Aligning tab on figures, not on a specific figure?

[MarathonMan801]

I've been dithering about switching from Q to InDesign for a while, and there's one trick I can do in QXP, but can't see how to do in InDesign.
If I need to set tabs for columns of figures, I use a right tab. But some of my figures are in () parenthesis to indicate they are negatives. So, to keep the actual figures in line I can make Quark set the tab to the right and have the figures line up while the closing ) is actually further to the right.
In Indesign, I can see that I can set "Align On", but that has to be a specfic figure and not any figure. How can I do this?
I do lots of financial documents, so this would be a real problem if I can't do it.

 

[jmgalvin]

If you use number with decimals, like 120.00, could you use the align on decimal tab? That's the one farthest to the right in the tabs window.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[MarathonMan801]

Thanks jmgalvin, the problem is that these are whole numbers and relate to £'000, so adding decimals is not an option. I think I may have a work around which is to use an invisible ) at the end of figures which are positive, this should make them line up with negative amounts in parenthesis. Not very elegant but it may work.

 

[jmgalvin]

Another trick you could try is to use Insert White Space from the type menu. It sort of depends on the font you're using, but often, one of those will give you a lineup - at least one that fools the eye.

My trick is to draw a thin vertical line and place it temporarily over the text - in your case before the ) - til I get the right, or super close, space.

The beauty of the white spaces is that you can simply insert with a key command rather than paste, etc. I have to scribble down the command because I use white space so seldom.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[MarathonMan801]

Aha! That's a good find. I think the whitespace idea will do it - many thanks!