Caption numbering in chapters

[Guest]

I am having trouble numbering tables and figures using the captions command
in Word 97. I am using 3 heading styles in my document which are numbered
(e.g.) Chapter 1, 1.1, 1.1.1 and respectively. These are based on the pre-set
styles for Headings 1-3. I want my tables to be numbered according to the
chapter number (e.g. Table 2.1, Table 2.2 etc. in Chapter 2), irrespective of
which sub-section they are in. When I enter a caption, I have ticked the box
'Include chapter number' and set the Chapter number with style 'Heading 1'.
The numbering is fine within a sub-section, but when I move to the next
sub-section within the same chapter, the numbering starts again (still with
the correct chapter number). I can't see why this is or how to override it.
Please can anyone advise me?

 

[Stefan Blom]

Verify that the captions are set up the way you want them (in the
Caption and Caption Numbering dialog boxes). Then select the entire
document and press F9 to update the Seq fields that take care of the
numbering. Does that help? If it doesn't, what field codes show if you
press Alt+F9?

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message
news:[email protected]...

 

[Guest]

Hi Stefan

Thank you so much for your reply. I am pretty sure I have my settings the
way I want them in the Caption and Caption numbering boxes. I have ticked the
box 'Include chapter number' and set 'Chapter starts with style' to 'Heading
1'.

I pressed Alt+F9 as advised and looked at the field codes which I hadn't
looked at before. I don't completely understand what the different parts of
the field code mean, but (with a little help from 'help') I changed the
endings and it now seems to work. The Field codes previously read:

{ STYLEREF 1 \s }.{ SEQ Table \* ARABIC \s 1}

I changed the final \s 1} to \n} and the numbering now works.

However, although the changes remain when I save the document and re-open
it, if I enter a new caption, they all revert back to the old field codes.
Have you any idea how I can correct my settings so the ending is always \n} ?

Thanks

Rachel

 

[Stefan Blom]

When you add a chapter number to captions, Word assumes that you also
want to restart caption numbering after the selected chapter
(heading). That's what \s 1 means in a Seq field: "restart the
numbering of this field when it follows a Heading 1 paragraph".

If you don't want the numbering to restart, you can replace \s 1 with
\n (as you've seen), or more easily just delete \s 1.

But once you've manually changed the fields inserted by Word, you
cannot use the Caption dialog box to insert subsequent captions; if
you do, Word will re-insert the \s switch.

Instead, you can select the caption label and number and create an
AutoText entry for the insertion.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

 

[Guest]

Thanks Stefan. I do want the numbering to start again after a Heading 1
paragraph, but not after a Heading 2 or 3 paragraph. Unfortunately, this is
what is happening. I realise now that the changes I described before mean
that numbering does not restart in a new chapter, so I had not really worked
out the problem.

I will look into the option of using AutoText entry instead.

Rachel

 

[Stefan Blom]

Well, if you do want caption numbering to restart after each Heading 1
paragraph, you should be able to do that without changing the field
code by hand (or via AutoText). As explained previously, Word
automatically makes the necessary adjustements to field codes.

Just in case, try again to verify the settings in the Caption
Numbering dialog box. Select the options you want, and click OK
to confirm. Note that if you have multiple captions (for example,
tables and figures), this must be performed for each caption
separately. Then select the whole document and press F9 to update
fields.

If this doesn't help, look at the field codes again. (Use Alt+F9 to
toggle field code display.) Pay attention to the "name", the so-called
identifier, following SEQ. Are there some other sequences in your
document? If you have Figures in addition to Tables, this is to be
expected. You would see { SEQ Figure }, { SEQ Table } where the
different identifiers indicate different numbering sequences.

Another question, if everything else fails: Are you tracking changes?
This apparently prevents the correct updating of Seq fields, until all
changes have been accepted.

 

[Guest]

I have double checked all the fields and I only have { SEQ Figure } or { SEQ
Table } identifiers. I have double checked the numbering is up to date by
selecting all and pressing F9. I am not using track changes so I don't think
that is a problem.

Although I have set the numbering to restart with Heading 1, Word is also
restarting the numbering (for both tables and figures) after Heading 2 and
Heading 3. I tried starting a new document from scratch using the preset
heading styles and still had the same problem, so I don't think I have
altered the style settings in any way that will cause Word to think that
Headings 2 or 3 are Heading 1.

I have now written macros to inset the captions how I want them and,
although not perfect, I think I can manage my numbering better now. I really
appreciate all your advice - you have helped me to understand field codes a
little and work out a way around my problem.

Rachel

 

[Stefan Blom]

Strange! If you want to, I could take a look at the document (or
relevant parts of it). Just send it to (e-mail address removed)

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

 

[Stefan Blom]

I received an example document from Rachel, and it turned out to work
correctly on my system. Here's the explanation:

WD97: Caption with Chapter Numbering Reset to 1
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;160915

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message