Endnote numbers convert to Roman numerals

[Posterizer]

Gang,
I use endnotes and cross-references extensively in manuscripts that we
submit to scientific journals. Almost invariably, when I send a Word
doc to a colleague using Word for Windows, the endnote numbers will
convert to Roman numerals on the colleague's computer. When he returns
it to me after making edits, it will still display Roman numerals (ie,
it won't automatically revert to Arabic numerals on my Mac).

This isn't a huge problem, as I can simply open Insert>Footnote>Options
and change the format back.

The problem that is really frustrating to me is that more and more
journals are using electronic submission, and in the process, their
software converts the Word document to a PDF format. I've discovered
that at least one such service provider's software does the same
conversion to Roman numerals as I've struggled with my Windows
colleagues.

I'd convert it to PDF myself before uploading it, so as to preserve the
regular numbers, but they apparently discourage uploading PDFs.

Is there a way to "lock" the format of these numbers so as to prevent
this from happening?

This has happened in Word v11. I'm currently using Word 12.1.1, but I
still use v11 (.doc) format files due to few colleagues having upgraded
Windows Office software, and fewer still having whatever plug-in that
allows them to open and edit .docx files.

TIA,
Dennis

 

[John McGhie]

There are many reasons the new file format was invented: this is one of
them. If you down-grade -- sorry!! Many document features produced on the
new versions do not, or may not, survive a down-grade

The converter for the new file formats is free. Most Windows systems will
automatically go and get it if you try to open a .docx file.

If that doesn't happen, all the other user has to do is ring the Help Desk
and tell them they need this file open. Three or four of those and the
converter will be installed overnight: the Help Desk hates having to work


Cheers

Gang,
I use endnotes and cross-references extensively in manuscripts that we
submit to scientific journals. Almost invariably, when I send a Word
doc to a colleague using Word for Windows, the endnote numbers will
convert to Roman numerals on the colleague's computer. When he returns
it to me after making edits, it will still display Roman numerals (ie,
it won't automatically revert to Arabic numerals on my Mac).

This isn't a huge problem, as I can simply open Insert>Footnote>Options
and change the format back.

The problem that is really frustrating to me is that more and more
journals are using electronic submission, and in the process, their
software converts the Word document to a PDF format. I've discovered
that at least one such service provider's software does the same
conversion to Roman numerals as I've struggled with my Windows
colleagues.

I'd convert it to PDF myself before uploading it, so as to preserve the
regular numbers, but they apparently discourage uploading PDFs.

Is there a way to "lock" the format of these numbers so as to prevent
this from happening?

This has happened in Word v11. I'm currently using Word 12.1.1, but I
still use v11 (.doc) format files due to few colleagues having upgraded
Windows Office software, and fewer still having whatever plug-in that
allows them to open and edit .docx files.

TIA,
Dennis

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[Posterizer]

The problem that is really frustrating to me is that more and more
journals are using electronic submission, and in the process, their
software converts the Word document to a PDF format. I've discovered
that at least one such service provider's software does the same
conversion to Roman numerals as I've struggled with my Windows
colleagues.

I'd convert it to PDF myself before uploading it, so as to preserve the
regular numbers, but they apparently discourage uploading PDFs.

Is there a way to "lock" the format of these numbers so as to prevent
this from happening?

Any ideas on how to deal with this endnote numbering problem?

thanks,
Dennis

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Dennis:

No, not really. I would send them a .docx an wait to see if they notice.

Most folks should not notice, these days. Just about everyone either has
the latest version of Office or has the converters installed.

Cheers

Any ideas on how to deal with this endnote numbering problem?

thanks,
Dennis

--

Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[Posterizer]

Hi Dennis:

No, not really. I would send them a .docx an wait to see if they notice.

Most folks should not notice, these days. Just about everyone either has
the latest version of Office or has the converters installed.

Cheers

Thanks, John. Unfortunately I'm dealing with an automated conversion
program on the web that is converting my Word document into both PDF and
HTML formats. (It also converts and merges several other files, such as
image files, etc, into a single document). These converted files are
then forwarded on to reviewers at the journal. I have no control over
this and no other individuals are involved in the process on their end.

