Have not yet looked at file.

What do you mean when you say: You do not modify installed styles when preparing a custom Table of Contents.

"but when it comes to preparing a custom Table of Contents, it will not allow me to modify the installed styles"


I realised I used the wrong word. This problem will not allow me to format the ToC levels to suit the layout I want. For instance, the built in formats do not have hanging indents, but I like that so I add them in from ToC 2 onwards. I can modify ToC 1 but all the levels after I click "Modify" then "Format" I get the message "This style name already exists or is reserved for a built-in style"

TOC 1, TOC 2, TOC 3, etc., are built-in styles that you cannot delete or overwrite. You can modify them. Those are the styles that are applied to various levels in the TOC. They have nothing to do with formatting of text in the body of the document.

• TOC Tips and Tricks by Suzanne Barnhill, MVP

Generally, the easy way to modify one of these TOC # styles is to just change the paragraph formatting for one entry in your TOC and OK your way back. By default, the style will update. For styles with numbering or bullets, you change the indents by using the define new multilevel list dialog.

• How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Ribbon Versions of Word by Shauna Kelly
• Number Alignment 2007 and later by Suzanne Barnhill, MVP

Usually one does not generate styles instead applies them. You can create or modify a style.

"TOC 1, TOC 2, TOC 3, etc., are built-in styles that you cannot delete or overwrite. You can modify them. Those are the styles that are applied to various levels in the TOC. They have nothing to do with formatting of text in the body of the document." Yes I agree with you. The problem is, I cannot now modify them when I want to create a custom ToC, I cannot get to the paragraph formatting in the first place due to "This style name already exists ...". The standard ToC styles work fine.



I am very experienced with generating ToC from having previously applied heading styles - I am an academic editor and have laid out and formatted hundreds of Master's and Doctoral theses in this work. I am experienced too with using mulitilevel lists.


There is something now intrinsically problematic within the within the built-in paragraph styles for Heading 1 to Heading 9 on the ribbon. When I click on one of them it immediately generates Heading,1 (for instance), and does not apply the style. When I use keystrokes the heading is formatted correctly, but the problem emerges when I get to the ToC, as explained above.


Very frustrating indeed.

The TOC styles should be set to 'Update Automatically' so you should be able to modify each of the styles just by applying a change to one instance and avoiding the modify style dialog completely.

It does sound like it is creating linked styles. Do you get the same behaviour if you select multiple paragraphs before applying the style? Have you disabled Linked Styles?

__________________
Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia