Even page to start as page number 1

[tzachjade]

Hi everyone,

I wonder if anyone could help me:

I am editing a book for print. The first 6 pages of it are title, copyright info, content, etc. The "actual" book starts on the 7th page and from there the book is designed with odd/even pages with gutter margins.
The first page for this section should be the even one (i.e., on the right side of the two facing pages of the book; since there are only 6 pages before) and it needs to be numbered "1." Word considers this pages even, as I directed it to start the section as an even page, and when I add pages numbers, it therefore, starts it off with "2." I tried different tricks, but haven't figured it out yet. how do I go about accomplishing this?



Thanks in advance,
Tzach.

[Stefan Blom]

You can have Word calculate page numbers using the following nested field:

{ = { PAGE } - 1 }

To insert each pair of field delimiters, { }, press Ctrl+F9. Type the code as shown, and pay attention to the spaces (which may be crucial in some versions of Word). When you are done, click F9 to update. To show/hide field codes, use Alt+F9.

[Charles Kenyon]

Traditionally, pages on the right are odd-numbered pages. Often the first facing page (the one on the left) will be blank.

Note that if you use the calculation field suggested by Stefan, the numbers will not be reflected in any Table of Contents. The Table of Contents will show the number given by the { PAGE } field.

How to control the page numbering in a Word document

[Harry Audus]

I think I've mastered the art of calculating page numbers in my footers, but how do I get the table of contents (TOC) to pick up the same page numbers? How can I amend the TOC field to do this?

[Stefan Blom]

Unfortunately, you can't.

[Harry Audus]

Thank you, Stefan, but I don't believe there's absolutely no way. Perhaps there's no way to edit the TOC field, but surely someone can write a macro to build a TOC using calculated page numbers. Maybe the page numbers have to be bookmarked, or something. Come on, guys!

[Charles Kenyon]

Well, yes. A macro could be written. Has one been written? Not that anyone who posts to these (or similar) forums regularly knows about. I've been following them regularly for more than ten years. If such a solution had been posted,

You certainly are not the first person who has asked how to do it, and been told that Word does not provide a way.

I would have seen it and referred to it in my page on Generating a Table of Contents - Complex Documents.

You are talking about a substantial amount of work for a very limited application. Are you willing to do the work or pay to have it done?

If you want to do it yourself and share the result, someone will probably be willing to work with you on it.

The thing is, the TOC field works very well for virtually all of the uses asked of it. Replicating that function, using vba that gives a different result is not a minor thing.

[Harry Audus]

Well, it's not a "limited application" if I'm "certainly ... not the first person who has asked how to do it". I think I must be missing something. It's a common requirement to calculate page numbers, and TOCs with page numbers are also common, so surely wanting a TOC that refers to calculated page numbers would be just as common a need.

I'm not really a VBA expert - more a keystroke recorder, but one day I might give it a go. But surely there's a generous macromaker out there for whom this would be a piece of cake.

[Charles Kenyon]

That would be nice, just like the perpetual motion machine. One never knows.

I would suggest starting a new thread with a request for help constructing a TOC for a document with calculated page numbers. More people are likely to see your need if you do that. With the current title on this thread, the people with the necessary skills may never look at the thread.