Last week we talked about using style \"aliases,\" which make it easy to apply styles in Microsoft Word. Even easier is using keyboard shortcuts. I don't like the inconsistency of Word's standard ones, so mine are set up like this:<\/p>\n
CTRL + SHIFT + 1 applies the Heading 1 style (Macintosh users would use OPTION rather than CTRL).<\/p>\n
CTRL + SHIFT + 2 applies Heading 2.<\/p>\n
CTRL + SHIFT + 3 applies Heading 3.<\/p>\n
I've added the other heading styles as well--all the way through Heading 9 on CTRL + SHIFT 9.<\/p>\n
Also on my computer:<\/p>\n
CTRL + SHIFT + N applies the Normal style.<\/p>\n
CTRL + SHIFT + B applies Block quotation.<\/p>\n
CTRL + SHIFT + L applies List.<\/p>\n
CTRL + SHIFT + P applies Poem.<\/p>\n
In fact, for those last three, our Editor's ToolKit and WordSetter programs automatically style block quotations, lists, and poems as they should be for correct typographic control. For example, a four-paragraph block quotation actually needs *three* styles, not just one--like this:<\/p>\n
First paragraph of the block quotation.<\/p>\n
Middle paragraph of the block quotation.<\/p>\n
Another middle paragraph of the block quotation.<\/p>\n
Last paragraph of the block quotation.<\/p>\n
On a typeset page, the positioning of each paragraph would be basically the same as it is in this newsletter, with spacing above and below the block quotation.<\/p>\n
To accomplish that, the first paragraph would need a style called something like BlockFirst, which would be set up to include, say, 6 extra points of spacing (leading) above it.<\/p>\n
The second and third paragraphs, styled with BlockMiddle, would include *no* extra spacing above or below.<\/p>\n
The third paragraph, styled with BlockLast, would include 6 extra points of spacing below it.<\/p>\n
That may seem overly picky, but it provides enormous control over the formatting of a block quotation, and it's the right way to do it. The *easy* way to do it is to install our Editor's ToolKit or WordSetter program, select the paragraphs of the block quotation you want to format, and press CTRL + SHIFT + B. Bingo! The whole block quotation will automatically be styled correctly. If you think that's neat, you should see how the programs style multiple-stanza poems (too complex to go into here).<\/p>\n
If you want to assign your own key combinations to styles, you can do it like this:<\/p>\n
1. Click the \"Format\" menu.<\/p>\n
2. Click \"Style.\"<\/p>\n
3. In the \"Styles\" box, find and click the style you want to apply with a key combination.<\/p>\n
4. Click the \"Modify\" button.<\/p>\n
5. Click the \"Shortcut key\" button.<\/p>\n
6. With your cursor in the box labeled \"Press new shortcut key,\" press the key combination you want to use, such as CTRL + SHIFT + B.<\/p>\n
7. Click the \"Assign\" button. The new combination will appear in the box labeled \"Current keys.\"<\/p>\n
8. Click the \"Close\" button.<\/p>\n
9. Click the \"OK\" button.<\/p>\n
10. Click the \"Close\" button.<\/p>\n
To apply the style using the new key combination, do this:<\/p>\n
1. Position your cursor on the paragraph you want to style<\/p>\n
2. Press the key combination.<\/p>\n
The paragraph will be formatted with the style you selected for that key combination.<\/p>\n
Try not to get too carried away. Remember that you need certain key combinations for things other than styles. CTRL + F, for example, brings up Word's Find dialog, and ALT + E activates the Edit menu.<\/p>\n
If you need to remove a key combination, that's easy too:<\/p>\n
1. Click the \"Format\" menu.<\/p>\n
2. Click \"Style.\"<\/p>\n
3. In the \"Styles\" box, find and click the style with the key combination you want to remove.<\/p>\n
4. Click the \"Modify\" button.<\/p>\n
5. Click the \"Shortcut key\" button.<\/p>\n
6. In the \"Current keys\" box, click the key combination you want to get rid of.<\/p>\n
7. Click the \"Remove\" button. The new combination will disappear.<\/p>\n
8. Click the \"Close\" button.<\/p>\n
9. Click the \"OK\" button.<\/p>\n
10. Click the \"Close\" button.<\/p>\n
And that's how to use keyboard shortcuts with style--oops, I mean styles.<\/p>\n
To learn more about Editor's ToolKit, click here:<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.editorium.com\/14842.htm<\/p>\n
To learn more about WordSetter, click here:<\/p>\n