Caption Numbering Problem

[Colin Higbie]

I am trying to add captions to several dozen linked Excel tables (set to
manual update only). There are several chapters. I can insert the captions
without difficulty. However, their numbers are all off by one until I
manually update them. The captions should be as follows:

Table 1-1, Table 1-2, Table 2-1, etc.

However, instead, for those same tables, I get:

Table 1-2, Table 1-3, Table 2-2, etc.

Each table in each chapter starts out as number 2 and all the subsequent
tables are off by 1 too high. Why? The chapter numbers always appear
correctly.

If I right click on the table number and select Update Field, or select the
caption text and press F9, it immediately flips to the correct number.

Is there a way to update all the fields in my document at once? In the help
it says to select all and press F9. That conveniently ignores captions
because they are in text boxes (it does get the TOC and other fields that
are not in headers, footers, or text boxes).

Is there a way to avoid this whole problem in the first place?

Thanks,
Colin

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Colin,

The way to avoid the problem is to not use text boxes. As you observe, Word
doesn't really recognize what's in a textbox. You'd also run into problems if
you try to create a table of tables (or figures). The best way to do this, if
you require text flow around the object is to use FRAMES (on the Forms
toolbar).

You can
- insert the Excel object into a frame directly; press Right-arrow once
(so that the focus is still in the frame, but the object not selected) then
press ENTER; now insert the caption

- convert the caption's text box to a frame (Text box tab in the Format
dialog box)

- insert the object into a table cell, and the caption into the same cell,
or a cell below it. (Tables can be formatted with text flow)

The first or third approaches are better, in my opinion, because you can be
certain the caption will always move with the object.

I am trying to add captions to several dozen linked Excel tables (set to
manual update only). There are several chapters. I can insert the captions
without difficulty. However, their numbers are all off by one until I
manually update them. The captions should be as follows:

Table 1-1, Table 1-2, Table 2-1, etc.

However, instead, for those same tables, I get:

Table 1-2, Table 1-3, Table 2-2, etc.

Each table in each chapter starts out as number 2 and all the subsequent
tables are off by 1 too high. Why? The chapter numbers always appear
correctly.

If I right click on the table number and select Update Field, or select the
caption text and press F9, it immediately flips to the correct number.

Is there a way to update all the fields in my document at once? In the help
it says to select all and press F9. That conveniently ignores captions
because they are in text boxes (it does get the TOC and other fields that
are not in headers, footers, or text boxes).

Is there a way to avoid this whole problem in the first place?

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[Colin Higbie]

But I don't have any choice - if I tell word to automatically add captions
to new objects as I insert them, or if I insert captions on my own, that's
how Word creates them.

Is there a way to change this?

Thanks,
Colin

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Word uses a text box if your graphic is wrapped; if it is in line with text,
the caption will be inserted as a normal text paragraph. If you need to wrap
text around your graphic, you can then select both graphic and caption
together and insert a frame (using the Insert Frame button on the Forms
toolbar). Wrapping options for frames are not as varied as for text boxes
and wrapped graphics, but they are adequate for your purposes (and
layout/position options are about the same). If you find frames useful,
you'll want to add Frame back to your Insert menu using Tools | Customize.