Numbering starting at 3.1.1

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hi,

I haven’t done a lot about autonumbering, so, after some years at Word, I’m asking a very elementary question.

I would like to start a numbering at (eg) level 3- so the level one numbering for a new document is 3.1.2, then 3.1.2 etc.

When I try to format a numbering style, the level 1 numbering style just gives me a greyed out “1” plus an optional character, which I can delete or supplement.

Can I start the numgering at 3.1.1, then increment it at 3.1.2 etc?

For a given document, I do want to start the numbering at a given level- first or second number can be (perhaps) input by a userform, and then the third number incremented automatically.

Gary F, if you’re reading, your document on setting up numbering with styles has been extremely useful. Thankks for your help on this.

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To answer the easy part of your post: Yes, you can start numbering Outline Numbered Lists so that level 1 = 3.1.1. Simply type 3.1 before the grey 1 in the Number format box. The grey part in the Number format box will update, the rest is fixed. For level two type in the fixed part, add the previous level number, select number style 1,2,3 etc.
Not more than a start, but I hope it helps.

Ingrid

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Hi Geoff:

If you’re trying to make a style that has numbering & starts with 3:
1. Format your font the way you want &
2. Go to Format/Style/New…/Format/Numbering…/Outline Numbered Tab/
3. At the bottom should be the legal numbering starting with 1.
4. Click customize & you’ll see a Number Style box (which you should change to 1,2,3, if it isn’t already). In the “Start at” box, just change it to number 3.

Hope this helps.

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OK, to clarify a little more.

I’m creating a document with tables. Within one cell, the numbering is to go (automatically):
3.1.1
3.1.2
3.1.3

Then the next row:
3.2.1
3.2.2
3.2.3

There are a fixed number of rows in the table.

Do I have to create a new style for each row, hard coding the start value? Or is there a way I can create a style, with the numbering in a new row to auto increment?

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Hi Geoff,

This gives a little different picture from the first post.

As Phil suggested, you can go into Bullets and Numbering and set the numbering to start with “3”.
To get the “3.1.1” though, you should use the ‘Level 3’ style – so for ex. ‘Level 1’ would produce a “3”, ‘Level 2’ would produce “3.1”, and ‘Level 3’ will produce 3.1.1.

If you’re having “3.1.1” at the start of the document, you can get away with having no Level 1 or Level 2 paragraphs before it, and the numbering for Level 3 should come in as “3.1.1” OK.

But if you are trying to do this in the middle of a document, as in your continuation rows, it gets a little trickier. If you try to produce “3.2.1” by going into Bullets and Numbering and telling Level 2 to be “2”, it’s likely to adversely affect other numbered paragraphs in the document.

The workaround I’ve seen most used is pretty ugly, but at least the numbering stays pretty stable: just before the Level 3 paragraph that you want to say “3.2.1”, insert a Level 2 paragraph – this will say “3.2”. Now apply Hidden font property to this paragraph.

The prospect of lots of hidden numbered paragraphs, inside a Word table, gives me shivers , and it would also be to troubleshoot should something go wrong. But it’s worth a try anyway.

As to the other topic mentioned in your first post, to get the starting number via user input in a userform, you’d need to manipulate the properties of the numbering list template via code; it turns out this is surprisingly easy to do – but maybe this should left for another post – post back with more detail if you are intending to build in that capability.

Gary

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I kenw there would be more to your question than the eye saw in the first post.

I haven’t tried it, but I think putting a continuous section break at the end of each row should give you the freedom to restart numbering in the new section any which way you like. Am I missing something?

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Hi Geoff:

Yuk. What you have is a set of your own numbering systems. I think you need to create different lists, each with their own numbering style. Since they all start with “3”, the row # is the next number, & the actual number in the list is the 3rd number, I’d create a different style for each row.

e.g.
1. Create a new style for EACH row (e.g. Row1, Row2).
2. For each style, go to Format/Style/New/Format/Bullets & Numbering & pick the style on the Outline Numbering tab that looks like 1.1.1.
3. Go into Customize…/ and under “Start at”, use 3.
4. Under “Number Format” type in .1, after the 3, if you’re working with row 1 (.2 if you’re in row 2, etc.).
5. Apply the style in each row (or cell if you wish) & save as Autotext.

If you do this, then each row will be associated with a different list, each starting with 3, but independent from each other.

I hope I’ve understood what you’re trying to do & that this is helpful.

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