Is it possible to set styles to NOT have a page break when following certain styles?

[zloebhouston]

Hi there,



I'm hoping someone can explain to me how to handle the following scenario using Microsoft Word.

I have three paragraph styles set up, as follows:

- Chapter (H1)
- Section (H2)
- Body

I want each *Chapter* to start a new page, so I've set the style to automatically insert page break before. I also want each *Section* to start a new page, so I've also set that style to automatically insert page break before.

However, at the beginning of each chapter, I don't want the first section header to insert a page break, otherwise the "chapter" header would be on a page by itself.

For an example of what I mean, see linked photo below (lines denote page breaks)

Thanks in advance!

[slaycock]

This is not possible by using any of the settings available for styles. In fact, its probably best not to use the page break before property at all if you can help it.

You can achieve what you want to do by inserting next page section breaks at appropriate points.

<next page section break>
H1
H2

<next page Section break
H2

<Next page Section break>
H2

<Next page section break>
H1
H2

<Next page section break>

etc

[Charles Kenyon]

Do NOT insert section breaks for this! This will incredibly complicate your document.

Do use the page break before setting for H1. Set the style for following paragraph to be H2 which does not have page break before.

Set up a second level 2 heading, say H2a, which does have page-break-before set. If you want, set a keyboard shortcut for that. The default keyboard shortcut for H2 is Ctrl+Alt+2. Since the only time you would be using H2 is when it follows H1, you could use that keyboard shortcut for H2A.

Understanding Styles in Microsoft Word
Why use Microsoft Word’s built-in heading styles? by Shauna Kelly

[Charles Kenyon]

Originally Posted by slaycock

This is not possible by using any of the settings available for styles. In fact, its probably best not to use the page break before property at all if you can help it.***

I'm sure you are trying to help.
That is appreciated.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

In my response, I showed how to do it with styles.

The page-break-before setting is the best way to insert a page break in most instances. Manual page breaks (Ctrl+Enter) are not that great.

Originally Posted by slaycock

***

You can achieve what you want to do by inserting next page section breaks at appropriate points. ***

Section breaks are very useful, but they carry a boatload of formatting with them. Using them when not needed makes documents much harder to edit. They are never needed to just create a page break. If a page break needs to be done manually (not a good idea) Ctrl+Enter will do it.

Each section break carries with it:

• three headers
• three footers
• page number formatting
• landscape/portait orientation
• margins

Most of the time there is no reason to be adding that to your document. Many of the formatting, header/footer and page numbering problems seen here are caused by unneeded section breaks.

If your solution isn't causing you problems, you have been lucky, so far.

Sections / Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word (Ribbon Versions)

I do not want to discourage you from posting here and sharing your ideas and experience. That is what these forums are about. Many of your posts here have been very helpful to people. Again, I recognize that you are trying to help and appreciate that.

There are a number of good reasons to use a Section break:

• Use an even- or odd-page section break to set text up for duplex printing.
• Restart page numbering
• Change page numbering from Roman numerals to Arabic
• Change column layout within the document (done automatically)
• Change the headers and footers in ways not allowed by the other header and footer settings or use of a StyleRef Field.
  Header/Footer Settings Recap
• Change page orientation (automatic)
• Change page margins when a change of paragraph indents will not do
  Margins and Indents in Word
• Insert multiple watermark images (related to headers and footers)

See also Numbering Front Matter (Ribbon).

[slaycock]

Do NOT insert section breaks for this! This will incredibly complicate your document.

I use them extensively. I find they add useful structure to a document.

The solution provided by Charles will also work well but if you plan to use an automatically generated TOC you will need to be aware that H2 and H2A will need to be assigned the same outline level and that you may need to specifically include the H2A style using the \t switch if the TOC field.

[slaycock]

Hi Charles.

Some context for you.

The current document I'm working on is 200+ pages long. I produce this type of document on a routine basis.

Within the document there are 6 chapters with 20+ sections in each chapter with lots of tabulated data and figures.

There is an overall TOC in the first chapter and each module has its own TOC, List of Tables and List of Figures.

To comply with requirements each page must show the chapter and section so we use stylerefs in the heading (In fact the headers and footers are comprosed entirely of style ref or other ref fields.

The document has to be rendered to pdf for its final use. When you do this you will find that stylerefs in the heading of the pdf do not render correctly if you do not strictly segment the document using section beaks which do not link to the previous section. This is a 'feature' that is acknowledged in the Micreosof help for the style ref field.

I accept and understand that it is wise to advise caution about the potential issues/advantages that section breaks may bring if you choose to use them. But to say that using them is wrong, is in itself wrong.

I use them extensively. They are incredibly useful precisely because

Each section break carries with it:
three headers
three footers
page number formatting
landscape/portait orientation
margins

[Charles Kenyon]

Thank you for providing the context.
At some point, I expect you will need the following:
Word Toolkit for Advanced Management of Headers and Footers

The document has to be rendered to pdf for its final use. When you do this you will find that stylerefs in the heading of the pdf do not render correctly if you do not strictly segment the document using section beaks which do not link to the previous section. This is a 'feature' that is acknowledged in the Micreosof help for the style ref field.

I would be very interested in seeing the documentation on the StyleRef field of which you speak.