‘Restart Numbering …’ Not Available (9.0.3821 (SR-1))

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I have been asked a question which I cannot answer.

Here is the question as presented to me: “I have a document that is “outline numbered” and I am revising it i.e., adding new paragraphs. I am unable to insert “outline numbers” to the new paragraphs in sequence with the existing document because the “restart numbering” and “continue previous list” functions contained in the Bullets and Numbering field are not highlighted (active).”

I, too, have had the same problem, and all my numbering is done through the use of Styles. Because of deadline restraints, when this occurs, I have always just created a new identical style which I then use from that point on. Occasionally, I am able to start using that initial style later in the document. (Fortunately, I’m the only one accessing my documents. ) I’m getting ready to start my next newsletter tonight, and an answer to this problem will be greatly appreciated by the gentleman who is asking my help, as well as myself!

I have a feeling that this problem is not unsual. Can anyone explain why this might occur?

TIA, Diane

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Hi Diane,

You can only restart numbering for a paragraph that is:
a) itself numbered/outlined numbered (ie not manually numbered); and
not the lowest number for that numbering scheme (eg 1).

Documents are not of themselves numbered/outline numbered – this is only an attribute of the paragraphs so configured. Even if you have a Style that is outline numbered, if you manually change the formatting of a paragraph based on that style to non-numbered, it can’t then be set to re-start numbering until its outline numbering is restored.

Hope this helps

Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

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Thanks for your response. I’m not sure how to apply your comments to my application. Let me explain how I’m using the numbering, and perhaps you can connect your comments to what I’m doing.

I’m preparing a newsletter which includes step-by-step instructions on how to perform various features. I may have from five to 20 or more separate features in the newsletter. I set up Outline Numbering in a Style (which I named “Steps”), and that’s the only function the style performs.

Sometimes, I apply “Steps” before I begin typing the first step; and sometimes, I type all the steps, then apply “Steps” to them. Either way, the majority of the time (95%, maybe?) I am able to restart the numbering for each new set of steps without any problems. However, occasionally, the restart option is grayed out. That’s why I created a new style that is exactly like “Steps.” So far, I have had to create, additionally, Steps1 and Steps2 … which both do the same thing as Steps. (On one occasion, both Steps and Steps1 refused to allow me to restart the numbering, thus requiring me to create Steps2.)

For each new newsletter, I “Save As…” the current newsletter, remove all text no longer needed, copy the questions/hidden answers from one part of the newsletters to the answers part of the newsletter, and continue adding new items to the newsletter. As I start typing the features (or anything else I choose to number) using my “Steps” style, it almost always works fine throughout the document. And in each document, I know I use a combination of applying Steps both before and after the text is typed. After applying my style, the next thing I do is to restart the numbering.

That makes me think that something else in certain newsletters is causing the restart numbering option to be unavailable. My only other thought is “that’s just what Word does … so live with it!” … which is what I’ve been doing.

Does all of this make sense to you, or have I confused the issue?

And, while I’m here, may I also ask you if there is a smarter way to restart numbering than having to access the dialog box each time?

Thank you for helping me with this.

Diane

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Hi Diane,

Personally, I’d recommend using Word’s inbuilt heading styles to manage numbering. The last time I had any particular problems with para numbering was in Word 6, which seemed to have problems resuming numbering after an un-numbered paragraph. Attached is a document from a template I’ve used with a set of styles to control all aspects of formatting, including para numbering. At the end of the document I also describe another way to do numbering, using sequence fields. You might find this useful as a pointer to what can be done, if nothing else.

Getting back to your problem, you may have some corruption in your document. Perhaps the simplest way of remedying many such problems is to copy the whole document except for the last paragraph mark and paste it into a new document. There are various other approaches to fixing a corrupt document that may also work for you, including saving as HTML or RTF then closing the document before opening and re-saving as a Word doc again.

Cheers

Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

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Thanks for all your suggestions. Your attached document sounds wonderful, for even more than my current problem. I’m anxious to look at it. I will also try your suggestions for treating my document as a corrupt document.

Following up on my extra question at the end of my previous message, do you know a better way to select restart numbering than to go to the dialog box each time?

Thank you for your help, and for sharing your document!

