Outline numbering problem

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kram - 07 Mar 2005 23:35 GMT

I am using Word 2003. I have inherited a document that uses outline
numbering. There are six heading levels. When I got the document, the style
for Heading 5 somehow got lost. I have been trying to re-create it. I got the
basic style OK, but the numbering is messed up. Applying the Heading 5 style
to a paragraph that is supposed to pick up the previous Heading 4 numbering
(e.g., 2.3.1.2.1 is supposed to follow 2.3.1.2) instead results in 2.1.1.1.1.
I have tried everything I can think of -- I have read Shauna Kelly's
information on outline numbering, I have searched these posts, I have
searched other MS Word communities -- but I cannot find out how to fix this
problem. Can someone please help?? Thanks.

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Suzanne S. Barnhill - 07 Mar 2005 23:51 GMT

Just make sure you have the numbering set up according to Shauna's
directives and each level linked to the corresponding style, and all should
be well. Occasionally, numbering will get screwed up in the "Number format"
box, in which case you sometimes have to delete it all and start from
scratch, adding in each previous level manually.

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Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
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> I am using Word 2003. I have inherited a document that uses outline
> numbering. There are six heading levels. When I got the document, the style
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> searched other MS Word communities -- but I cannot find out how to fix this
> problem. Can someone please help?? Thanks.

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kram - 08 Mar 2005 00:01 GMT

The numbering is set up according to Shauna's directives. Can you please
define what elaborate on what you mean by "delete it all and start from
scratch, adding in each previous level manually"?

> Just make sure you have the numbering set up according to Shauna's
> directives and each level linked to the corresponding style, and all should
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> this
> > problem. Can someone please help?? Thanks.

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Suzanne S. Barnhill - 08 Mar 2005 03:05 GMT

I mean select and delete the fields that are producing the incorrect 1s
(assuming they're even fields and not plain text). Better still, delete
everything in the "Number format" box. Then, in the "Previous level number"
box, select Level 1. This will add a number field to the number format. Type
a period. Then select Level 2 and another period, and so on until you've
inserted all the previous levels. Then select 1, 2, 3 for the number style
to add a number for the current level.

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> The numbering is set up according to Shauna's directives. Can you please
> define what elaborate on what you mean by "delete it all and start from
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> > this
> > > problem. Can someone please help?? Thanks.

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Stefan Blom - 09 Mar 2005 08:41 GMT

When the numbering is correctly setup, you might also have to reset
paragraph formatting (to get rid of any direct numbering formatting
from the document). You can do this by selecting the problem
paragraphs (or the entire document) and then press CTRL+Q.

Note, however, that CTRL+Q removes any paragraph formatting not
applied via a style definition (alignment, indents, space after, space
before, line spacing, tab stops, etc), not just numbering. Therefore,
a little care is required, unless you know that paragraph styles are
used consistently in the document.

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Stefan Blom

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