Conflicting Field Codes/ switches ?

[Corporate User]

Hello,

I am trying to figure out the switches in Microsoft Office Word 2003 - that
will allow me to insert AutoText as follows:

Figure 1
Figure 2

Table 1
Table 2

Right now, the entry "Table 1" is getting numbered as "Table 3".

Is there a way to separate the autonumbering - such that Word can
differentiate between Figure 1 and Table 1?

Perhaps I am going out this the wrong way (via autonumbering)? This will
eventually be part of a protected document where the end user has access to
limited styles. The user will be able to insert a Table and Figure Titles
(with autonumbering).

Any assistance on this is appreciated.

Thanks,

-J

 

[Greg Maxey]

I don't really follow your issue. However if you type "Table { Seq Table}"
select and save it as an AutoText entry and "Figure { Seq Figure}" and do
the same then you should get an accurate sequence in each document.

 

[Corporate User]

Hi Greg,

I was able to create a generic Table and Figure fields
as shown below:

SEQ Figure \* ARABIC
SEQ Table \* ARABIC

So, I can insert my Figure and Table numbers using:

Insert > Reference > Caption

I have my Styles and Formatting pane open and I want to create custom styles
that will auto-increment each Figure and Table number.

This way the end user will only have to click on the Figure Number and/or
Table Number style to create incrementing Figure and/or Table numbers.

Is there a way to get the field codes (switches) inserted into a custom
style?

I figure if outline styles can increment, then there must be a way that a
custom Table/Figure style can increment.

Any thoughts?

Thanks again for your assistance.

Jim

 

[Shauna Kelly]

Hi Jim

Let's go back about 6 steps.

Word has two kinds of numbering, and to all intents and purposes they are
mutually exclusive.

One kind of numbering uses fields. Fields don't update automatically,
although you can update an individual field or all fields at once. They
don't have much flexibility in formatting. And they have no hierarchical
structure. One of the fields used for numbering is the SEQ (for Sequence)
field. You can have as many different Sequences of numbers in a document as
you like (well, there's probably a limit, but none that anyone's ever run
into). The Insert > Reference > Caption functionality uses SEQ felds. SEQ
fields have a few special properties, including the fact that Word can whip
up a list of all the paragraphs containing a certain Sequence. That's how it
creates a Table of Tables or a Table of Figures. SEQ numbering is old, and
it works flawlessly. Numbering fields can be placed anywhere (eg in the
middle of a paragraph). You'll see when you create a caption that the
introductory text (eg "Figure" or "Table") is not part of the numbering.

The second kind of numbering is paragraph numbering. This does not use
fields. Paragraph numbering updates automatically. Paragraph numbering has
considerable flexibility in formatting. And it can have a hierarchical
structure consisting of up to 9 levevls (that's commonly used to get
numbering like 1, 1.1, 1.1.1 etc). You can have many different numbering
schemes in a document (where a scheme is one hierarchical structure of up to
9 levels). Paragraph numbering is normally linked to styles. You set up a
numbering scheme and link it to a set of styles (eg Heading 1 for "Chapter
1", Heading 2 for "1.1" etc). When you apply a style to a paragraph any
numbering associated with that style is also applied to the paragraph. And
if you modify the numbering, all paragraphs in the document in that style
will respond with the new numbering format instantly. Word can generate a
table of contents based on levels or styles. Paragraph numbering is creaky
and works most of the time if you tend it carefully. The numbering can only
be placed at the beginning of a paragraph in a left-to-right language, and
it can include introductory text (eg "Chapter 1").

So there are your choices. Either use the Inset > Reference > Caption
functionality, which will insert a SEQ field for you. Note that doing so
also applies the Caption style to the paragraph. Or, create a style for your
Figure captions and another for your Table captions and set up the numbering
as described at:

How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in your Microsoft Word
document
http://www.ShaunaKelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html

Just substitute the heading styles described in that page with your required
styles.

But don't use the Insert > Reference > Caption functionality together with
paragraph numbering or you'll have "Figure 1 Figure 1 A photo of the dog".

And just to confuse the issue the two kinds of numbering can work
co-operatively. So, for example, if you use style Heading 1 to mark the
chapter titles, you can get your figures marked Figure 1.1, Figure 1.2, ....
Figure 2.1, Figure 2.2 etc. Work uses the current Heading style to provide
the first number, and the SEQ field to provide the second number.

Unless you have a very good reason to do so, I'd stick with the built-in
functionality of Inset > Reference > Caption. It's reliable, it works well
and all the functionality you need is built in.

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word