3 numbering levels

FrecklePaw
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3 numbering levels

Post by FrecklePaw »

Hi everyone,
Someone on the old MS forums a while back very kindly provided me with really in depth information into automatic numbering formats when I asked about the above. Unfortunately, my feeble brain cannot seem to fathom this type of information.
Can anyone really quickly give me a how-to for how I can create a numbering format that will allow me to achieve this? :

1.1.1.
1.1.2.
and so on

1.2.1.
1.2.2.
and so on

1.3.1.
1.3.2.
and so on

and so on for subsequent numbers, i.e.:

2.1.1.
2.1.2.
and so on

and for
3
4
5
etc

Does this make sense? Auto numbering drives me mad, I'll never understand it. If someone can give me a very quick how-to on how to set this up this would be amazing!? Ideally something I can save for future use?

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HansV
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by HansV »

One of the best articles about numbering in Word is How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Word 2007 and Word 2010 by the late Shauna Kelly. It applies to more recent versions of Word too.
Please take a look, and feel free to come back if you have questions about it.
Best wishes,
Hans

FrecklePaw
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by FrecklePaw »

I've seen this and didn't really understand it! Might it be possible to provide a step-by-step of what I need to do to create the numbering levels that I need?

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HansV
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by HansV »

The easiest way to create multi-level list numbering is by using the heading styles Heading 1, Heading 2 etc.
To start it, click the Multilevel List button in the Paragraph group of the Home tab of the ribbon, and select the button with 1 Heading 1, 1.1 Heading 2 etc.:

S0017.png

This will automatically apply the Heading 1 style to the selected paragraph, with number 1.
Enter some text. It may not look the way you want, but you can change that later.
Press Enter. You can enter some normal text now, or you can apply the Heading 2 style. This will be numbered 1.1
Similarly, if you apply Heading 3 to the next paragraph, it will be numbered 1.1.1.
Each subsequent Heading 3 paragraph will be numbered 1.1.2, 1.1.3 etc., until you insert a new Heading 2 paragraph.
This paragraph will be numbered 1.2, and Heading 3 paragraphs below that will be numbered 1.2.1, 1.2.2 etc.
The next Heading 2 paragraphs will be numbered 1.3, 1.4 etc., until you insert a new Heading 1 paragraph.
That paragraph will be numbered 2. And Heading 2 paragraphs below it will be numbered 2.1, 2.2 etc.

S0018.png

If you don't like the formatting of a heading style, right-click it in the Styles group of the Home tab of the ribbon and select Modify... from the context menu.

S0019.png

You can change the font, font style, paragraph formatting etc.
Warning: do NOT change the font etc. directly in the text itself - always modify the style. That is the only way to keep the formatting consistent throughout the document.
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Best wishes,
Hans

FrecklePaw
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by FrecklePaw »

What if I'm already using the heading styles for other headings in a TOC? Will adding numbering per heading styles affect that?

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HansV
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by HansV »

You can use this button:

S0020.png

This will apply the List Paragraph style, with number 1.
When you press Enter, you'll get number 2. If you then press Tab, this will change to 1.1.
Press Enter again, and you get 1.2. Press Tab to change this to 1.1.1.
If you want to go back a level, press Shift+Tab.
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Best wishes,
Hans

FrecklePaw
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by FrecklePaw »

Amazing, thanks - will I be able to change the alignment so that all numbering is not staggered but will be left aligned like this:

1.1.1.
1.1.2.
1.1.3.

etc?

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HansV
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by HansV »

Click in a level 1 paragraph.
On the Home tab of the ribbon, select Multilevel List > Define New Multilevel List...
You'll see something like this:

S0022.png

Click the 'Set for All Levels...' button.