Diane

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(Edited by Andrew Lockton on 28-Feb-03 11:07. Fixed typo and added instructions on setting this to work)

The best way to restart numbering without visiting that dialog is to use a macro instead. The following code should do the job.

Sub ListRestart()
' Macro created by Rob Phillips - Lasotell
' Resets numbering of current list to restart numbering
Dim MyList As Variant
Set MyList = Selection.Range.ListFormat
MyList.ApplyListTemplate ListTemplate:=MyList.ListTemplate, _
    ContinuePreviousList:=False
End Sub

Now if you don’t know what to do with this macro this post by HansV should give you some useful pointers. Note: when you copy text from the lounge into the VBA window the lines might run together. You can avoid this by pasting into Word first and then copying that into the VBA area.

Once your macro is working would then be useful to assign the macro to a keyboard command or create a button for it. If you need instructions for this perhaps you could search on this lounge or try selecting Tools > Customize > Commands. If you can’t work it out, drop a reply and I will post further instructions.

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Andrew: I was reading through this thread because I have had the same problems. I used your macro for restarting and it is the best thing since sliced bread. Thank you.

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Hi Diane,

Andrew’s given you some useful pointers on how to speed up re-starting auto numbering for documents of the kind you’ve been using.

If you use heading styles along the lines of those in the document I gave you, you’d ordinarily put the numbered text into paragraphs with the ‘Main’ style. The document is structured so that the ‘Main’ style starts re-numbering after any occurrence of a ‘Heading 1’ or ‘Heading 2’. So, in that document’s case, re-starting numbering is simply a matter of applying the ‘Heading 1’ or ‘Heading 2’ style to the previous paraghraph (but not one that’s supposed to continue the ‘Main’ numbering scheme). Note that the ‘Heading 1’ and ‘Heading 2’ styles change which parts of the numbering in the ‘Main’ style are affected. If you wanted to re-start numbering without having a ‘Heading 1’ or ‘Heading 2’ paragraph appear in your document, you could simply change the font format to ‘hidden’.

Cheers

Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

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Gizmobird, thanks for the links. I was going to quickly check them out, then get right back to work … about two hours ago. There was a lot of great information there. I’ve bookmarked them and will be back.

Andrew, thanks for the macro and the link to HansV’s post. As soon as my current deadline (on another project) has been met, creating the macro, keyboard shortcut and a toolbar button will be at the top of my list.

Macropod, thanks for your additional suggestions for using Heading Styles. I will do as you’ve suggested.

You have all given me sound advice on several alternatives. I’m off now to share everything I’ve learned with the gentleman who contacted me about this, and I will share this site with him. Thanks, again, to all of you for your excellent help and dedication to helping others.

Diane

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Diane, I don’t know if this is what’s occurring in your case, but here it is for what it’s worth:

Occasionally, when I want to restart the numbering of an outline-numbered paragraph, I’ll go into Bullets and Numbering and find that Restart Numbering and Continue Previous List are grayed out. At first I didn’t know what was going on, and then I noticed that the numbering scheme of the current paragraph was not the numbering scheme that was highlighted in the Bullets and Numbering dialog box (I don’t know why–that shouldn’t happen). So I clicked on the numbering scheme I was using, and Restart Numbering and Continue Previous List suddenly ungrayed and I was able to continue.

Again, I don’t know if this is what’s going on in your case, but it does happen.

Russ

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This is a problem that I have experienced myself. There is a paper called “The Seven Laws of Word’s Outline Numbering” very helpful http://www.microsystems.com/publications.htm#list. Also see http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Numbering/Cu…stNumbering.htm. I have taken documents home and opened and saved in XP, this seems to cure a lot of problems (especially Jason tabs) even when opened again in 97.

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Diane,

Just want to tack on to the already good advice that you’ve gotten, that the problem you’re observing often occurs when the outline numbering scheme hasn’t been set up just right in the first place. The Microsystems paper should have good info about how to set these up correctly; you might also want to have a look at this post and the related thread.

Gary

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Thanks, Gary!

Thanks for taking the time to respond! I quickly took a look at the post and will return to spend more time looking through the entire thread as soon as I get my newest emergency out of the way. That thread appears to touch on other features with which I work. I could happily spend 8 or more hours each days perusing the Lounge … if only I could find someone to pay me to do that.

Diane

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