Update List of Tables selects all TOCs (2003)

Topic

New Reply

I have a Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures, and List of Maps in my document. They are each created separately. In the past, and in fact, on all the other documents I use, I can right-click any one of them and select update field and it will update just that TOC, LoF, etc. In this document, when I right-click on any of them, all of them are selected and none of them actually updates. There is a paragraph return between each of them, and it is formatted as “body text”. I tried separating them with page breaks, but that didn’t matter. Then I deleted them all and re-created them again. Still happens. Any ideas?

Reply | Quote

Replies

Is there any chance they are nested somehow, or all inside another field??

Reply | Quote

What are the field codes you are using to create the different TOCs? Are the fields locked in this document?

We may need to see a cut down version of your file to work out what is going on.

Reply | Quote

I’m sorry I didn’t get back to this sooner. I’ve recreated the document (it’s going to be a template once I get the TOC issue working). I created each of them using Insert, referece, Table of contents, and the options. I’m attaching it so you can take a look. I have done it this way on many many reports before and have been able to update each one separately before. In the last month, this same issue has happened on 5 other documents that other people have created. They all asked me why it’s different now. I do not have a clue.

Reply | Quote

I’m using Word 2002 SP3 at the moment, and each of the “TOC”s (Table of Contents, List of Figures, List of Tables and List of Appendices) updates separately and correctly when I click in one and press F9 or right-click and select Update.

Perhaps it’s something in your Word settings – try Phil Rabichow’s Systematic Approach to Behavioral Problems in Word.

Reply | Quote

Further to Hans’ post everything works well on my 2003 installation.

Reply | Quote

I had a look in Word 2007 and it works as expected for me and I don’t see anything special in the way you have set it up that would cause the behaviour you describe. I would put a physical return in front of each heading though since there is no physical divider between the preceding TOC and the

Is is possible that the update fields action has been hijacked by a macro? If other people in your office are reporting the same behaviour then it sounds like addin or template code (or a MS service pack) could be to blame. Try opening Word with the macros disabled (type ‘winword /a’ into the Start>Run dialog) and then open the problem doc whilst holding the shift key down. Now select the TOC and press F9. IF this still demonstrates the problem then I don’t have any other suggestions.

Reply | Quote