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Q. Is there an easy way to create the dot leaders used in tables of contents and other running lists?
A. If you’ve been tapping the period key to create leaders (the repeated dots or other characters between a tab and the following text), you’ll be thrilled to know that there’s an automatic way to create leaders in running lists.
Here’s how:
Adobe InDesign and Illustrator
InDesign calls them tab leaders.
1. Enter the text, using the tab (not the space bar) for the second column.
2. Go to Type / Tabs to open the Tabs palette.
3. Select the tab stop (most commonly the F/R tab) and position (or desired width) on the tab ruler, or entering a value manually in the X field.
4. Highlight the list.
5. Type up to eight characters (including spaces) in the Leader field. These can be periods, hyphens, dashes, and even decorative characters.
6. Hit Return or Enter.
Figure 1. Creating tab leaders in InDesign is as easy as one, two, three!
QuarkXPress
QuarkXPress refers to them as dot leaders.
1. Enter the text, using the tab (not the space bar) for the second column.
2. Select your text.
3. Go to Style / Tabs which opens Tabs in the Paragraph Attributes dialog box.
4. Click on your tab style (most commonly the F/R tab) and set your Position.
5. Click on the tab stop on the tab palette (or leaders won’t appear) and select up to two characters (including spaces) as your Fill Character.
6. Hit Apply and then OK.
Figure 2. Quark’s Tabs are found in the Paragraph Attributes palette.
Love type? Want to know more? Ilene Strizver conducts her acclaimed Gourmet Typography workshops internationally. For more information on attending one or bringing it to your company, organization, or school, go to her site, call The Type Studio at 203-227-5929, or email Ilene at in**@***********io.com. Sign up for her e-newsletter at www.thetypestudio.com.
This article was last modified on January 4, 2022
This article was first published on October 22, 2008
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