Keeping track of paragraphs being cross-referenced

[Paul]

In other word processors, when paragraphs are tagged for cross-
referencing, the tag is either visible as a character or string, or it
can be made visible. Cross-references to a paragraph are actually
complex pointers pointing to the tag, with attributes that determine
whether the cross-reference shows the paragraph text, paragraph label/
number, paragraph's page, etc. This is really useful because if you
press return at the start or end of a paragraph, you can actually tell
whether the return was inserted before or after the tag, and hence
whether the tag becomes part of the preceding, current, or succeeding
paragraph. Also, if you re-arrange the paragraphs by dragging one
paragraph to the beginning of another, you know whether you dragged
the tag along, and whether you are placing it before or after existing
tags at the target location.


I recently found the need to see such tags in Word 2003 on Windows
XP. In a document's list of references, when I press return to create
a new entry, I'm no longer sure which paragraph contains the tag that
is cross-referenced from the body of the document. I tried
highlighting all of the list of references and revealing codes (Shift-
F9) to see whether the tags show up, but I couldn't see anything that
could play the role of a tag. This is important because I'm finding
that cross-references end up pointing to the wrong references as I
develop my document. After any update to cross-references, I spend
forever going through the entire document, triple-checking each and
every cross-reference to ensure that they still make sense.

Is the picture of the use of tags for cross-referencing accurate? How
can I see the tag? If that is not possible, how do experienced users
prevent tags from becoming attached to the wrong paragraph?

 

[Stefan Blom]

Each Word cross-reference makes use of a hidden bookmark, generated as you
insert the cross-reference. Unfortunately, you cannot show these hidden
bookmarks.

If you want more control, you can make use of manual bookmarks instead;
these can be inserted via Insert | Bookmark. Remember to cross-reference the
text, paragraph number, or page number of the *bookmark*.

To show bookmarks in Word, click Tools | Options, View tab, and select the
"Bookmarks" option.

 

[Paul]

Did. You. Say. "Invisible" ??



That is terrible. I have over 50 references, and who knows how many
cross-references to those references.

I will try your bookmark trick for future reports.

Some simple questions, in case anyone knows...

This invisible bookmark that gets generated...where does it sit, at
the head or tail of the paragraph, or anywhere at all?

When one presses return at the end of the paragraph, the the invisible
bookmark get pushed over to the newly generated paragraph?

Is it possible to put one's cursor at the head of a paragraph, press
return to create a new paragraph, and somehow have the bookmark stay
on the same physical line (with the new paragraph) instead of moving
down with the original paragraph?

If I have two sequential paragraphs A and B, and I reverse the order
by dragging B to the head of A, does B's invisible bookmark move with
the drag? Is there any chance that both A & B's invisible bookmark
ends up with the leading B paragraph?

Thanks for your wisdom(s).

 

[Lene Fredborg]

The hidden bookmark that is added when you insert a cross-reference to e.g. a
heading surrounds the heading text – and the cross-reference contains
precisely the content within the related bookmark.

I have made some demos in which I have tried to illustrate what happens -
how errors occur/can be prevented. You will find the demos here:
http://www.thedoctools.com/index.php?show=wt_cross-reference_trouble

--
Regards
Lene Fredborg - Microsoft MVP (Word)
DocTools - Denmark
www.thedoctools.com
Document automation - add-ins, macros and templates for Microsoft Word

 

[Paul]

Thank you, Lene. That was very enlightening.

The hidden bookmark that is added when you insert a cross-reference to e.g. a
heading surrounds the heading text – and the cross-reference contains
precisely the content within the related bookmark.

I have made some demos in which I have tried to illustrate what happens -
how errors occur/can be prevented. You will find the demos here:http://www.thedoctools.com/index.php?show=wt_cross-reference_trouble