Outline numbering not working correctly - Word 2003

Peggy.Scott · External Since: Jan 04, 2007 Posts: 1

I can't get my headings to number correctly (using Word 2003). I have
followed Shauna Kelly's instructions, even have used the "if all else
fails" instructions, but don't get the numbers to increment correctly.
Here's an example:
1 This is Heading Level 1
1.1 Here's Heading Level 2
1.1 Another Heading Level 2
1.1.1 And here's Heading Level 3
1.1.1 And another Heading Level 3
2 This is second Heading Level 1
1.1 Here's Heading Level 2
1.1 Another Heading Level 2
1.1 Still another Heading Level 2
1.1.1 Now for Heading Level 3
1.1.1.1 Try out Heading Level 4
1.1.1.1 And another Heading Level 4
3 This is third Heading Level 1

I have Heading 1 based on no style, and subsequent headings based on
the previous header. I have them set to restart numbering after the
previous level. I've formatted and reformatted the Number Format.
What else can I try?

Peggy Scott

Stefan Blom · External Since: Jul 01, 2004 Posts: 3286

Make sure that you inserted the correct level in the "Number format"
box (from the "Number style" box). Also, make sure that you didn't
type some numbers in by mistake. The easiest fix is probably to clear
the contents of the "Number format" box and recreate.

Another thing to try: select the problem paragraph(s) and then press
Ctrl+Q; this resets the paragraph properties to style.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

<Peggy.Scott.RemoveThis@cs.oag.state.tx.us> wrote in message
news:1167921565.424933.191030@v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
> I can't get my headings to number correctly (using Word 2003). I
have
> followed Shauna Kelly's instructions, even have used the "if all
else
> fails" instructions, but don't get the numbers to increment
correctly.
> Here's an example:
> 1 This is Heading Level 1
> 1.1 Here's Heading Level 2
> 1.1 Another Heading Level 2
> 1.1.1 And here's Heading Level 3
> 1.1.1 And another Heading Level 3
> 2 This is second Heading Level 1
> 1.1 Here's Heading Level 2
> 1.1 Another Heading Level 2
> 1.1 Still another Heading Level 2
> 1.1.1 Now for Heading Level 3
> 1.1.1.1 Try out Heading Level 4
> 1.1.1.1 And another Heading Level 4
> 3 This is third Heading Level 1
>
> I have Heading 1 based on no style, and subsequent headings based on
> the previous header. I have them set to restart numbering after the
> previous level. I've formatted and reformatted the Number Format.
> What else can I try?
>
> Peggy Scott
>

Iain McInnes · External Since: Jan 19, 2007 Posts: 1

I too have a very similar problem. Like you, I have carefully followed Shauna
Kelly's instructions - and all is well for a while until the document grows larger.
Then, something like the following begins to happen:

6.1.6 Level 3 Stuff
6.1.6.1 Level 4 Stuff
6.1.6.2 Level 4 Stuff
1.1.6.1 Level 4 Stuff
1.1.6.1 Level 4 Stuff
1.1.7 Level 3 Stuff

Word 'forgets' that it is supposed to increment one or more of the levels, and
thereafter it remains at '1'. If I insert a new section heading immediately before
the offending one, the numbering corrects itself .... for a while. And then
sometime later, it will go bad again.

It almost always goes bad at the same place. Trying to cut out stuff from the
offending location never helps. The problem gets worse as my documents get larger
(my present document is around 150 pages, with around three hundred distinct
sections)

I did read somewhere a long time ago that particular special characters or symbols
can cause this ... for example copyright symbols, 'mu', +/-, that kind of thing.
But I have been through entire documents searching and removing all symbols, and
still not been able to make the problem go away.

One other thing you might try is to select your entire document *except* the final
(non-visible) character at the end of the document (or section) - and then paste it
into a brand new document: <CTRL-A> <SHIFT-Left arrow> {new document}
<SHIFT-insert>

The reasoning being that Word can store a lot of formatting information in that
final character - and if you paste the document without it, Word is forced to
re-create it. I have found that can work for many problems, but often not this
one.... :sigh:

Hope these help.
Iain.

