Dot Leader Sporadically Missing from Table of Contents

Anonymous
2012-04-18T23:56:07+00:00

I am updating an automatic table of contents.  I'm using Word 2010.  There are dot leaders for each toc entry.  However, for several (but not all) of the new toc entries, the entry appears with the page number, but with no dot leader.  I've deleted the item and re-entered, re-formatted and done everything else I can think of and nothing works.  Help??

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Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2012-05-22T18:43:08+00:00

Considering just the entries that are missing the period leaders, are those entries much shorter or longer than the other entries? Often this problem is a result of placement of tab stops in the relevant TOC style; in that case, however, the problem also results in page numbers being in the wrong place as well as lacking leaders. The situation arises when there is a tab stop (or hanging indent) fairly far to the right in the TOC style. A very short entry will stop short of this tab stop, and so the tab that should go to the right-aligned tab stop at the right margin (for the page numbers, with leader) instead stops at the first tab stop/hanging indent.

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  1. Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2013-07-15T23:01:30+00:00

    I'm glad you found it helpful.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-07-15T17:15:42+00:00

    Thanks Suzzane - I am using 2010 and your tip was EXACTLY the help I needed.

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  3. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2013-03-13T02:03:34+00:00

    What version of Word are you using?  Do you have any very short of overly long entries in the Table of Contents?

    The basic issue is that there must be sufficient space for the tab space between the end of the Table of Contents entry and the position of the page number, for that space with its leader to appear.  Therefore, moving the tab stop that aligns the page numbers to the right or that which aligns the Table of Contents Entry to the left may over come the problem.  Such changes should be made in the TOC Styles by clicking on the Modify button in the Table of Contents dialog and then in the Style dialog, select each of the TOC# styles that are used in turn and click on the Modify button and then in the Modify Style dialog, click on Format and then Tabs.

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-02-19T12:29:23+00:00

    I've had the same problem.  The dotted lines where not showing on headings that were very long and took up two lines within the table of contents.  

    I fixed the problem by ensuring the second line was aligned with the first line (i.e. started at the same location on different lines), using the heading indent function on the ruler (the little triangles).

    Unfortunately this won't work if the problem is with shorter headings taking up only one line!

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