Sorting Sections of Plain Text Outlines?

[J. Danniel]

Hi everyone.
I'm using the most current version of Word, and have a question about
sorting sections of an outline.

I have created a rough outline, by myself, not by using Word's Outline
features. An example of the outline is below.

Is there a way to sort the numbered items alphabetically? I'm not
concerned with the A, B, C, etc. headings. I'm assuming this is
probably not possible because I created the outline manually, and the
numbers are part of the text string...unless Word has features that
overlook things like that?

If it's not possible, no big deal; I can redo the outline myself. But
if this information can be sorted, without a macro, what's the
procedure? Thank you! Jd


A. OCR Software
1. Text Bridge
2. Omni Page
3. Abby Fine Reader

B. Backup Software
1. Drive Image
2. Norton Ghost
3. Acronis True Image

C. E-Mail Backup Software
1. Express Assist
2. DBXtract
3. Genie Backup Manager


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Thank you. Jack Danniel

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi J.,

I have created a rough outline, by myself, not by using Word's Outline
features. An example of the outline is below.

Is there a way to sort the numbered items alphabetically? I'm not
concerned with the A, B, C, etc. headings. I'm assuming this is
probably not possible because I created the outline manually, and the
numbers are part of the text string...unless Word has features that
overlook things like that?

If I understand you correctly, you've manually typed the numbers 1, 2,
3? And this is Word 2002 or 2003? ("current version" is a bit vague when
Microsoft just released a new one!)

- Select the group of numbered lines.
- Table/Sort
- Click "Options" and set the separator (a space?) that's between the
number and the following text
- Back in the "main" dialog box, rather than "Paragraph" choose "Word 1"
from the list. (Note, if you see "Word 2", choose that and you should be
there. But usually you won't get that right away)
- Click "Cancel" (unless you were able to choose "Word 2")
- Table/Sort again, and now you should be able to select "Word 2". OK.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep 30 2003)
http://www.mvps.org/word

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