How to Identify the Hierarchy in a List
In a long tab-indented list, it is helpful to be able to quickly identify the different hierarchical branches within the list. The Tab-List Tools program lets you do this quite easily, identifying hierarchy to four levels of depth, and enabling you step between the branch start-positions on each level. You can also collapse a branch to protect from over-writing whilst you are working, or provide a less distracting Workspace.
To experiment with hierarchy, go to 'Tools > Testing' and load the list of Wedding Guests. Click 'Tools > Hierarchy' to go to the Hierarchy page, and click 'Status Check'. A count will be made for all levels from the root of the list: in this case there is just one, which is mentioned next to the 'Root Levels' label. The first drop-down control now has the word 'Step' on it, indicating that we can use the Step-buttons: not very useful at the moment as there is only one level. Click the word 'Step' in the first drop-down control, and select 'Line 1'. The program then does a search for list-branches beginning on line 1. This time you can see that it has found 8, and indicates each one with a colored marker. Try the First/Next/Prev/Last buttons to scroll the text between them. Click the word 'Step' on the second drop-down control, and select 'Line 22'. The program then does a search for list-branches beginning on line 22 and limited to that branch. It finds 7 branches starting from there. The third drop-down control now has the word 'Step' on it, indicating that we can use the Step-buttons to step through branches on the third level. If we try and look for levels above line 26, we will be told that there are no more Branches above this level, only Peers. Select the word 'Step' on any level to step through those branches. To collapse and thus hide a hierarchical section of the list, click any of the colored markers in the Hierarchy Margin. Click the same marker to expand that branch again.