Re: Omitting Table and Figure Numbers? (4)

[JX <techwrl-list-only -at- doitall -dot- com>]

>> For instance
>> 
>>   For details, see Table 12, "Required Database Fields" on page 72.
>> Or
>>   For details, see the table "Required Database Fields" on page 72.
>> 
>> Does the number provide a genuine benefit?
>> 
>>     -- JX
>> 
> 
> Yes. Which would you rather flip three pages to look for -- a three-word title
> or a table number? I'm not suggesting that you not use the title. The title is
> obviously very important.

Bonnie,

I don't understand your comment. As I mentioned in my first post, there are
NOT many tables and figures in the documentation. Specifically, there is
never more than one table on page, never more than one figure on a page.
Although you didn't ask, I don't think there are any tables and figures on
the same page either. :-)

In my doc, tables very clearly stand out against the rest of the text.

In such a case, would you not assume that people look at the page number,
flip those 3 or 93 pages, and look for the **table** on that page ( not the
two things you mentioned, the three-word title or the table number) ?

If you knew the page number and saw the table (which *is* labeled, I should
remind folks), it seems like in this case there is no reason to look for
other information and could possibly even dilute the important navigation
information (the word "table" and the page number).

I should mention that since the tables aren't super common, the reader will
never be able to see a table number and know whether it is before or after
the current line of text, and whether it is far or close. So claiming that
the table number helps a reader find the table's page would not seem to be
true in my case, at least.

     -- JX