No Bullets in Word

[bsquared18]

Maybe you know what's causing the following problem: I received a Word 97 document from a colleague and am in the process of editing it. If I try to insert a bullet using Format --> Bullets and Numbering and then selecting one of the bullet options, nothing happens. The only way I can create a new bullet is to copy and paste an already-existing one from the document I'm working on or another Word document.

Is there anything in the Word settings that I need to change or some other way to be able to make the bullets function work?

 

[RichardHumphreys]

Do you get the same problem if you click the bullet icon on the toolbar, rather than Format > Insert Bullet?

If so, sorry I don't know what might be causing this to happen!

Richard

 

[cottontop]

If the bulleted list uses bullets that are graphics (for example, .gif or .bmp files), the bullets won't display in the Document Map. To show bullets in the Document Map, you must create the bulleted list with text bullets.
Select the paragraphs that have the bullet or number format you want to change.
On the Format menu, click Bullets and Numbering, and then click the tab for the type of list you want to modify.
Click the list format that matches your list's existing bullet or number format.
Click Customize.
Select the formatting options you want.

See if that helps!

 

[bsquared18]

Richard: Yes, the same problem occurs if I click the bullet icon. If I place the cursor over a line of text that the previous author had bulleted, then the bullet button becomes highlighted. But if I try clicking on that button (icon) somewhere else, the button becomes highlighted but no bullet appears on the screen. On the other hand, if I start a new document and click the bullet icon, then a bullet does appear. So I know the feature works in my Word program but not in the document I received from the other author.

Cottontop: The bullets being used are those that are among the choices given when you click on "Format" and then "Bullets and Numbering" from the drop down menus at the top of the screen. I'm in the Page Layout view and am not using the Document Map.

 

[tlstrieg]

I don't know if Word 97 works like Word 2000, but in Word 2000 to set the default to automatically insert numbered bullets go to:

Format>Autoformat>Options> and check the box Automatic Bulleted Lists

 

[bsquared18]

tistrieg: It's already set to that. I don't think the problem is in Word so much as in the document I'm working on, since everything works fine in new documents that I start from scratch. But thanks for the suggestion anyhow.

 

[cottontop]

Is the doc protected? (Tools, Protect Document)
If so remove the protection.

Is the file read only? (look at the properties in explorer)
If so, remove the read only.

How was it sent to you? (Email, pulled from directory...)

 

[bsquared18]

cottontop: It is neither protected nor read only. I believe I received it by e-mail.

In all other respects, the file seems to be working fine. I can edit it, save it, etc. As I mentioned before, I can copy and paste bullets from elsewhere, or if I press enter at the end of a bulleted line, a new bullet is created on the newly created line. I just can't start a bullet at a new spot using the normal method that works in other documents I have created.

It's weird but maybe is one of those mysteries that can't be solved.

 

[MiggyD]

You'll probably hate this idea, BUT...

If you are only visually formating it for fontsize, color, bullets, indentions, etc., I would recommend--after you have Spell'd and Gram'd checked it--to save it as a TXT file. Delete the DOC file. Open the TXT file. Do the visual stuff and save as DOC again.

Like I said, you'll probably hate this idea, but instead of playing around with this one document (apparently your "new" docs are fine so you say) and trying to meet a deadline then this is what I would personally do. Especially if all I had to do was to give it eye appeal.

--MiggyD It's better to have two heads to solve a problem from different angles than to have tunnel vision to a dead end.

 

[bsquared18]

MiggyD and Everyone Else Who Has Offered Suggestions,

I solved the problem by doing something similar to what you, MiggyD, suggested. I copied and pasted the text into a new Word document and created new headers and footers. That seems to have solved the problem.

Thanks to everyone for their help! It's great to know there are people out there willing to take the time to pitch in!

 

[MiggyD]

Obviously, my suggestion was of a "Last Resort" It's better to have two heads to solve a problem from different angles than to have tunnel vision to a dead end.