Any ideas how I make it act rationally?
:) "Migrating" isn't always easy, is it? LibO Writer and MS Word 2003 look sufficiently similar that one is lulled into a false sense of security, thinking that the programs are, in fact, "the same". But they're not, of course, and (as I've learned myself) moving to LibO is easier if one learns its strengths rather than wanting it to be directly a 1:1 FOSS version of MS Word.
Having said that, for me (LibO 4.0.4.2 on Linux Mint 13), CTRL-click-drag on the bottom triangle works exactly as you expect it to, and I can't coax it into the behaviour you describe. I think. If you deliberately follow this sequence:
- Hold down
CTRL; - THEN
click lower triangle, drag to desired location; - then release
click; - and ONLY then release
CTRL ...
then the hanging indent is produced as expected. If, however, the click-hold on the triangle comes first, then the CTRL key doesn't have any effect, and both triangles move together. I can't reproduce your "...it moves it even further to the right..." behaviour, though.
If that doesn't work, it would be good to know your version of LibO, and what operating system you're using, so perhaps you could add that in. (This information is good to include any time you're asking for help, in fact.)
However, my own preferred mode of working (now) is to use styles. I keep the "styles" panel docked (F11). Instead of doing clicking-dragging: if I want an indent paragraph, I just double-click the "Hanging Indent" paragraph style to apply that style to the current paragraph. Right-click on the style and select Modify to set the parameters of the style (how much "hang", etc.).
I use "styles" now almost to the exclusion of the "local" formatting from the top toolbar (which was/is my normal mode for MS Word). Note that styles operate at character and page level, as well as paragraph, and that there are convenient ways of accessing the "Style" panel if you want it mostly hidden, but available for quick use.
FWIW. YMMV. etc.
