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
    2013-01-02T14:41:09+00:00

    This applies if none of the entries have leaders, but the original question was about missing leaders in specific entries.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-01-02T10:43:28+00:00

    Thanks, i too have the same problem.

    There is an alternate way, select

    1.       In Word, go to the Reference tab.

    2.       Click on Table of Contents and then click Insert Table of Contents.

    4.      Go to general and select formats any one where it displays with tab leader;

    3.       Click on the drop down next to Tab leader and select dashes as required

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-07-27T13:22:20+00:00

    Thanks Suzanne. This also applies to Word 2003.

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-05-22T18:19:19+00:00

    1.       Does the issue occur only with a specific document or all the word files?

    2.       Does it happen with all heading styles or any specific one?

    If you change the tab leader to dots to dashes and check if the issue occurs.

    1.       In Word, go to the Reference tab.

    2.       Click on Table of Contents and then click Insert Table of Contents.

    3.       Click on the drop down next to Tab leader and select dashes.

    If an issue is with a specific document, you may repair the document and check if it helps.

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893672

    If the issue is with all word documents, delete data and options registry keys and check if it helps.

    Refer to the ‘Delete the Data registry key’ and ‘Delete the Options registry key’ on the link mentioned below.

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/921541

    I have just come across this same problem.

    My document has a large TOC and four headings that are marked level 3 do not have the tab leader.  Other level 3 headings before and after  each one have the dot leader.  I have deleted, re -entered, deleted and regenerated the TOC, changed to a different level, but I still do not get the dot leader on those four headings.

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