Word Mac Page Numbering

R

Rohidas57

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel I recently completed work on a book I have been writing. The last step in the process is to add page numbers. I want the first 5 pages consist of the title page, copyright page, etc., so I don't want page numbers on these page, I want to start page#1 on what is the 5th actual page of the document. However, after carefully following the Microsoft directions, as well as other online sources, and spending upwards of 4 hours just on this task, I am considering committing suicide.
Seriously, though, I am baffled, amazed, and confused that a program that has been on the market for many years could be this broken. I mean, I am not a novice at this. I have been using PC's and programs such as Microsoft Word for upwards of 20 years. I have trained many people on computer applications, including Word, and consider myself an expert in the use of many computer applications. Yet astoundingly, to me, I cannot get page numbers to function properly on Word, either the Mac or PC version. Here is the process I am using to accomplish the task, which is to have the first 5 pages of my book NOT have any numbers on them, and have the page numbering start with number 1 on the 6th page:
1. Switch to Draft mode.
2. View the Formatting Palette.
3. Click on the bottom of the 5th page and choose “Insert Section Break, Continuous”
4. On the View menu, choose “Header and Footer”
5. Click in the footer at the bottom of the page (5) where the numbering is to start.
6. Go to the “Insert Menu” and choose “Page Numbers”
7. Click “Format” button and choose to start the page numbers at “1”.
The result of this process is that page “2” appears at the bottom of what I want to be page 1, and it also goes back and numbers the first 5 pages (which are in the previous “section” where I did not want the numbering), from 1 to 5. I cannot get rid of these numbers, nor is there any way to change the start of the numbering to number 1 on the 1st page of the second section. And yes, I did choose to start numbering of the new section with number 1.
I have tried many variations on the above process. Many. All with similar or worse results. At one point I even had it where the page numbers would change by themselves as I scrolled though the document. Yes, you read that right, the numbers would change themselves as I scrolled from page to page, as if by magic. But what is most baffling to me is that after trying what seems like dozens of different ways of making section breaks and inserting page numbering, I have had all kinds of different results except for one – the correct one. And I keep asking myself, how can something that should be relatively simple, be not only overly complicated, but broken as well. I could understand if this was a beta version of some new piece of software, but in a mature app like Word? This seems outrageous to me. But if I am doing something wrong, I would love to know what it is. Thanks.
 
C

CyberTaz

First guess ‹ and this is just a guess ‹ is that you've been using manual
page breaks, which are poison for a well structured document. 'Page Break
Before' paragraph formatting & 'Section Break (Next Page)' are far more
conducive to document stability & offer much better control. Also, for
Headers & Footers 'Section Break (Continuous)' doesn't take effect until the
page following the one on which you insert it. So, if you're going to the
Footer at the bottom of that same page you're actually inserting the page
numbering in Section 1 ‹ which consists of the first 5 pages.

Pursuant to those points & based on the simplicity of the page numbering
scheme you've described, I'd prefer to use a Section Break (Next Page) at
the start of the content where page numbering is to begin (it seems your 1st
& 2nd paragraphs contradict one another on this), then...

Go to 'Footer -Section 2-',

in the Formatting Palette clear the check on 'Link to Previous' [you may
want to clear the Link check for the Header as well?],

in the Formatting Palette click the Insert Page Number button, then

click the Format Page Number button & specify starting with page number '1'.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac
 
D

Dokter_Frank

Dear Rohidas,

We encountered the same problem. Whilst you have to pay attention to all the mentioned steps, the trick is that when you are in the header or footer section (via view header/footer or double click) before you insert pagenumbers you must also pay attention to the toolbox/formatting pallette and uncheck in the header footer section of that pallette also the 'link to previous' button.
This worked for us

Hopefully it works for you as well

Frank
 
A

Ann Kotsovolos

Thank you all - you saved me many additional hours trying to resolve the same problem!! I am ever so grateful.
Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I recently completed work on a book I have been writing. The last step in the process is to add page numbers. I want the first 5 pages consist of the title page, copyright page, etc., so I do not want page numbers on these page, I want to start page#1 on what is the 5th actual page of the document. However, after carefully following the Microsoft directions, as well as other online sources, and spending upwards of 4 hours just on this task, I am considering committing suicide. <br>
Seriously, though, I am baffled, amazed, and confused that a program that has been on the market for many years could be this broken. I mean, I am not a novice at this. I have been using PC's and programs such as Microsoft Word for upwards of 20 years. I have trained many people on computer applications, including Word, and consider myself an expert in the use of many computer applications. Yet astoundingly, to me, I cannot get page numbers to function properly on Word, either the Mac or PC version. Here is the process I am using to accomplish the task, which is to have the first 5 pages of my book NOT have any numbers on them, and have the page numbering start with number 1 on the 6th page: <br>
1. Switch to Draft mode. <br>
2. View the Formatting Palette. <br>
3. Click on the bottom of the 5th page and choose ?Insert Section Break, Continuous? <br>
4. On the View menu, choose ?Header and Footer? <br>
5. Click in the footer at the bottom of the page (5) where the numbering is to start. <br>
6. Go to the ?Insert Menu? and choose ?Page Numbers? <br>
7. Click ?Format? button and choose to start the page numbers at ?1?. <br>
The result of this process is that page ?2? appears at the bottom of what I want to be page 1, and it also goes back and numbers the first 5 pages (which are in the previous ?section? where I did not want the numbering), from 1 to 5. I cannot get rid of these numbers, nor is there any way to change the start of the numbering to number 1 on the 1st page of the second section. And yes, I did choose to start numbering of the new section with number 1. <br>
I have tried many variations on the above process. Many. All with similar or worse results. At one point I even had it where the page numbers would change by themselves as I scrolled though the document. Yes, you read that right, the numbers would change themselves as I scrolled from page to page, as if by magic. But what is most baffling to me is that after trying what seems like dozens of different ways of making section breaks and inserting page numbering, I have had all kinds of different results except for one ? the correct one. And I keep asking myself, how can something that should be relatively simple, be not only overly complicated, but broken as well. I could understand if this was a beta version of some new piece of software, but in a mature app like Word? This seems outrageous to me. But if I am doing something wrong, I would love to know what it is. Thanks.
On Sunday, February 21, 2010 2:40 PM CyberTaz wrote:
First guess ? and this is just a guess ? is that you have been using manual
page breaks, which are poison for a well structured document. 'Page Break
Before' paragraph formatting & 'Section Break (Next Page)' are far more
conducive to document stability & offer much better control. Also, for
Headers & Footers 'Section Break (Continuous)' does not take effect until the
page following the one on which you insert it. So, if you are going to the
Footer at the bottom of that same page you are actually inserting the page
numbering in Section 1 ? which consists of the first 5 pages.

Pursuant to those points & based on the simplicity of the page numbering
scheme you have described, I'd prefer to use a Section Break (Next Page) at
the start of the content where page numbering is to begin (it seems your 1st
& 2nd paragraphs contradict one another on this), then...

Go to 'Footer -Section 2-',

in the Formatting Palette clear the check on 'Link to Previous' [you may
want to clear the Link check for the Header as well?],

in the Formatting Palette click the Insert Page Number button, then

click the Format Page Number button & specify starting with page number '1'.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac



On 2/21/10 1:34 PM, in article (e-mail address removed)2ac0,
 

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