customising outline/heading numbering

[Matthias Köngeter]

Hi,

I have been trying to customize word's automatic numbering of
outlines/headings in order to meet my specific needs. I need to create
my outline numbered according to the following pattern
A., B. ...
I., II. ...
1., 2. ...
a., b. ...
aa., bb. ...

Apart from the last sequence, I can produce all of these using Word's
default numbering formats or by customizing them. Yet, I don't see a
possibility to get the sequence aa., bb., cc. etc. as auto-numbering.

Is there a way to get such numbering?

Thanks in advance,
Matthias

PS: I am using Word 2004 under OS 10.3.9.

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word and Word Macintosh]]

Hi Matthias:

I'm not sure I am understanding you correctly. That fourth level of yours,
a, b, c, will simply continue on to aa, bb, cc... If you let it run.

So if you configure your list to start at "aa" (which is actually 27) it
will. Usually the problem is that people want an Excel-style list that goes
A, B, ... Z, AA, AB, AC...

Now "that" is difficult! Cindy Meister did something terrifying with fields
to produce a similar thing -- lemme see if I can find it... Ah yes, here it
is...
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister/NbrFAQ.htm#XLTypeNr

Hope this helps

Hi,

I have been trying to customize word's automatic numbering of
outlines/headings in order to meet my specific needs. I need to create
my outline numbered according to the following pattern
A., B. ...
I., II. ...
1., 2. ...
a., b. ...
aa., bb. ...

Apart from the last sequence, I can produce all of these using Word's
default numbering formats or by customizing them. Yet, I don't see a
possibility to get the sequence aa., bb., cc. etc. as auto-numbering.

Is there a way to get such numbering?

Thanks in advance,
Matthias

PS: I am using Word 2004 under OS 10.3.9.

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <[email protected]>
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 4 1209 1410

 

[Matthias Köngeter]

Hi John,

thanks for your reply.

I'm not sure I am understanding you correctly. That fourth level of yours,
a, b, c, will simply continue on to aa, bb, cc... If you let it run.

Yes, it seems I was not very clear.
What I am trying to do is to create a sub-heading level that flows like
this: aa., bb. cc., dd... Following the pattern I outlined above, this
means that the fifth level should always begin with aa.
So, letting the fourth level run until the numbering switches to aa,
bb... is not what I want.

E.g. an outline using this level could look something like this:

a. Styles in Word
aa. Why using styles?
bb. What are styles?
cc. Creating styles

b. Templates in Word
aa. Why using templates?
bb. What are templates?
....

So if you configure your list to start at "aa" (which is actually 27) it
will.

Sorry, I don't understand this.
1. I don't see an option in Word 'Format>Numbering and Bullets>Outline
Numbered>Customize>Number style' to create a numbering like I want. Or
should it be possible to customize these Number styles? I thought they
were hard coded.
2. Where does the 27 refer to?

Hope this explains it better. Your advice is very much appreciated.

Matthias

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word and Word Macintosh]]

Hi Matthias:

OK, that's easy. You set the 'Start At' property of the fifth level to 'aa'

I assume you are using the built-in Heading styles for this purpose: if so,
that's all you have to do. Before going into Format>Style, ensure that you
are clicked in the FIRST paragraph with Heading 1 style applied in the
document, otherwise you will chase your tail forever and end up corrupting
the document.

Then ensure that you define the Outline Numbering sample that shows "Heading
1, Heading 2, Heading 3..." in its name as part of your style.

Then define Level 5 to start at 'aa'.

If you are not using the built-in Heading Styles, change to those and you
will find everything straightforward after that.

You "can" use other styles to do this, but I never would because of the
effort involved in getting everything set up. You will be there 'till next
week getting it all to work -- you have to set the Level properties
correctly in all nine styles before you start.

If you need more information, Shauna Kelly explains it very well here:
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html

Hope this helps

Hi John,

thanks for your reply.


Yes, it seems I was not very clear.
What I am trying to do is to create a sub-heading level that flows like
this: aa., bb. cc., dd... Following the pattern I outlined above, this
means that the fifth level should always begin with aa.
So, letting the fourth level run until the numbering switches to aa,
bb... is not what I want.

E.g. an outline using this level could look something like this:

a. Styles in Word
aa. Why using styles?
bb. What are styles?
cc. Creating styles

b. Templates in Word
aa. Why using templates?
bb. What are templates?
...


Sorry, I don't understand this.
1. I don't see an option in Word 'Format>Numbering and Bullets>Outline
Numbered>Customize>Number style' to create a numbering like I want. Or
should it be possible to customize these Number styles? I thought they
were hard coded.
2. Where does the 27 refer to?

Hope this explains it better. Your advice is very much appreciated.

Matthias

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <[email protected]>
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 4 1209 1410

 

[Matthias Köngeter]

Hi John,

just wanted to thank you for your advice and for referring me to
Shauna's article. I created my numbering according to it and it seems
to work.

Matthias

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word and Word Macintosh]]

Matthias:

Oh, you're welcome Yes, Word's numbering DOES work. It's indescribably
complex, but it's very powerful.

Don't be afraid to get back to us with questions as you become more
demanding of it: you can do practically anything with Word numbering, but
some things take a little study

Cheers

Hi John,

just wanted to thank you for your advice and for referring me to
Shauna's article. I created my numbering according to it and it seems
to work.

Matthias

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <[email protected]>
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 4 1209 1410