Numbered Lists - "Continue" issue

[Ember]

I have a training manual that describes several different events for a topic
and then gives the users instructions on how to complete each event. Under
each event I have a numbered listed that identifies the steps a user will
need to take, with each event "Restart"ing from "1". (Example below)

Topic

Event 1

1. Step 1.
2. Step 2.
3. Step 3.

Event 2

1. Step 1.
2. Step 2.
3. Step 3.

I am now using the Insert>File to bring in bookmarked sections of these
topics into one manual. The Insert>File option worked well except it
renumbered all of my steps. (See problem example below)

Topic

Event 1

1. Step 1.
2. Step 2.
3. Step 3.

Event 2

4. Step 1.
5. Step 2.
6. Step 3.

Is there anyway to "lock" the numbering for each Event so that it will have
no affect on numbering of Events that follow it?

Thanks!

 

[Stefan Blom]

To "freeze" auto numbering when copying and pasting text you can convert the
numbers to plain text in the source document: Select the numbered items.
Press Alt+F11 to display the Visual Basic Editor. Press Ctrl+G to activate
the Immediate window. Type

Selection.Range.ListFormat.ConvertNumbersToText

and press Enter.

Then copy and paste the items. Close the source document without saving.

Note that if numbering was applied via styles, you will have to clear the
numbering from the styles in the target document (otherwise you can bring it
back via Ctrl+Q).

 

[grammatim]

Is there a reason for writing "1. Step 1." instead of just "Step 1."?

 

[Stefan Blom]

Note that the OP states that these are examples, not actual text.

 

[grammatim]

"I have a numbered list that identifies the steps a user will need to
take."

 

[Ember]

I have been asked to format published manuals (procedural documentation that
I did not write) so that they include only the processes that we use (the
published manual describes more than what we will be doing).

I am not responsible for the content, just how it is formatted.

Thanks!

 

[Ember]

So I would need to do that for each numbered list in my document? I ask
because I found another post that made a similar suggestion but it applied it
to the whole document.

Also, do you know if this suggestion would work when using the "Insert>File"
option?

Thanks!

 

[Stefan Blom]

But note the "(Example below)" text later in the OP's message. Obviously,
there are many possible reasons why the OP may not want to post the actual
text in a public newsgroup.

 

[Stefan Blom]

If you want to convert numbers of an entire document in one step, just use

Activedocument.ConvertNumbersToText

instead.

It can certainly be applied to documents that you want to insert via Insert
| File, but note that if numbering was applied via styles, you will have to
clear the number formatting from those styles (or Ctrl+Q can bring numbering
back).

 

[grammatim]

Then the dummy example could be "blah blah blah"! If it has "Step 1,
Step 2, Step 3," then there don't need to be numbers before the step
numbers.

 

[Ember]

Thanks. I may have to find another way as I will not be the only one editing
these secondary documents (that have the numbering) and those that will have
varying levels of knowledge using Word.

Ember

 

[Stefan Blom]

I suppose one way, which you may already have considered, is to have a
single person who is "in charge" of the formatting.

 

[Stefan Blom]

Only the OP can tell.

 

[Ember]

Unfortunately that would be me, which I would rather not.

Thanks!

 

[Stefan Blom]

But the topic of my and grammatim's somewhat silly "sub-discussion" was
whether your example reflects actual text in the document, in which case the
steps include the number twice (as in "1 Step 1" ).

~~~
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP