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Using the ruler

The ruler is a horizontal scale displayed beneath the status bar where you set the left, right and first line indentation markers and tabs. Grey shading on the ruler shows the outer limits of the left and right margins.

When a document is first created the ruler will be shown. Saved documents remember whether or not the ruler was open when they were saved, as do Stationery pads.

The ruler displays the margins and tab settings of the currently selected structure or part of the structure containing the caret.

Ruler with section selected showing hanging heading

Not all structures require all the margin markers and tabs. Where a marker type is not appropriate it will not be shown.

If part of a structure is selected the ruler displays the margin markers for that part. If no structure is selected the ruler displays the margin settings of the paragraph containing the caret.

Ruler with Table column cells selected

If more than one paragraph is selected, the ruler shows the margins and tab settings of the first paragraph - any changes that are made will apply to all the paragraphs.

The divisions on the ruler may be Inches, Centimetres, Millimetres, Points, Picas, Corps (Didot points), Ciceros or can be User defined in points (1/72")

To show/hide
the ruler

Each successive choice hides or shows the ruler.

To change the unit of measurement

A dialogue box will appear where you can click the scale radio button corresponding to your choice.

Click the Custom radio icon and edit the value for the minor division to create your own ruler scale.

The units set in the Scale Units dialogue box are used as the default settings by the Page setup dialogue box.

Changing one scale

  1. Position the pointer over either the Horizontal or Vertical scale.
  2. Choose Scale units from the View menu.

The scale under the pointer will change.

To align text and structures

1 Select the text or structure you want to align.

2 Click on the Left, Centre, Right or Full justify icons.

or

2 Choose Left, Centre, Right or Full justify from the Alignment menu.

Note: To align all the paragraphs in a structure select the structure's body.

To indent the first line of paragraphs

The Style indicator changes to display the distance of the marker from the left page margin, in the same units as the scale of the ruler.

To make a hanging paragraph

Note: To move to the left margin indent on the first line press tab. i.e. in the example above you would type:

1 Tab Hanging indents...

Note: The List structure automatically sets up hanging indents.

Tabs

EasiWriter has the following types of tab running from left to right in the tab well:

Left text or picture aligns flush left on the tab.

Centre text or picture centres on the tab.

Right text or picture aligns flush right on the tab.

Decimal decimal points align on the tab.

Decimal tabs can have a user defined decimal separator. Note: the characters '.' and '·' are treated as the same.

All tabs can have a repeating pattern of up to four user definable characters before them - tab filler.

Example of a tab filler 1.23

To set a tab

1 Click on the type of tab required in the tab well.

2 Point on the ruler where you want to position the tab, and click. (If required hold down Shift to constrain the tab position to the ruler's minor division).
or

1 Drag a tab from the tab well to its position on the ruler.
or

1 Choose Add from the Tab submenu to open the New Tab dialogue box.

2 Select the type of tab required and enter the required position in the dialogue box and click OK.

To clear a tab

1 Drag the tab(s) you want to remove, off the ruler, and release the mouse button.
or

1 Select the tab(s) you want to delete.

2 Choose Delete from the Edit menu.

To change a tab

1 Double-click on the tab you want to change.
or

1 Select the tab by clicking on it.

2 Choose Info from the Tab submenu.

A dialogue box will appear:

3 Click in the units icon to change the units.

4 Edit the tab information in the dialogue box and click OK.

To set a tab filler

To move a margin marker or tab

The Style indicator changes to display the distance of the marker or tab from the left page margin, in the same units as the scale of the ruler.

or

or

To move a group of markers and tabs

1 Select the margin markers and/or tabs by dragging over them.
or

1 Select a margin marker/tab and click Adjust to add more markers/tabs to the selection.

2 Drag them to the new position.

The Style indicator changes to display the distance of the leftmost marker from the left page margin, in the same units as the horizontal scale.

or

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