defaultTabInterval and "TabWidth"

FROM : delanoy
DATE : Sun Jul 23 10:49:26 2006

Hello all,

  the "defaultTabInterval" method in NSParagraphStyle confuses me.

By default, when you press the "Tab" key in  TextEdit the space produced
amounts to 4 characters. If I change the initial value of "TabWidth" in
Preferences.m
(which equals the "defaultsTabInterval" of the paragraph style of the text)
from 8 to 16, the length of the space produced by the "Tab" key stays the
same.

So -what does that "TabWidth" parameter really represent ?
    -how do you change the length of the space produced by the "Tab" key ?


                                                                                      Ewan