Multiple paragraph styles with same outline level

[Mister.Fred.Ma]

From surfing the web about Word 2003 paragraph levels, it seems that
each outline level has to be associated with one paragraph style. I
have a document template (not created by me) in which two styles are
level 1. This defies my (possibly wrong) understanding of levels. I
thought I could take advantage of this by defining my own paragraph
style, also level 1. It is level 1, but doesn't show up in outline
view when I set it to show level 1.

1. Is it possible for two styles to be of the same level?
2. If not, what might cause it to appear that way?
3. If so, how can I get a third style to be of that outline level?

Thanks!

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

There are two different kids of Level 1. You can have more than one style at
the same outline level as seen in the Paragraph dialog. For example, by
default the Title and Heading 1 style are both Level 1; Subtitle and Heading
2 are both Level 2. This level just determines how they will be displayed in
a table of contents. TOC entries for Level 1 paragraphs will be in the TOC 1
style, Level 2 in TOC 2. You can change the outline level of a given
paragraph or style, and you can also change the level assigned to it in a
given TOC, so that, for example, Heading 2 paragraphs use TOC 1 style (and
Heading 1s are omitted); for more see
http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/TOCTips.htm

The other kind of Level 1 is in an outline-numbered list. You cannot link
more than one style to a given level in an outline-numbered list. You can
have more than one such list, with paragraphs linked to the various levels,
but you can't mix and match these lists. See
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html.

 

[Fred Ma]

There are two different kids of Level 1. You can have more than one style at
the same outline level as seen in the Paragraph dialog. For example, by
default the Title and Heading 1 style are both Level 1; Subtitle and Heading
2 are both Level 2. This level just determines how they will be displayed in
a table of contents. TOC entries for Level 1 paragraphs will be in the TOC 1
style, Level 2 in TOC 2. You can change the outline level of a given
paragraph or style, and you can also change the level assigned to it in a
given TOC, so that, for example, Heading 2 paragraphs use TOC 1 style (and
Heading 1s are omitted); for more see
http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/TOCTips.htm

The other kind of Level 1 is in an outline-numbered list. You cannot link
more than one style to a given level in an outline-numbered list. You can
have more than one such list, with paragraphs linked to the various levels,
but you can't mix and match these lists. See
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html.

I actually ran into the latter page while surfing. That seems to be the one that I want, since I'm interested in Level N paragraph styles that show up in outline view when choose to display upto Level N. However, that is the one that you describe as having any one outline level confined to a single paragraph style. This is the confusing part. The template that I got has more than one paragraph style with Level N, and both kinds of paragraphs are displayed when I choose to Show Level N in outline view. Would you have any idea how that can be achieved? I'm aiming to define yet another paragraph style with this kind of level N. Thanks.

Fred

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The levels shown in Outline view are the same levels picked up by a TOC. You
set the outline level of a given paragraph or style in the Paragraph dialog
(upper right corner).

I actually ran into the latter page while surfing. That seems to be the

one that I want, since I'm interested in Level N paragraph styles that show
up in outline view when choose to display upto Level N. However, that is
the one that you describe as having any one outline level confined to a
single paragraph style. This is the confusing part. The template that I
got has more than one paragraph style with Level N, and both kinds of
paragraphs are displayed when I choose to Show Level N in outline view.
Would you have any idea how that can be achieved? I'm aiming to define yet
another paragraph style with this kind of level N. Thanks.

 

[Mister.Fred.Ma]

The levels shown in Outline view are the same levels picked up by a TOC. You
set the outline level of a given paragraph or style in the Paragraph dialog
(upper right corner).

Thank Suzanne. That was extremely useful. One wonders why such a
clarification isn't boldly stated up front in Word documentation.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Word documentation is intended primarily for the casual user. Refinements
such as this are discovered by trial and error or by reading the FAQ
articles produced by those who use it for more specialized purposes.
Alternatively, if you can lay your hands on the (actual printed) manual for
Word 2.0 or 6.0, you'll find that much of this was actually documented in
earlier versions. <g>

 

[Mister.Fred.Ma]

Word documentation is intended primarily for the casual user. Refinements
such as this are discovered by trial and error or by reading the FAQ
articles produced by those who use it for more specialized purposes.
Alternatively, if you can lay your hands on the (actual printed) manual for
Word 2.0 or 6.0, you'll find that much of this was actually documented in
earlier versions. <g>

Sorry, I meant the online documentation. I didn't choose to buy Word
myself, I'm forced to use it. So no documentation. I believe that
I'm actually getting use to it....

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I also was referring to the online documentation. There isn't anything else
these days. That's why I said that if you can find an actual printed manual
for one of the earliest versions, you'd find it instructive. A lot of the
deficiencies in Word's current documentation are due to (a) time crunches
that make it impossible to get complete documentation written for the latest
features, especially ones that were being fine-tuned right up to the date
the product was released and (b) the assumption that most "power users"
(those who use Word's most sophisticated and complex features) have been
using Word for several versions and don't need documentation on features
that haven't changed.

Obviously, (b) is often a false assumption. But I am frequently amazed to
look back at my Word 2.0 manual and see how many of the features I depend on
today were already present in Word 2.0. I never used them then, either
because I didn't yet need them or because they were harder to find. The
basic operation of many features hasn't changed, but their presentation
(especially the UI) has changed radically, often making them much more
accessible and easy to use.