S0024.png

Change the 'Additional indent for each level' to 0.
You may want to increase the 'Text position for first level' to about 1.25 cm (0.5") or so.
Click OK, then click OK again.
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Best wishes,
Hans

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ChrisGreaves
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by ChrisGreaves »

FrecklePaw wrote:
11 Nov 2020, 09:59
Can anyone really quickly give me a how-to for how I can create a numbering format that will allow me to achieve this? :
Hello Frecklepaw.
Back in the day when I was charged with converting masses of WordPerfect5.1(DOS) documents that had been massively hacked (copy and paste) by temporary workers, and Numbered Lists (of the multi-digit format) were not working so well, I started using {SEQ} fields in Word.
Now I don't know if the List Gallery is now working in Word. If it has been, then proper use of styles, including "for following paragraph" is possibly the best way to go.
If not, then I recommend that you spend fifteen minutes playing with {SEQ} fields, including the various switches.

I have attached a short document demonstrating the {SEQ} fields.
Now at first glance this looks complicated, but it was a batch process (thousands of documents at a time), so I had written macros to (a) recognize that a numbered paragraph had been discovered and (b) to replace the old numbering with the appropriate {SEQ} fields.
This meant that I had macros to apply the {SEQ} fields.
And this meant that I could assign those macros to shortcut keys or to the toolbar, for the user's convenience.

In the end it proved to be a good way to introduce numbered paragraphs.
Note the use of switches in the {SEQ} fields; these switches were assigned automatically by the macros.

Again, this was back in the Word6 days and the early days of Word97 and onward.

If the List Gallery problem is fixed in whatever version of Word you are using, then that is probably the best way. Otherwise consider {SEQ} fields.
Cheers
Chris
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Charles Kenyon
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by Charles Kenyon »

Hi Frecklepaw,

Here is my webpage on numbering in Word: http://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/numbering.htm
Here is the key monograph that sets out what is going on by John McGhie: https://wordmvp.com/FAQs/Numbering/Word ... lained.htm
The article Hans first linked is intended to be the Cliff Notes version. I consider it (Shauna Kelly's page) a key to understanding and using automatic numbering in Word. I recommend that you work with it until you do understand it.
  • The only way you will make it work well is to attach the numbering to existing built-in or custom paragraph styles. They do not need to be the heading styles.
  • To change the appearance, you modify the formatting of the style. To change the numbering or indentation, you modify the multi-level list.
  • To apply the numbering to a paragraph, you apply the appropriate style. You do not do anything with the numbering buttons.


I agree with Chris that the SEQ field is a bullet-proof method of numbering. Here is my webpage on it:
http://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/nu ... nce_Fields

@Chris AFAIK the listgallery problem remains in Word 2019/365.

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ChrisGreaves
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by ChrisGreaves »

Charles Kenyon wrote:
12 Nov 2020, 21:08
@Chris AFAIK the listgallery problem remains in Word 2019/365.
Thanks Charles, and thanks for the kind words.
At times like this I feel that Eileen's Lounge needs a new formatting pair, as in:-
<sarcasm>Well, I am surprised</sarcasm>
Cheers
Chris
An expensive day out: Wallet and Grimace

FrecklePaw
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by FrecklePaw »

Thanks everyone I do want to understand it so I'll read it up carefully.
I've tried to put some of it into practice and all was going well until this happened (see attachment).

When I manually try and select right click > set numbering value in an effort to change it, it won't stick. It just keeps jumping back to 4.3.1. instead I want it to be 4.2.1. What am I doing wrong?!
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HansV
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by HansV »

Are you using the built-in numbering or SEQ fields?

Could you attach a sample document? You can remove most or all of the text, as long as the incorrect numbering remains.
Best wishes,
Hans

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Charles Kenyon
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by Charles Kenyon »

If you are using the method with styles, the way to change the numbering level is to change the style, not doing anything directly through numbering.

FrecklePaw
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by FrecklePaw »

Ok I'll look at that.
Why would it suddenly just skip one number like that though?

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Charles Kenyon
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by Charles Kenyon »

I gave up on the "why" a while back after I learned the "how."
perplex2.png
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Last edited by Charles Kenyon on 21 Nov 2020, 21:51, edited 1 time in total.

FrecklePaw
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Re: 3 numbering levels

Post by FrecklePaw »

:laugh: good point! Time to try and fix it with my Monday energy behind me (which mostly involves chocolate :chocciebar: )