using "Other Codes" in WordPerfect (Format > Line > Other Codes)

•  Tip on creating centered or flush right text with dot leaders on the same line

•  Change the leader character from the default period/fullstop (or "dot") to another character or symbol (or to create a solid underline to the right margin)




 WordPerfect has some built-in features to include dot leaders with tabs on a single line:
• Insert "soft" tabs with dot leaders ([...Left Tab]) via the ruler bar (for more see tab settings)

• Insert "hard" tabs with dot leaders ([...Hd Left Tab]) with special format cdoes: Format, Line, Other Codes, Hard tabs with dot leaders (for more see tab settings)

• Insert dot leaders with centered or flush right text on a single line: see the tip on the Mixing text justification (left-center-right) on the same line page here.

On the other hand, indenting paragraphs with dot leaders can be done in at least 3 ways: manually, or with a macro, or with a custom style.

A. Manual method
OPTIONAL: Enter some text (a word or short phrase) on the line.

[1] Insert a hard left indent with Format, Paragraph, Indent.
[2] Insert a hard back tab with Format, Paragraph, Back Tab.
[3] Insert a hard left tab with leaders with Format, Line, Other Codes, Hard tabs with dot leaders: Left. Then click on Insert.
[4] Enter the indented paragraph's text.

OPTIONAL: Remove (or move) tab stops to move the indented paragrph to the right.

TIP: Steps 1 and 2 can be done with Format, Paragraph, Hanging Indent.

B. Macro
In a sample document, record a macro (Tools, Macro, Record) to -

[1] Insert a hard left indent with Format, Paragraph, Indent.
[2] Insert a hard back tab with Format, Paragraph, Back Tab.
[3] Insert a hard left tab with leaders with Format, Line, Other Codes, Hard tabs with dot leaders: Left. Then click on Insert.
[4] Save the macro with the Save & Compile button on the macro toolbar.
[5] Play the macro.
[6] Enter the indented paragraph's text.

OPTIONAL: Remove (or move) tab stops to move the indented paragrph to the right.

TIP: The macro can be assigned to a keyboard shortcut, toolbar, or menu. See here.

C. Style

Here's how to do something similar with a custom paragraph style. This will produce slightly different results from the methods above since the entire paragraph will have dot leaders from the left margin to the beginning of the paragraph. If you want to add text to the left of the leaders (on the same line as the indented paragraph), use one of the above methods.

[1] Create a new style with Format, Styles,

NOTE: If you want to save this new style in your default template, not just the current document, click the Options button in the Styles dialog, then click Settings, then "Default template." After you finish steps 2-6 below, you should reset this to "Current document" unless you want all new styles to be saved to the default template. (Tip: For more on creating custom styles in any document see here.)

[2] Click the Create (button). This opens a Styles Editor.
[3] Name and describe the style in the Styles Editor.
[4] Set the Enter key field to <None>.
[5] Set the Type of style to Paragraph (if not already set).
[6] Click inside the Style Editor's Contents pane and enter the following:

Using the Styles Editor's own menu -
▸ Insert a hard left indent with Format, Paragraph, Indent.
▸ Insert a hard back tab with Fromat, Paragraph, Back Tab.
▸ Insert a hard left tab with leaders with Format, Line, Other Codes, Hard tabs with dot leaders: Left. Then click Insert.
You should now see these codes in the Contents pane:

[Hd Left Ind][Hd Back Tab][...Hd Left Tab]

Click OK to close the Styles Editor.

If you save the style to your default template (see NOTE above): Reset the Options, Settings back to Current document.

[7] Close the Styles dialog to return to the main document.

•  When needed, just place the cursor anywhere in the paragraph and select the new style from the "Select Style" list on the property bar. (You can also select the style on a new line in the document first, then type your text. When you press Enter the style will end and a new line will begin.)

•  You can also add regular Tabs in the document, just in front of the new paragraph style codes (in Reveal Codes) to produce an unusual effect or to indent the already indented paragraph.