Microsoft KB Archive/236992

= WD98: Automatic Numbering May Not Number Correctly in Documents with Multiple Lists =

Article ID: 236992

Article Last Modified on 10/4/2002

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 98 for Macintosh

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This article was previously published under Q236992



SYMPTOMS
When you use the Bullets and Numbering feature, you may get inconsistent results when you try to restart numbering or switch to a different bullet style.

For example, after you create numbered and bulleted lists throughout a lengthy document with many different numbering and bullet schemes, you save and close the document. When you next open this document, the numbering and bullets are changed. Some symptoms include the following:
 * The Restart numbering setting does not remain selected for some numbered lists.
 * Different bullet styles are used than the ones that you originally selected.



WORKAROUND
To work around this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1
Create an Outline Numbered format in which the first level is blank, the second level is formatted as the first level, the third level is formatted as the second level, and subsequent levels continue to cascade in this way. Then use this numbering format to replace the numbering format that does not appear correctly.

When the numbering format is applied, the first line will have no number, and the second line must be indented to the second level, in order for numbering to start at 1.

Here are the steps to create an Outline Numbered format with this formatting:
 * 1) In a Word document, on the Format menu, click Bullets and Numbering.
 * 2) Click the Outline Numbered tab, and then click a numbering scheme. Or click one of the boxes in the gallery, and then click Customize.
 * 3) In the Customize Outline Numbered List dialog box, Level 1 should be selected. In the Number style drop-down list, select (none) and remove any text from the Number format text box.
 * 4) Verify that the Number position is set and aligned the way you want, and that the Text position is indented the way you want.
 * 5) In the right pane of the dialog box, click More. In the Follow number with drop-down list, click Nothing.
 * 6) In the Level box, click 2 and then adjust the formatting the way that you want, in order to make 2 the pseudo-first level.

Method 2
Remove and reapply all of the automatic numbering in the document, and then print the result before you close the document.

Method 3
Remove the automatic numbering, and manually type the numbering.

Method 4
Use sequence fields to perform the numbering.

The {SEQ} field can have multiple identifiers, which allows multiple lists. For example, you can have identifiers called list1, list2, list3, and so on. The keyboard command to turn field codes on and off is OPTION+F9. With field codes turned on, the list looks like the following:

{SEQ list1 \* MERGEFORMAT} Dog

{SEQ list1 \* MERGEFORMAT} Cat

{SEQ list1 \* MERGEFORMAT} Bird

{SEQ list2 \* MERGEFORMAT} Alder

{SEQ list2 \* MERGEFORMAT} Oak

{SEQ list2 \* MERGEFORMAT} Maple

{SEQ list3 \* ROMAN \* MERGEFORMAT} Plane

{SEQ list3 \* ROMAN \* MERGEFORMAT} Train

{SEQ list3 \* ROMAN \* MERGEFORMAT} Automobile

NOTE: "\* ROMAN" formats the number as a Roman numeral, and "\* MERGEFORMAT" tells the field to remember any formatting that is manually applied to the field when it is updated.

These lists look like the following sample, with field codes turned off:

1 Dog

2 Cat

3 Bird

1 Alder

2 Oak

3 Maple

I Plane

II Train

III Automobile

You can add any other characters around the number to make it look the way that you want, such as braces, periods, parentheses, and so on. After the first field is created with its surrounding characters and formats, you can copy and paste it in front of each item in your list. You can even make it an AutoText item and apply a keystroke to the AutoText item. Then, whenever you select the AutoText item (or type its keystroke), the appropriate number format is inserted.

NOTE: Because these are fields, you must select them and press F9 to update the field codes.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

