[Solved] Remove default tabs so they are not shown on ruler

[Steve5]

I have a document where I made my own tab at 2.85. But there's a bunch of default tabs that I do not want, at all. On the ruler there's a bunch of tiny things - looks like an upside down capital T. I went into Format - Paragraph and clicked "centered" and deleted all, and "OK," but it didn't work, it ADDED a lot more. But when I bring my cursor down a few lines, half of them disappear. Tried it again, and it deleted my tab at 2.85.

I also tried dragging some of them off the ruler, but that was a disaster.

This shouldn't be this complicated. How do I remove all of the default tabs?

[RoryOF]

Tabs are specific to the Paragraph Style in use. You need to change the tabs in all paragraph styles being used in your document - start /Format /Styles and formatting (F11 key is shortcut). On the bottom bar choose Applied Styles from the dropdown, select first icon from left for Paragraph Styles, and right click on each, choosing Modify, altering the Tabs as you require.

[JeJe]

If you go to Tools menu/Options/Openoffice Writer/General on that page there's an option to set the tab stops. If you change it to a big number wider than the page then there effectively won't be any tabs interfering with the ones you set.

[Steve5]

Rory, I didn't see "Applied Styles." So I did what JeJe said, that worked.

Shouldn't be this complicated. You should be able to go into Format - Paragraphs - Tabs and "Delete all," and that should, well, delete all tabs. But there shouldn't be any default tabs. Start clean, and allow the user to put them in if and where they want.

Thank you very much for the help.

[Bill]

All default tabs to the left of the rightmost user-set tab are removed automatically, so they can't interfere with the user's tabs. AFAIK, there's nothing to be gained by removing them manually.

[Steve5]

Right, I did notice the default tabs to the left of my tab did disappear. But if I set another tab further to the right, making more tabs to disappear, why have them at all?

You're right, there's nothing to be gained by removing those default tabs to the right of the one I set. But it does clean up the top ruler, with only my tab(s) shown. And then this post/question wouldn't have been necessary.

[RoryOF]

Applied Styles can be reached via the dropdown on the Stylist (= /Format /Styles and Formatting, or F11 key.

[RoryOF]

But there shouldn't be any default tabs. Start clean, and allow the user to put them in if and where they want.

Those (too many!) who think OpenOffice is a glorified typewriter expect a tab stop to be automatically set at about 0.5 inch when they start a paragraph. So tabs are set by default to satisfy those (misguided) people. All could easily be solved if beginners to OpenOffice, or indeed to any text editing program, would read some instructions before using it for any more complex project.

General typesetting conventions suggest that it is usual to start a paragraph with a small (1 em) indent, which can be set using the Indents and Spacing tab of that Paragraph Style.