Auto-numbering keeps goofing up

[Gary Burton]

I am creating a long numbered list of questions for my students. I must
use auto-numbering because I add and delete questions as well as moving them
around. I type up the questions using auto-numbering as follows:

1. Question 1
a. Answer 1
b. Answer 2
c. Answer 3

2. Question 2
a. Answer 4
b. Answer 5

3. Question 3 (draw a picture)



4. Question 4 (fill in the blank)

Then I sometimes need to do a paragraph formating operation. When I do,
the whole system gets messed up as follows:

1.
2. Question 1
a. Answer 1
b. Answer 2
c. Answer 3
d.
3. Question 2
a. Answer 4
b. Answer 5
c.
4. Question 3 (draw a picture)
5.
6.
7.
8. Question 4 (fill in the blank)
9.

I have tried everything I can think of, including reading all the
posting on these two newsgroups; but I have not found a solution. I have
looked at all the choices in "paragraph formating" and in "bullets and
numbering" and tried many of the options. I can manually correct each
question using the backspace key, but we are talking about a whole homework
book with hundreds of questions in it and this thing happens all too often.

Please help!!!!

 

[Anne Troy]

Two things, Gary:
A template:
http://www.officearticles.com/word/tests_and_quizzes_in_microsoft_word.htm
(link at very end)
A potential issue:
http://www.officearticles.com/word/format_changes_entire_document_in_microsoft_word.htm
************
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com

 

[Chuck Henrich]

I can manually correct each

question using the backspace key,

It sounds like the paragraphs that are numbered (but which you don't want to
be) are using the numbered paragraph style instead of a text (non-numbered)
style eg:

4. [numbered style] Question 3 (draw a picture)
5. [numbered style]
6. [numbered style]
7. [numbered style]
8. [numbered style] Question 4 (fill in the blank)
9. [numbered style]

Whereas what you really want is:

4. [numbered style] Question 3 (draw a picture)
5. [text - not numbered - style]
6. [text - not numbered - style]
7. [text - not numbered - style]
8. [numbered style] Question 4 (fill in the blank)
9. [text - not numbered - style]

To check this switch to Normal view and you should see the "Style area" on
the left of your Word window showing the style name for each paragraph. If
you don't, go to Tools > Options > View and set the "Style area width" field
to something like 2cm/1inch (or whatever) so that you can see the styles
listed.

To fix this change the style for all the paragraphs you don't want to be
numbered to Normal or whatever style you use for text.

To fix your numbered style so that it automatically switches to the text
style whenever you press enter/return:

Choose Format > Style > Modify [whatever your numbered styles is] and choose
your text style in the "Style for following paragraph" field in the "Modify
Style" dialog.

HTH

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

First of all, make sure that you have set up your numbering following the
instructions in
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html. You will
need, at minimum, a Question style (Level 1), an Answer style (Level 2), and
a style for unnumbered text (you can use Normal or Body Text). Define the
Question style such that the Answer style is the "Style for following
paragraph," and assign it a keyboard shortcut so that you can resume the
question numbering after typing your multiple-choice answers. Alternatively,
you can use Word's built-in keyboard shortcuts to promote/demote items in
the list.

 

[Gary Burton]

I have a template, but I seem to do better without it. Yours is
probably better than the one I have, but I am fine without a template if I
can solve this problem.

Thanks to you and to Chuck Henrich, I have a solution now. Chuck helped
me fix what I have, and your article helped me to prevent it from happening
again. I will keep them both on file.

Thank you very much!

Two things, Gary:
A template:
http://www.officearticles.com/word/tests_and_quizzes_in_microsoft_word.htm
(link at very end)
A potential issue:
http://www.officearticles.com/word/format_changes_entire_document_in_microsoft_word.htm
************
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com

 

[Gary Burton]

This was VERY helpful!!! I am not very knowledgeable about styles and I
know I will run into this again, but I will keep this written down for
reference. You put a lot of work into this reply, and I want you to know
that it is very appreciated.

Thank you very much, Chuck!

I can manually correct each
question using the backspace key,

It sounds like the paragraphs that are numbered (but which you don't want
to
be) are using the numbered paragraph style instead of a text
(non-numbered)
style eg:

4. [numbered style] Question 3 (draw a picture)
5. [numbered style]
6. [numbered style]
7. [numbered style]
8. [numbered style] Question 4 (fill in the blank)
9. [numbered style]

Whereas what you really want is:

4. [numbered style] Question 3 (draw a picture)
5. [text - not numbered - style]
6. [text - not numbered - style]
7. [text - not numbered - style]
8. [numbered style] Question 4 (fill in the blank)
9. [text - not numbered - style]

To check this switch to Normal view and you should see the "Style area" on
the left of your Word window showing the style name for each paragraph.
If
you don't, go to Tools > Options > View and set the "Style area width"
field
to something like 2cm/1inch (or whatever) so that you can see the styles
listed.

To fix this change the style for all the paragraphs you don't want to be
numbered to Normal or whatever style you use for text.

To fix your numbered style so that it automatically switches to the text
style whenever you press enter/return:

Choose Format > Style > Modify [whatever your numbered styles is] and
choose
your text style in the "Style for following paragraph" field in the
"Modify
Style" dialog.

HTH


--
Chuck Henrich
www.ProductivityApps.com

I am creating a long numbered list of questions for my students. I
must
use auto-numbering because I add and delete questions as well as moving
them
around. I type up the questions using auto-numbering as follows:

1. Question 1
a. Answer 1
b. Answer 2
c. Answer 3

2. Question 2
a. Answer 4
b. Answer 5

3. Question 3 (draw a picture)



4. Question 4 (fill in the blank)

Then I sometimes need to do a paragraph formating operation. When I
do,
the whole system gets messed up as follows:

1.
2. Question 1
a. Answer 1
b. Answer 2
c. Answer 3
d.
3. Question 2
a. Answer 4
b. Answer 5
c.
4. Question 3 (draw a picture)
5.
6.
7.
8. Question 4 (fill in the blank)
9.

I have tried everything I can think of, including reading all the
posting on these two newsgroups; but I have not found a solution. I have
looked at all the choices in "paragraph formating" and in "bullets and
numbering" and tried many of the options. I can manually correct each
question using the backspace key, but we are talking about a whole
homework
book with hundreds of questions in it and this thing happens all too
often.

Please help!!!!

 

[Gary Burton]

Thank you, Suzanne.

I think Chuck Henrich and Anne Troy have taken care of me, but I
appreciate your response.

First of all, make sure that you have set up your numbering following the
instructions in
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html. You will
need, at minimum, a Question style (Level 1), an Answer style (Level 2),
and
a style for unnumbered text (you can use Normal or Body Text). Define the
Question style such that the Answer style is the "Style for following
paragraph," and assign it a keyboard shortcut so that you can resume the
question numbering after typing your multiple-choice answers.
Alternatively,
you can use Word's built-in keyboard shortcuts to promote/demote items in
the list.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

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