WD: How to Simulate WordPerfect's Flush Right Command in Word

• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, version 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a
• Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

This article describes how to create the effect called "Flush Right" in WordPerfect. In WordPerfect, the Flush Right command lines up some text in one line with the left margin, and the rest of the text with the right margin. The following is an example of this type of formatting:

   Chapter 4                                           Page 72
   text text text text text text text text text text text text
   text text text text text text text text text text text text
   text text text text text text text text text text text text

You can set the right-aligned tab manually, or you can create a macro to set the tab automatically. If you use this type of formatting only occasionally, or if you are interested in learning more about setting tabs, read the "Method 2: Set the right-aligned tab manually" section of this article. If you use this type of formatting frequently, read the section titled "Method 3: Create a macro to set the tabs automatically."

MORE INFORMATION

To simulate the effect of the Flush Right command, use any of the following methods.

Method 1: Create a Two-Column Table

1. Place the insertion point on the blank line where you want the text to appear.

2. On the Table menu, click Insert Table. In the Number of Columns box, type "2" (without the quotation marks). In the Number of Rows box, type "1" (without the quotation marks). Click OK.

   The table appears in the document. If you do not see the table, click Gridlines on the Table menu.

3. In the first column, type the text that you want to appear along the left margin.

4. Click the right column. On the Format menu, click Paragraph. On the Indents and Spacing Tab select Right on the Alignment drop down list.

5. Type the text you want to appear along the right edge of the page.

Method 2: Set a Right-Aligned Tab Manually

1. Click the Show/Hide button on the Standard toolbar so that paragraph marks and spaces are visible.

   This makes it easier to see the tab mark when you insert it in step 4.

2. Click the View menu and make sure that Ruler is selected.

3. Type the text you want to appear along the left margin.

4. Press the TAB key.

   A small arrow (tab indicator) appears next to the text.

5. Move the mouse to the left edge of the ruler. A small black "L" symbol is in a small box. Click the box. Each time you click it, a different symbol appears. Each symbol represents a different type of tab. Click the box until a small backwards "L" appears.

6. Move the mouse to the place on the ruler where you want the right edge of the text to appear. (Hint: it may be easiest to see this if you do not click all the way at the right edge of the ruler. Start a little way in from the right edge. You can easily drag the tab setting later.) Click the mouse.

   A small backwards "L" appears on the ruler.

7. Type the text that you want to appear at the right edge.

When you press ENTER to start a new paragraph, the new paragraph will have the same tab setting.

NOTE: On Windows only, if you do not see the same tab setting when you press ENTER, you have the WordPerfect options turned on. To disable these options, click Options on the Tools menu, select the General tab, and clear the Help for WordPerfect Users and the Navigation Keys for WordPerfect Users check boxes.

Method 3: Create a Macro to Set the Right-Aligned Tab Automatically (Word 6.x and 7.0 only)

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You can assign the macro to a toolbar button, a quick key, or to a menu. For more information about how to do this, see the "Customizing Menus," "Customizing Shortcut Keys," or "Customizing Toolbars" topic in online Help.

Before you run this macro, place the insertion point on a line of text that ends with a paragraph mark or new line character. The macro causes the insertion point and any text to the right of it to be right aligned.

1. On the Tools menu, click Macro.

2. In the Macros Available In field, select All Active Templates or the name of a specific template.

3. In the Name field, type "FlushRight" (without the quotation marks), and click Create.

      Sub MAIN
         On Error Goto Bye
         Dim Page As FilePageSetup
         GetCurValues Page
         RightMarg = Val(Page.PageWidth) - (Val(Page.LeftMargin)
            +Val(Page.RightMargin))
         Dim Para As FormatParagraph
         GetCurValues Para
         RTabPos$ = Str$(RightMarg - Val(Para.RightIndent))
         FormatTabs .Position = RTabPos$, .Align = 2, .Set
         Insert Chr$(9)
         Bye:
      End Sub

   Note that the line beginning with "RightMarg =" wraps to a
   second line in this article, but you should not wrap it to
   a second line when you type it in Word, (that is, type
   lines 5 and 6 on one line).

   macro.

When you press ENTER to start a new paragraph, the new paragraph will have the same tab setting as the paragraph above it. (If you do not see the same tab setting when you press ENTER, you have the WordPerfect options turned on. To disable these, click Options on the Tools menu, click the General tab, and clear the Help for WordPerfect Users and the Navigation Keys for WordPerfect Users check boxes.)

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