Shauna Kelly · External Since: Sep 28, 2004 Posts: 712

Hi Iain

What you're experiencing is the classic symptom that occurs if you modify
the numbering from within a heading other than Heading 1. What's happened is
that Heading 4 has got it self attached to two different numbering schemes.

To fix it, find a Heading 1 paragraph. Click it it. Modify the style and
numbering from there. Make sure you have given your list numbering scheme a
name in the ListNum field list name. Then find any recalcitrant paragraphs
and re-apply the appropriate style or and/or triple-click to select the
entire paragraph and do ctrl-q.

> I did read somewhere a long time ago that particular special characters or
> symbols
> can cause this ... for example copyright symbols, 'mu', +/-, that kind of
> thing.

For what it's worth, I've never experienced that.

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word

"Iain McInnes" <iain.mcinnes.DeleteThis@tait.co.nz> wrote in message
news:45B035FF.DF609CD4@tait.co.nz...
>I too have a very similar problem. Like you, I have carefully followed
>Shauna
> Kelly's instructions - and all is well for a while until the document
> grows larger.
> Then, something like the following begins to happen:
>
> 6.1.6 Level 3 Stuff
> 6.1.6.1 Level 4 Stuff
> 6.1.6.2 Level 4 Stuff
> 1.1.6.1 Level 4 Stuff
> 1.1.6.1 Level 4 Stuff
> 1.1.7 Level 3 Stuff
>
>
> Word 'forgets' that it is supposed to increment one or more of the levels,
> and
> thereafter it remains at '1'. If I insert a new section heading
> immediately before
> the offending one, the numbering corrects itself .... for a while. And
> then
> sometime later, it will go bad again.
>
> It almost always goes bad at the same place. Trying to cut out stuff from
> the
> offending location never helps. The problem gets worse as my documents
> get larger
> (my present document is around 150 pages, with around three hundred
> distinct
> sections)
>
> I did read somewhere a long time ago that particular special characters or
> symbols
> can cause this ... for example copyright symbols, 'mu', +/-, that kind of
> thing.
> But I have been through entire documents searching and removing all
> symbols, and
> still not been able to make the problem go away.
>
> One other thing you might try is to select your entire document *except*
> the final
> (non-visible) character at the end of the document (or section) - and then
> paste it
> into a brand new document: <CTRL-A> <SHIFT-Left arrow> {new document}
> <SHIFT-insert>
>
> The reasoning being that Word can store a lot of formatting information in
> that
> final character - and if you paste the document without it, Word is forced
> to
> re-create it. I have found that can work for many problems, but often not
> this
> one.... :sigh:
>
> Hope these help.
> Iain.
>

ProsperousOne · Joined: May 02, 2008 Posts: 1

I had a very similiar problem:
It was supposed to be:
3 heading 1
3.1 heading 2
3.1.1 heading 3
3.1.1.1 heading 4.

What I got was :
3 heading 1
3.1 heading 2
1 heading 3
2 heading 3
3 heading 3
4 heading 3
5 heading 3
3.1.1.1 heading 4.

Turns out what I had to do to fix it was select a heading 1, then select all of the heading 1's in the document via the style menu "select all".

Then modify the style 1 by clicking format, numbering, customize.

As Shauna suggested, I created a name in ListNum field, (myoutline).

Next click on each Level of our outline structure, and pay attention to the "Number format" box and the "Link level to style" boxes as you move through each outline leve.

For my bad heading 3 level, "link to level style" box had "none." It was supposed to be "Heading 3".

Also, the number format was supoposed to be of the format 1.1.1, but was just 1.

It took me a while to realize how to fix this:

You ned to use the previous level number window and select which outline level. As you select each one, it's added ot the Number formar window, then finall select the number style to 1,2,3.

ex: {prevous lelvel number}.{prevous lelvel number}.{prevous lelvel number}.

Final result in Number format should be 1.1.1.1.

Hope someone else finds this useful... Took me 3 hours to fix... thanks to this site, it' wasn't days.....

BTW. This got corrupted when I tried manually to change a outline level from

3.1
3.1.1
3.1.2
3.1.3

to

3.1
1.
2.
3.

It changed the entire document, not just section 3 that I was working on!!!! grrrrrrrrrrrr