Odd List Order in the Paragraph Catalog

Question

I set up the paragraph catalog in FrameMaker 8, running on Windows XP. All listings were in alphabetical order, top-to-bottom. After logging on to the computer with a new user account and starting up FM, the paragraph catalog re-ordered itself into an odd mix of forward and backward alphabetical order.
Distinct letter ordering is still forward ("a" is listed above "b" which is in turn above "c"). This occurs for any combination of distinct letter groups ("bab" above "bcm" above "rlm" above "rxxx").
Reverse order occurs with repeat letter groups ("hhhh" above "hhh" above "hh" above "h") and with spaces ("bil" above "bi"). This reverse ordering is stopped by distinct letters (even though "bco" is above "bc", these both are above the following two: "blbn" and "blb". However, "blbn" is above "blb", which is reverse order again.)
This odd mix of reverse ordering inside forward ordering extends to keystroke recognition, which completely negates the use of keyboard shortcuts. When typing F9-h-h (to invoke the tag "hh H2" for Heading 2), the system proposes "hhhh" (tag "hhhh H4" for Heading 4) before tags with fewer h's ("hhh", "hh", and "h"). The system won't recognize the fewer letters.
After originally setting up the catalog, the odd reversing never took place and key recognition worked correctly. This brings up two questions:
1. How can this odd reversing be undone and complete top-to-bottom alphabetical order be restored?
2. Can users control the ordering of catalog listing to increase functionality by decoupling the keystroke mnemonic from the tag name (typically accomplished by entering the keystroke value in a separate field) and/or by decoupling the tag name from the catalog list position (manually move tags up or down the catalog regardless of tag name)?

Answer 1

Sheila,
Item 2: Would a test of saving it as an .mif file and then opening it in FM 8 be a constructive test?
Item 3: I switched to QWERTY, set it as the default keyboard, and restarted the machine.
Upon opening the FM file, the pg catalog was still in the odd order. I then renamed a tag (from "h H1" to "hhhh H1"). The tag moved up above the tag "hhhh H4" which is still the odd order: it should be above that tag since 1 comes before 4, but both of those tags should be below "hhh H3" and "hh H2". The two hhhh tags are above the hhh and hh tags.
I don't think this is the issue because I originally created the tag names with a Dvorak keyboard active and the catalog order was correct and F9 keystrokes worked properly. Until logging on as a new user.
I'll test whether logging on as the old user resets the list.
Patrick