atw: Re: Problems (yet again) with Word's numbering styles

The simpler way is to have your 'restart styles' not participate in the body
matter.

I'll draw an example for you. 

Step 1

Each restart style is formatted as purple, large and bold (when view para
marks is on we get a nice RESTART HERE pointer). It is defined inside a
frame that floats out in our margin. So make a style called generic restart
that's big fat n purple etc


Step 2

If am doing utterly abnormal things with 'headings', I may very well
consider creating my own custom styles as Word makes assumptions about its
own headings. To facilitate large legacy libraries, I would then have an
document open event handler that used megareplacer to change the style
names. It may not be NECCESARY, but it is SAFER. You describe the pain of a
dozen potential problem sources, you can minimize them with some thought.
Additionally, using this ultrasafe method, you go through extra styles
pretty quick, so a single depth of h1-9 isn't the best approach. I see a lot
of Chapter, Topic, Sub-Topic etc 'heading' styles in use. Just set their
paragraph properties > outline level (top right) to the appropriate depth. 


Step 3

Implementing this 'magic'. We only ever adjust outline numbering by drilling
down from the top style. So define your styles first, then define heading
1's numbering and adjust the numbering settings down each level from within
that dialog.


Heading 1 - restart style

Heading 2 - numbered %2, restart on above

Heading 3 - numbered %2.%3, restart on above

Heading 4 - restart style

Heading 5 - numbered %5, restart on above

Heading 6 - numbered %5.%6, restart on above

Heading 7 - restart style

Heading 8 - numbered %8, restart on above

Heading 9 - numbered %8.%9, restart on above 


So, to transfer from your current (this is not perfect, just idealistic)

Change all Heading 1 to h2. Now there are no heading 1's left! Base Heading
1 on generic restart. At every place you desire a failsafe restart, stick a
paragraph in before it, and change its style to Heading 1. 

If show paras is on, you now have an in your face 'restart marker' in your
margin, that doesn't interfere with your body text flow.

So start at the bottom of your heading structure and implement this. As you
clear each 'restart level', set that style to be based to on the generic
restart. Quite painless.

The IF field treatment is a bit harder. If you wanted to get manual, you can
cop out and use seq fields. I suspect the contents of the if field would
still participate.

Again, as you have so many lists, there is no point in jamming lots onto a
single list template.

So long as you define the numbering of each set from its leading style (the
restart style), the sub-styles will follow along nicely.



-----Original Message-----
From: Word-Pc List [mailto:WORD-PC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lin Sims
Sent: Monday, 21 August 2006 11:28 PM
To: WORD-PC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Problems (yet again) with Word's numbering styles

I just re-read through my last post and noted that I neglected to provide a
very, very important bit of information.

The reason I had multiple lists is because each one is  . . . well, let's
put it this way.

The Action list is in the left hand column of a table and has to be able to
either continue or restart, depending, when a new table is created.

The Steps list (1, a, i) is in the right hand column of the table and has to
be able to either continue or restart, depending, on when (a) a new table is
created or (b) the Action style is used.

The IF list is used in a nested table in the Steps column, and has to
continue or restart, depending, on when (a) a new table is created, (b) the
Action style is used, or (c) any of the Steps styles are used.

The Nested IF list is used in a table that's nested in the IF table that's
nested in the Steps column, and has to continue or restart, depending, on
when  (a) a new table is created or (b) any of the IF styles are used.

The nested tables is why I have all the restart styles, and also why I have
so many different outline lists. The "higher level" lists can't have their
numbering affected by what's happening in the lower-level lists.

Mind you, there's probably a much better way of doing it than this way. 
I'm fighting several obstacles, though, not the least of which is the fact
that, up until last October, I'd barely ever used Word; I've been working in
FM shops. 

I'm also dealing with a layout created by outside consultants who liked the
Info Mapping style but had themselves only done on-the-fly formatting, a ban
on using macros to handle the numbering, and a strong resistance on the part
of some to doing anything OTHER than using on-the-fly formatting, which
means that using SEQ fields is probably right out, too.

Frankly, I'm about ready to cry. My newest off-the-wall scheme is to try
working it out in FM and using Mif2Go to translate it into RTF and hoping
that that works. If anyone has suggestions on how to fix this that do NOT
involve macros or SEQ fields, I'm all ears.

Donald Brown wrote on 08/21/2006 08:49:19 AM:

> Lin,
> 
> It sounds like you could use a straight "Heading 1, 2, 3" style setup.
> Try setting each one of your levels to an equivalent Heading 1, 2, or 
> 3 as applicable. Format the numbering style within Heading 1 as follows:
> 
> 1. Select a Heading 1 paragraph / Format / Bullets and Numbering.
> 2. Select the Outline Numbered tab
> 3. Select any visible numbering style, you can edit that to match your 
> needs 4. Select customize in lower right corner.
> 5. Click the More button in upper right to expand the Numbered List 6. 
> Select 'level 1' and set your format requirements (i.e. Number format, 
> alignment, and tab space) 7. Link level 1 to Heading 1.
> 8. Select 'level 2' and set parameters 9. Link level 2 to Heading 2 
> and check mark "Restart numbering after:"
> 10.Select Level 1.
> Repeat steps 8 and 9 for each level of numbering you require.
> 
> This will give you a perfect numbering sequence. Just remember to 
> assign each level to an appropriate Heading style.  I go one better 
> and assign Heading styles to Hotkeys (i.e. Ctrl+1 = Heading 1, Ctrl+2 
> = Heading 2....
> 
> Good Luck
> Don
> 
> 1.   Heading 1
>       a.   Heading 2
>       b.   Heading 2
>             i.   Heading 3
>             ii.   Heading 3
> 2.   Heading 1
>       a.   Heading 2
>       b.   Heading 2
>             i.   Heading 3
>             ii.   Heading 3
> 3.   Heading 1
>       a.   Heading 2
>       b.   Heading 2
>             i.   Heading 3
>             ii.   Heading 3
> 4.   Heading 1


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