Subsections forget the numbers of their enclosing section

[Iain McInnes]

Hi, all.

I'm using Word 97, on a long lived (two years) document of around 250 pages. It is
a technical document, using outline numbering. The symptoms of the problem are
that:

Particular sections (e.g. 2.1.2.1) forget their proper numbers. Each time I open
the document, this section number has reset itself to 1.1.1.1. All of the sections
following this one, inherit the new, defective numbering.

Only a small number of sections in the document (four, out of around two hundred
sections) seem to have this problem. But of course the inheritance of the numbering
means that most of the document sections are incorrectly numbered.

Almost any edit operation that I perform (e.g insert blank line immediately before
offending heading) will cause the number to go back to its proper value - only to
once again revert when the document is opened the next time.

The document has a long history - the listnumber database became full in the past,
and I exported to Word version 2 to fix it.

I have followed Shauna Kelly's excellent instructions for setting up outline
numbering and heading styles. It made no difference to this problem.

I have tried the obvious things such as deleting the offending paragraphs and
recreating them, or changing to a simple text style and then reapplying the header
style. No change.

A number of my colleagues have similar problems with their (long lived, larger,
outline numbered) documents.

Hope someone can help

Thx in advance !

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Word's automatic numbering is fragile. I'm amazed you made it two years if
you were regularly editing this. It can be set up to be durable but you have
to know how. It is not intuitive.

See: How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in your Word
document
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html. (For
bullets see http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/bullets/controlbullets.html, the
subject is related.)

This is based on ...

Word's Numbering Explained
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Numbering/WordsNumberingExplained.htm

Additional information you may find useful or need is at:

How to Create a Template, Part II
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2.htm

Legal Numbering
http://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/numbering.htm

Seven Laws of Outline Numbering
http://www.microsystems.com/fra_sevenlawsofoutlinenumbering.htm

The following are some discussions on the Microsoft newsgroups on numbering:
Nightmare on ListNumbering Street <URL:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&th=9e790fa7ed2886b3,18&ic=1>
The Joy of Lists <URL:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&th=811287ebce8fc203,15&ic=1>
Relinking ListTemplates <URL:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&th=2350746054c838e,12&ic=1>
Outline numbering: restart doesn't restart <URL:
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]#p>
Format Doesn't "Hold" <URL:
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]#p>
(above list compiled by Dave Rado, Word MVP)

ListNumbering Street Revisited <URL:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&safe=off&th=57df77857e4993ce>

See the latest numbering discussion I've seen, especially post #4 which
contains Dave Rado's concise instructions for setting up heading numbering.
<URL:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&ic=1&th=bce07d7714769f5c>

--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome!
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from my ignorance and your wisdom.

 

[Iain McInnes]

Thanks, Charles.

I know all the basic stuff - I've been using Word for about ten years. The reason that the document has lasted two years of edits is
that I have reconstructed it at least twice by exporting to a simpler format, re-importing, and then re-applying the document
styles. I am also *very* careful about added text; whenever I paste into the document, I go through plain text so that no spurious
formatting is imported. I use styles diligently, and outline numbering (as well as many, many ad-hoc bullet / number lists).

Word's automatic numbering is fragile. I'm amazed you made it two years if
you were regularly editing this. It can be set up to be durable but you have
to know how. It is not intuitive.

I assume that you are referring to Shauna Kelly's article. I have done this process now. But the document was broken before that,
and it is still broken. I suspect I need to completely reconstruct the document numbering / formatting *sigh*.

I have already followed up most of the links that you have provided below (thank you). I can't seem to resolve the old references to
the newsgroup - I simply get a generic google page. *edit* Oh.. the search facility seems to give me what I need.

I haven't been able to track down the article "How to cure Word's List Numbering with a dose of VBA" - If anyone can post a link that
works, I'd be grateful.

Cheers.