Auto re-numbering of FIGURES in Word

[Dan]

I am a three year new member of a training dept where I am both a tech writer
& instructor. I write new manuals and update existing manuals; and there in
lies the problem. I know about using INSERT/REF/CAPTION to get my FIGURES to
auto update. The three things I am trying to figure out:
1) how to get the embedded references to the FIGURE to auto update
2) is there an easy way to change the older manuals over to the same
functionality of the INSERT/REF/CAPTION or do I have to manually
INSERT/REF/CAPTION every FIGURE instance?
3) I also created a new label so that 'Figure' is 'FIGURE #-' where #= the
section number. I end up with an extra space between the - and the auto
assigned number; is there a way to eliminate the extra space without every
time back spacing?

 

[Robert M. Franz [RMF]]

Hello Dan

I am a three year new member of a training dept where I am both a tech writer
& instructor. I write new manuals and update existing manuals; and there in
lies the problem. I know about using INSERT/REF/CAPTION to get my FIGURES to
auto update. The three things I am trying to figure out:
1) how to get the embedded references to the FIGURE to auto update

you don't. Word doesn't update fields in the normal bodytext layer by
itself. [It probably wouldn't be a good idea performance-wise, if it did.]

But you can update the fields, either manually (one by one) or globally
(CTRL-A, followed by F9).

2) is there an easy way to change the older manuals over to the same
functionality of the INSERT/REF/CAPTION or do I have to manually
INSERT/REF/CAPTION every FIGURE instance?

Hard to say without knowing the structure of the older manuals (what
defines a "figure" in there, do figures already have something like a
caption, etc.). An algorithmic approach might be possible, and then
Search/Replace and/or a VBA macro should be possible.

3) I also created a new label so that 'Figure' is 'FIGURE #-' where #= the
section number. I end up with an extra space between the - and the auto
assigned number; is there a way to eliminate the extra space without every
time back spacing?

[Not (really) going into (non-)sense of numbering figures by chapter ...
]

Are you sure there isn't a space in the caption definition already? If
you don't find one there, and every insertion of a new caption leaves
you with a superfluous space, I'd try to redefine the caption's
numbering structure.

HTH
Robert