Remove from numbered list (Word 97 SR-2)

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I have a document with numbered paragraphs, over 200. I want to delete about 6 of the paragraphs and have have Word renumber the rest so there are no gaps in the numbering sequence.
Clark

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If you used automatically numbered paragraphs this would happen automatically. However, doing so is a lot trickier than it looks. If your document is heavily edited (it sounds like this one might be), you can end up with what is known by the technical term “spaghetti numbering.”

See:
Word’s Numbering Explained (mvps.org/word/FAQs/Numbering/WordsNumberingExplained.htm)

How to Create a Template, Part II (mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2.htm)

Legal Numbering (addbalance.com/usersguide/numbering.htm)

Seven Laws of Outline Numbering (microsystems.com/fra_sevenlawsofoutlinenumbering.htm)

The following are discussions on the Microsoft newsgroups on numbering:
Nightmare on ListNumbering Street
The Joy of Lists
Relinking ListTemplates
Outline numbering: restart doesn’t restart
Format Doesn’t “Hold”
(above list compiled by Dave Rado, Word MVP)

ListNumbering Street Revisited

Latest Numbering Discussion See especially posting #3 which contains Dave Rado’s concise instructions for setting up heading numbering.

(In case it matters, no, I don’t understand all this, but I respect my elders – even those who are younger than I am.)

You may also want to look at Andrew Lockton’s statement that list numbering can be controlled.

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In case the numbers have been typed in, you can remove them with a find/replace (select the paragraphs and search for “^p^#.^t”/”^p^#^#.^t”/”^p^#^#^#.^t” and replace with “^p” (here I assume the number is followed by a dot and a tabulator — ^p = paragraph mark, ^# = number, ^t = tabulator; you probably will have to change that somewhat).

I think there also is a macro at http://www.mvps.org/word (FAQs section, probably under “Macro/VBA”) to remove manual numbering.

Then, you can then apply a list style to the paragraphs, and edit the list style according to your preferences in “Format > Style… > Customize > Format > Numbering…”, for example 1. 2. 3. … or 1) 2) 3) …

If you want (hanging) indents, remove them first and then define them in the “Numbering…” dialog, too, because in list styles indents are part of the list definition, and Word gets confused if you in addition have indents in “… Customize > Format > Paragraph…” or manually applied indents.

Regards, Klaus

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