I tried to resolve this with tech support at the company that provides
the file upload and conversion service, but to say that was a dismal
experience would be putting it lightly.

I just converted the Word doc to PDF myself, and am going to try to
upload the PDF instead. Hopefully when it "converts" to PDF (and HTML)
on their system it will retain the numbering intact.

Dennis

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Dennis:

Well, your PDF will be fine However, their software will not be able to
convert PDF to HTML, so you will still get complaints.

I think I would roll back to Word 2004 (if you have it) or invest in a copy
of Parallels and a copy of Windows Word. I use Word 2007, because it is by
far the most powerful, but Word 2003 does a grand job, and Word 2000 is the
best version of Word ever (and it's cheap!).

Whichever one you get, ensure you apply all the updates: I think there are
six for Word 2000

Cheers

Thanks, John. Unfortunately I'm dealing with an automated conversion
program on the web that is converting my Word document into both PDF and
HTML formats. (It also converts and merges several other files, such as
image files, etc, into a single document). These converted files are
then forwarded on to reviewers at the journal. I have no control over
this and no other individuals are involved in the process on their end.

I tried to resolve this with tech support at the company that provides
the file upload and conversion service, but to say that was a dismal
experience would be putting it lightly.

I just converted the Word doc to PDF myself, and am going to try to
upload the PDF instead. Hopefully when it "converts" to PDF (and HTML)
on their system it will retain the numbering intact.

Dennis

--

Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[Slipface]

Hi Dennis:

Well, your PDF will be fine However, their software will not be able to
convert PDF to HTML, so you will still get complaints.

Yeah. I tried, and it actually just produced an error message saying
that PDF was a disallowed format (ironic, since for several image files
they say that PDF is an acceptable format...) This web service has a
ways to go to make their product user-friendly, including better
documentation and customer service. I'm surprised that so many
prestigious scientific journal publishers are using it.

I think I would roll back to Word 2004 (if you have it) or invest in a copy
of Parallels and a copy of Windows Word. I use Word 2007, because it is by
far the most powerful, but Word 2003 does a grand job, and Word 2000 is the
best version of Word ever (and it's cheap!).

Thanks. I actually just switched from Office 2004 on my Mac to the
2008 version. But the problem with endnotes converting to Roman
numerals used to plague me in the 2004 version, too. At least, when
exchanging Word docs with Windows colleagues. And it's persisted in
the 2008 version, when saving as 2004 .doc format. So it's clearly
something in the Mac formatted .doc that is getting confused when read
by Windows-based machines, or software that is probably designed around
Windows .doc formatted Word files.

BTW, the document upload software specifically prohibited using .docx
files, so I couldn't try saving it in the new format. Maybe 10 years
from now they'll finally catch up and make their software compatible
with it ;-)

_dennis

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Dennis:

Yes, I know the issue. The change in numbering styles is a legacy of the
old .doc format, and it's difficult to prevent it from happening in the old
format.

Make sure that your Numbering format is correctly attached to the style, as
described by Shauna Kelly at http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/index.html

That's about the only thing you can do to slow it down a bit if you are
using the old format: it's just not stable.

Cheers

Yeah. I tried, and it actually just produced an error message saying
that PDF was a disallowed format (ironic, since for several image files
they say that PDF is an acceptable format...) This web service has a
ways to go to make their product user-friendly, including better
documentation and customer service. I'm surprised that so many
prestigious scientific journal publishers are using it.



Thanks. I actually just switched from Office 2004 on my Mac to the
2008 version. But the problem with endnotes converting to Roman
numerals used to plague me in the 2004 version, too. At least, when
exchanging Word docs with Windows colleagues. And it's persisted in
the 2008 version, when saving as 2004 .doc format. So it's clearly
something in the Mac formatted .doc that is getting confused when read
by Windows-based machines, or software that is probably designed around
Windows .doc formatted Word files.

BTW, the document upload software specifically prohibited using .docx
files, so I couldn't try saving it in the new format. Maybe 10 years
from now they'll finally catch up and make their software compatible
with it ;-)

_dennis

--

Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:[email protected]