"Restart numbering" is grayed out.

[Merle]

When I am working with numbered lists, I have problems restarting numbering.
In some documents, I can restart numbering without any difficulty. In others,
the radio button is grayed out. Sometimes, I can restart numbering, but that
triggers indents, new font sizes, and other unwanted formatting changes.

I don't want to use complicated macros because other people who don't have
advanced skills will have to edit these documents in the future. I've tried
creating a custom style based on "no style" for my numbered list (my personal
preference) and resorted to manually typing numbers, creating additional
custom styles (e.g., Numbered list P1, Numbered list P2), and ever variation
I can think of.

I've started with brand new documents and edited older ones. There seems to
be no rhyme or reason behind the unselectability of a very important radio
button.
I usually get my documents from others, which complicates matters. Clearing
formatting and pasting the text in a blank document has had mixed results.

 

[Jezebel]

You can always restart numbering, even if the radio button is grayed-out, by
clicking Customise and changing the 'start-at' value.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

See http://www.syntagma.demon.co.uk/FAQs/ListRestartMethods.htm

 

[Merle]

Sorry -- I've done that over and over to no avail.

 

[Merle]

When I read the articles, the light bulb went on. The hierarchy also explains
the formatting changes that arrive. I was hoping to avoid VBA because I'm not
the only person here who will work on this document. I need a fix that
doesn't require macros and programming scripts. Is there another way to keep
my list at level 1?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Let's hope Margaret will weigh in here since I can't answer that question.

 

[Klaus Linke]

Sorry -- I've done that over and over to no avail.

Really? In what way didn't that work?

If the retstart button is grayed out while you are in an auto-numbered
paragraph, it's because Word thinks that paragraph already belongs to a new
list.
I can't think of another reason... and setting the start-at value should
work in that case.

The restart methods described in Margaret Aldis' web pages are much better,
but if you are stuck with old documents and need to edit those without some
major overhaul or a VBA solution, it should be possible.

Greetings,
Klaus

 

[Merle]

When I go to customize and change the start-at value to to 1, the number
remains unchanged while the paragraph formatting has changed. My original
indent becomes a tab marker, the hanging indent disappears, and the paragraph
indents further. This is despite making a custom style for this list. I
purposely use unorthodox title so Word will not associate the custom style
with some other one. I use the document title and the type of numbering I'm
doing (alpha or numeric).

One thing is very likely: This happens in a document that could have been
treated with outline numbering, but wasn't. I wonder if there is a hierarchy
conflict because Word assumes this is an outline style (Numeral I, followed
by ordinal A, then points 1, 2, and 3).

If this is the case, will my problem go away if I create an outline style to
cover all the lists?

 

[Jezebel]

I think we're maybe talking at cross purposes. Can you explain how you can
'change the start-at value to 1' while 'the number remains unchanged' ? Did
you change the number or not?

 

[Merle]

I first try right-clicking on the number that should be changed to "1", which
works about half the time. When that doesn't work, I select the numbering
option within the Style dialog box. Since the radio button is grayed out (or
doesn't even exist), I make sure the correct pane is highlighted and click on
Customize. I set the start-at value to 1 and click OK. The target number
doesn't change, but the formatting for that style changes drastically.

 

[Klaus Linke]

I first try right-clicking on the number that should be changed to "1",
which works about half the time. When that doesn't work, I select
the numbering option within the Style dialog box. Since the radio
button is grayed out (or doesn't even exist), I make sure the correct
pane is highlighted [...]

It is already! If you change to some other pane (list gallery entry), you'll
assign a different list template, and that's the reason why setting the
"start at" value doesn't work, and why your indents and other formatting
change.

and click on Customize. I set the start-at value to 1 and click OK.
The target number doesn't change, but the formatting for that style
changes drastically.

Regards,
Klaus

 

[Merle]

I didn't make that line clear: When I say "I make sure the correct pane is
highlighted", I mean that I visually confirm that the highlighted pane is the
one that has the style name in it. I don't actually click on a pane.

I first try right-clicking on the number that should be changed to "1",
which works about half the time. When that doesn't work, I select
the numbering option within the Style dialog box. Since the radio
button is grayed out (or doesn't even exist), I make sure the correct
pane is highlighted [...]

It is already! If you change to some other pane (list gallery entry), you'll
assign a different list template, and that's the reason why setting the
"start at" value doesn't work, and why your indents and other formatting
change.

and click on Customize. I set the start-at value to 1 and click OK.
The target number doesn't change, but the formatting for that style
changes drastically.

