Reading layout loses table of contents

[Guest]

MSWord 2003, when opening an attached document from Outlook 2003,
automatically shows the doc in Reading Layout... an annoyance, but that would
be fine if it didn't also lose all of the table of contents entries from the
original document before it was attached to the email. If you force MSWord
to NOT automatically show documents in Reading Layout (via the
Tools>Options>General function), the table of contents remains as it should
be. But the default behavior of MSWord IS to view in Reading Layout, so most
users who receive docs with TOCs will have this problem. When I'm creating
docs for prospective clients, I CANNOT have this problem. I've been having
to generate the table of contents and then copy-and-paste it as text to get
the document to be presented correctly to the email recipient.

 

[Guest]

Additional finding is that docs created in older versions of MSWord when
attached to emails do not lose their TOC reference #s in Reading Layout.
Doesn't fix the problem, but does show that MSWord v9 (at least) file don't
get corrupted by Reading Layout.

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?QVN3YWRlbmVy?=,

Can't remember ever hearing of this, before. What, exactly, is being lost? The
entire field code? The bookmarks on which the TOC is built? Something else?

Can you give us a set of steps to reproduce the problem so that we can test it?

Additional finding is that docs created in older versions of MSWord when
attached to emails do not lose their TOC reference #s in Reading Layout.
Doesn't fix the problem, but does show that MSWord v9 (at least) file don't
get corrupted by Reading Layout.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply in
the newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[Guest]

The TOC is actually displayed in Reading Layout, but the page numbers all
show up as page #1. Then when you get out of Reading Layout on that
document, the page numbers are still #1. If, however, I simply save the
attachment to my hard drive (don't try to open it from an email attachment),
then open it from the hard drive all the page #s are correct.

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?QVN3YWRlbmVy?=,

The TOC is actually displayed in Reading Layout, but the page numbers all
show up as page #1. Then when you get out of Reading Layout on that
document, the page numbers are still #1. If, however, I simply save the
attachment to my hard drive (don't try to open it from an email attachment),
then open it from the hard drive all the page #s are correct.

Interesting. When I view a TOC (created in Word 2003) in the Reading Layout the TOC
shows no page numbers at all. This actually makes sense, since the RL "screens" usually
will not match up with the actual page numbers. And the TOC field is not consctructed
to work with RL "screens".

It appears this behavior is controlled by this switch, which Word 2003 apparently
includes in the TOC field by default:
\z: Hides tab leader and page numbers in Web layout view.

However, when I test sending myself a document containing a TOC without this switch the
page numbers have not reset to 1.

In which version of Word are these documents being created? Are you sure the TOC was
showing values other than 1 when it was sent to you?

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply in the
newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[Guest]

Word2003. Sorry, one more clarification... you are correct, no TOC page #s
show at all in reading layout... it's when you open in reading layout and
THEN press Esc or change your view that the page numbers all turn to page #1.

 

[Guest]

Oh, and how would one use the \z in the field code? I'm not familiar with
that process. Thanks.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Word inserts it by default, but only in conjunction with the \h switch, so
if you have deselected the "Use hyperlinks instead of page numbers" box in
the TOC dialog, you won't get either one.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Guest]

Well that's a workaround that fixes my problem. Thanks. However, there's no
way to change the default behavior permanently within MSWord for future docs.
I'll have to remember to do this every time... AND users won't be able to
use the TOC to hyperlink to a doc section. Rats! That seems like really
ludicrous behavior. Reading layout was a really bad idea, in my opinion.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I think you've misunderstood; it seems like using the \h and \z switches
would solve your problem (along with not allowing starting in Reading Layout
view). But in any case, page numbers in a TOC are always hyperlinked. The \h
switch just determines whether the entire entry is also hyperlinked.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Guest]

Ah, I see what you mean. Thanks. By the way, turning off the heading
hyperlink option when I insert the TOC solves the problem. I don't have to
worry about Reading Layout now. Reading Layout shows the TOC headings with
page #s. The concern is that I can't control what others do with their
settings, so I have to "dumb this down". When they receive my attachment, if
they automatically go into Reading Layout, I don't want them to have
regenerate the TOC after changing their view from within that now-open
attachment. Anyway, I still think I don't really understand why MS ever came
up with Reading Layout anyway. It always shows things pretty much
peculiarly. I wish they'd get rid of it.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I suspect there is a reason for Reading Layout. I can only assume it's for
reading Word docs on your cell phone (or something like that). I personally
have no use for it, either; it's certainly quite useless for highly
formatted documents (with tables, graphics, etc.).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Guest]

I think I've found my soul mate! Thanks for helping! Time for bed.
Goodnight!

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?QVN3YWRlbmVy?=,

When they receive my attachment, if
they automatically go into Reading Layout, I don't want them to have
regenerate the TOC after changing their view from within that now-open
attachment.

Are other users also opening the TOC in Word 2003, or an earlier
version? As I mentioned, I haven't been able to duplicate the problem
you describe (page numbers resetting to 1). I seem to recall there
being a problem, in one version of Word, where all page numbers would
display as 1...

Hmm, as best I can remember, it had something to do with graphics
objects being anchored in the document header. Or maybe it was having
a table in the document header. Does the document you're seeing this
with have something in the header? If yes, create a copy and delete
everything in the header, then test whether you still see the same
behavior with the TOC?

don't really understand why MS ever came
up with Reading Layout anyway. It always shows things pretty much
peculiarly.

Reading Layout was created in order to read/scan reams of text.
Apparently, in corporate environments, people write reports, memos,
etc. in Word, then mail them out as attachments. Reading a document
on-screen, in a standard Word window isn't particularly efficient
(too wide and/or text is too small). The Reading Layout puts the text
on the screen in a manageable width and (with any luck) readable
size. Plus, you can set it up to display two pages by default.

Personally, I like it a lot when I have to read a lot.

Have you tried deactivating "Allow starting in Reading Layout" in
Tools/Options/General?

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow
question or reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The problem you're remembering, Cindy (which still exists AFAIK), results in
all page numbers being displayed as 0, not 1.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.