Advanced Problem: Numbered List Dilemma

[jenni]

Hello friends,



I have been working on this problem for a long time with no solution, and it's driving me nuts.

So I have a numbered list of items set as a bookmark. I inserted a cross-reference of this bookmark at another section of my document.

Essentially, I have two sets of identical numbered lists at different sections. Whenever I update one of the numbered lists, I can "update field" the other numbered list to edit it without re-typing everything.

The problem is, when I "update field" my cross-referenced numbered list, it changes my original "bookmarked" numbered list.

Basically, my original "bookmarked" numbered list would continue it's numbering (1,2,3..etc) from my "cross-referenced" numbered list, and end up starting from a different number (4,5,6...etc).

Try it out yourself and you will see what I am talking about... it's driving me nuts.

I want both numbered lists to start at 1, especially after I update field the cross-reference numbered list. Does anyone have a solution to this strange problem?

[Charles Kenyon]

First, use the method shown at How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Ribbon Versions of Word by Shauna Kelly to set up your numbering.
The way I would do this would not be with a cross-referenece to a bookmark but rather using a mapped rich-text Content Control. Duplicate the control.
Note, changes made in either location will show up in the other.


I have not tested your problem on my system yet nor have I tried my suggestion. I will do both later today, I suspect.

[Charles Kenyon]

OK. I tested, using styles. Same result you are seeing. This includes using the mapped content control.

Make your list a lower level and insert a higher level paragraph between.
Here is a link to a sample file.

00 deleteme 1.png

I used Greg Maxey's free Add-In to add the Mapped Content Control.

[jenni]

Wow that's some next level stuff, thank you for showing me this.

Basically, my goal with this is to create an "executive summary" of my report that is based on cross-referencing bookmarks from within the main report.

When I finish editing my report, I can simply "update field" and it automatically generates an executive summary for me, based on text within the main report.

This all works fine except the numbered list problem I outlined in the original post.

I appreciate you spending the time to help solve this problem for me. I am still pretty new to Word and am struggling to grasp the concept of what you did, and how to replicate it from scratch. Could you explain step-by-step how to implement your solution?

Thank you again Charles!

[Charles Kenyon]

I gave you a link to a sample file.

1. For the content control, I used Greg Maxey's Add-In (linked) and inserted a Rich Text control.
2. I added the numbered list in the content control.
3. I copied the content control to a new spot.
4. Changes made in one copy are automatically reflected in the other.
5. I followed the instructions in Shauna Kelly's page to do the numbering.
6. The numbering shown is at the third level, but could have been the second.
7. To restart the numbering, I inserted a paragraph of level 1 between the two. Although that is numbered, it need not be.

It is the nature of Word's automatic numbering to continue. When you copy from one spot to another within a document, absent an intervening factor, the numbering in the copy will continue in the same list. This is true no matter how the copy is made.


The use of mapped content controls eliminates the need to update a Ref field.



If you want only a static copy, then use a screenshot and paste that screenshot.

[jenni]

Hi Charles,

Sorry it's been a busy few weeks, thank you for the response.

I have been trying to get the copied content control to work, and having a difficult time. Do I need to install Greg Maxey's Addin-In? Is it possible to accomplish the same goal without the add-in?

Thank you, and sorry for asking so many questions.

[Charles Kenyon]

Hi Jenni,

First, it must be a "mapped" content control. You do not need to use Greg's utility, but it makes it much easier. Even easier is probably another of his utilities which simply makes content controls mapped by default. Custom Content Control Insert Dialog

Second, the numbering must be set up as described in Shauna Kelly's article with the numbering you are trying to replicate being no higher than the second level. This is so you can insert a paragraph at the first level to restart the numbering. See my earlier summary of how I produced the sample document. Look at the sample document again, not just the screenshot.


Note that the utility makes changes to the underlying XML structure of the document. A user of the document does not need the utility; everything is in the document.