Regards,
Klaus

 

[Klaus Linke]

In that case, I'm out of ideas. You could mail me a sample where setting
"Start at" doesn't work (and messes up the formatting)... probably a couple
of paragraphs that show the problem should be enough
([email protected]).

Regards,
Klaus

I didn't make that line clear: When I say "I make sure the correct pane is
highlighted", I mean that I visually confirm that the highlighted pane is
the
one that has the style name in it. I don't actually click on a pane.

I first try right-clicking on the number that should be changed to "1",
which works about half the time. When that doesn't work, I select
the numbering option within the Style dialog box. Since the radio
button is grayed out (or doesn't even exist), I make sure the correct
pane is highlighted [...]

It is already! If you change to some other pane (list gallery entry),
you'll
assign a different list template, and that's the reason why setting the
"start at" value doesn't work, and why your indents and other formatting
change.

and click on Customize. I set the start-at value to 1 and click OK.
The target number doesn't change, but the formatting for that style
changes drastically.

Regards,
Klaus

 

[Margaret Aldis]

Let's hope Margaret will weigh in here since I can't answer that question.

Hi Merle - and thanks Suzanne for alerting me to the post

I'm sure the safest method is to modify the styles - no macros involved. If
you use Body Text or something other than Normal for your ordinary
paragraphs, or if can identify some other style that reliably comes between
lists, this is really easy and reliable. Modify Body Text or whatever style
usually breaks lists, and set up Numbering from there. Just remove all the
numbers for the top level style, then work down the levels setting up list
number formats and linking each to a list style - so Level 2 might be
formatted "1." and linked to List Number, Level 2 formatted as "(a)" and
linked to List Number 2 and so on. You will also need to reset all your
current list items to style (Ctrl-Q) because it sounds like you have
introduced masses on direct number formatting on top of your list items - so
changing the styles won't immediately have any effect. Since after this you
will have clean styling, if you do get a list that doesn't restart (no
intervening top level style) you can risk using the Restart Numbering
command anyway (it won't be grayed out).

In principle, you could just stick with the document you have and use a
LISTNUM field to re-zero the numbering. This is the method described at
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Numbering/ListRestartByLISTNUM.htm
and it should work for any list numbering (even if not styled, and even if
you have fractured your lists) without changing the styles or anything else
in the document. However, if you have a number of people working on the
document I think this would be A Mistake. That's because the field needs to
be inserted non-intuitively at the *end* of each list you don't want to
continue, rather than at the restart point, and because it will have to be
formatted so as not to print - which might leave some of the editors totally
mystified on what is going on <g>. Also I think the document is bound to go
on giving you trouble until you clean out the plethora of list formatting
you must have by now.

If you want to stick with the current styles and levels, then you have to
clean the document up and carry on working clean, so that Restart doesn't
get greyed out. Again you will have to use Ctrl-Q to set all your list items
back to style - you'll lose any restarts you have when you do this. Then
reapply the restarts (you might want to use some of Word Heretic's macros
for this stage, but it will be a once-off job). After this everyone should
be able to use Restart Numbering again - at least if they can leave the B&N
dialog alone (use the right-click command) and manually tidy up after copy
and paste mess ups.

Hope this is some help

 

[Merle]

I think the problem stems from numbered paragraphs that are too close
together. Word wants to force this into an Outline Numbering system. In most
cases that may be correct, but many of my documents quote from other sources
with their own numbering systems.

My only solution is to use outline numbering as much as possible, but the
extra quote lists are a challenge. What I will have to do is manually number
the quoted lists to prevent word from including them in the outline
numbering. Unfortunately, nobody else wants to "fiddle with styles", and the
resulting documents explode when anyone other than the author opens it up.

Thank you all for your time and thought in trying to solve my problem.

Merle

In that case, I'm out of ideas. You could mail me a sample where setting
"Start at" doesn't work (and messes up the formatting)... probably a couple
of paragraphs that show the problem should be enough
([email protected]).

Regards,
Klaus

I didn't make that line clear: When I say "I make sure the correct pane is
highlighted", I mean that I visually confirm that the highlighted pane is
the
one that has the style name in it. I don't actually click on a pane.

:
I first try right-clicking on the number that should be changed to "1",
which works about half the time. When that doesn't work, I select
the numbering option within the Style dialog box. Since the radio
button is grayed out (or doesn't even exist), I make sure the correct
pane is highlighted [...]

It is already! If you change to some other pane (list gallery entry),
you'll
assign a different list template, and that's the reason why setting the
"start at" value doesn't work, and why your indents and other formatting
change.

and click on Customize. I set the start-at value to 1 and click OK.
The target number doesn't change, but the formatting for that style
changes drastically.

Regards,
Klaus