RE: Value of giving up numbering in Word?

["Donald H. White" <dwhite -at- jrtcllc -dot- com>]

Auto-numbering in Word is an iffy thing, indeed. A colleague of mine and I
just beat our heads over this issue yesterday.

My first recommendation is to NOT USE numbered paragraphs unless absolutely
required. This is the classic optimal solution, and it bears little
resemblance to reality. Most companies and government agencies like to see
numbers ad nausea. So...

If your document is a new file with NO history and you can establish the
stylesheet for it, you shouldn't have any problems with major autonumber
fields (Heading 1-Heading 9). If you're using a corporate template (that
probably wasn't created by an expert Word user) or a generational document
that needs to be updated (dating back to Word v4.x), you are probably stuck.
Here's a couple of suggestions:

A. Go into the styles and check the autonumber sequencing.
B. Using the Bullets and Numbering dialog, click the "Reset" button for all
customized number schemes.
C. Close and save the file.
D. Re-open it and click in a numbered heading (any level, but level 3 and
below seems to work better).
E. Select the option to Modify the heading.
F. Open the Bullets and Numbering dialog.
G. In the Number Format field, check to make sure that all numbers are "1"
and that, when you highlight a given number (say, the second "1" between
periods) the level in the list to the left corresponds with the correct
heading level for the number.

(With a Heading 4, the Number Format field should show "1.1.1.1;" the level
for the first "1" should indicate Level 1, the second level 2, etc.)

H. If there's an out-of-sequence level, remove it, place the cursor where it
should be in the sequence, and click the appropriate level in the Level list
on the left.

There, I've met my need for alliteration today.

If this doesn't work, remember that I have not claimed to be a Word
"expert."

Good luck!

Donald H. White
James River Technical Communications LLC
dwhite -at- jrtcllc -dot- com
www.jrtcllc.com



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.