Renumbering a List in Word 2008

[Norm]

If I recall correctly (and there is a definite risk in that ), back
in Word 5.1a I could select a group of numbered paragraphs that had not
been correctly ordered and invoke a Reorder command and it would do so.
I do not think those paragraphs were in a "list style."

Is there a similar feature in Word 2008?

And if so, does it work whether the paragraphs are in a list or
paragraph style?

Thank you.

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Norm:

In the Palaeolithic versions of Word, numbers were not lists they were
"Text" and you could sort on them.

In modern versions of Word, the numbers are not text, they are not even in
the file: they are generated at output time (when the document is displayed
or printed). Until that moment, they do not exist at all.

If you examine the native code of a numbered paragraph in Word, all you see
is the name of the style (in this case, a list style) that generates the
number. Word does not know until it attempts to make up the page for
display or printing what will be there.

It's like a place card at a dining table: you know the name of the person
that will sit there, but you do not know whether they will be fat or thin,
sober or drunk, until the dinner starts.

What you describe is possible, because text-based numbering is still
possible in Word. But it is a whole different class of numbering that works
completely differently to the numbering you are currently working with.

In the meantime, you can drag the paragraphs into order: the numbering will
instantly recalculate so the numbering is in sequence.

Or you can sort them alphabetically: the numbering will be ignored.

Or you can remove the numbering and hand-type the numbers. In which case
the technique you used in Word 5.1 will apply: you can sort them and Word
will sort by the numbers you have typed.

If you type numbers to change the number on an existing numbered list, the
paragraph you typed the number is removed from the list and no longer takes
part in the list numbering.

This is dangerous: you then have a paragraph style that expects numbering
and a list style that expects numbering both applied to a paragraph that is
not a member of any list. It's a recipe for broken documents.

There is an article describing sorting here:
http://www.glencoe.com/ps/computered/pas/article.php4?articleId=419

Small surprise: Sorting does not appear in the Word 2008 help. In fact, it
appears that even the Word 2007 folks have forgotten how sorting works,
because their help is useless also. But the Sort function is still there,
and it is still very flexible and powerful.

Cheers

If I recall correctly (and there is a definite risk in that ), back
in Word 5.1a I could select a group of numbered paragraphs that had not
been correctly ordered and invoke a Reorder command and it would do so.
I do not think those paragraphs were in a "list style."

Is there a similar feature in Word 2008?

And if so, does it work whether the paragraphs are in a list or
paragraph style?

Thank you.

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[Norm]

Hi John:

Hi Norm:

In the Palaeolithic versions of Word, numbers were not lists they were
"Text" and you could sort on them.

I think I qualify as a Paleolithic version of man. No wonder I liked
5.1a.

In modern versions of Word, the numbers are not text, they are not even in
the file: they are generated at output time (when the document is displayed
or printed). Until that moment, they do not exist at all.

Interesting. Very interesting. Appreciate that education.

In the meantime, you can drag the paragraphs into order: the numbering will
instantly recalculate so the numbering is in sequence.



Or you can sort them alphabetically: the numbering will be ignored.



Or you can remove the numbering and hand-type the numbers.

Dragging or removing numbers in a Word list.... is there a best way. I
try to highlight or insert the cursor and delete. I don't think I have
that basic skill down. :-(

In which case
the technique you used in Word 5.1 will apply: you can sort them and Word
will sort by the numbers you have typed.

Any implications that the Sort command is under the Table menu?

If you type numbers to change the number on an existing numbered list, the
paragraph you typed the number is removed from the list and no longer takes
part in the list numbering.

This is dangerous: you then have a paragraph style that expects numbering
and a list style that expects numbering both applied to a paragraph that is
not a member of any list. It's a recipe for broken documents.

Then to change the number of a list item, is it "best" to drag to the
new location?

There is an article describing sorting here:
http://www.glencoe.com/ps/computered/pas/article.php4?articleId=419

Small surprise: Sorting does not appear in the Word 2008 help. In fact, it
appears that even the Word 2007 folks have forgotten how sorting works,
because their help is useless also. But the Sort function is still there,
and it is still very flexible and powerful.

Thanks MS.

But thank you MVP. Appreciate the info and help.

Norm

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Norm:

Dragging or removing numbers in a Word list.... is there a best way. I
try to highlight or insert the cursor and delete. I don't think I have
that basic skill down. :-(

Drag them. The easy way to remove numbers is to change the style of the
text, and you may not want to do that.

When VBA comes back, there is a one-line command you can issue to convert
the numbers to text, which enables you to use your old way very easily.

Any implications that the Sort command is under the Table menu?

No, that's just where they put it: they had to put it somewhere.

The Sort function sorts strings of text separated by delimiters. A Table
happens to be the easiest way to insert delimiters, but you can sort
ordinary paragraphs with the same command.

If you do sort ordinary paragraphs, Word will recognise spaces and tabs and
commas as delimiters.

The Sort function is one of the oldest parts of Word. It is very flexible
and very powerful because it simply exposes the levers and dials of one of
Word's internal components that it uses itself for all sorts of things. So
far, Marketing has not found it to stuff it up, so it remains flexible,
powerful, and fast.

Then to change the number of a list item, is it "best" to drag to the
new location?

Certainly is.

Cheers

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]