Why do Word cross references start a new line when I save/refresh

[Guest]

Whenever I enter a cross reference to a caption, ie. see figure 2 above, and
then save the document or refresh (F9), the cross reference moves to the
start of the next line. It's as if I hit enter to move the cross reference,
but I don't!

 

[Shauna Kelly]

Hi JMF

What version of Word are you using? And how, exactly, are you inserting the
cross-reference?

Shauna

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word

 

[Guest]

Word 2003. I use the Insert-Reference-Cross Reference menu, and then select
the caption that I want to cross reference in the subsequent dialogue box.
Word then inserts a linked cross reference that updates with the original
caption (ie. figure, table, etc). Then, whenever I update, it moves to the
start of a new line.

 

[Margaret Aldis]

I think you'll find the new line is caught into the hidden bookmark around
the caption that Word uses for cross referencing - it's easy to fall foul of
this because if you have your cursor at the start of a bookmarked heading or
caption whatever you insert falls within the bookmark (conversely, with your
cursor at the end of the line anything you insert falls outside). Yes it is
infuriating but that's the way it works.
To fix, try this:

1. Insert > Bookmark and uncheck/recheck hidden bookmarks (this sets up the
dialog so you'll see the correct
_Ref bookmark in step 3).

2. Select the caption or whatever part of it you want to appear in the cross
reference.

3. Insert > Bookmark again - you'll see the relevant bookmark highlighted.

4. Click Add to move the bookmark back to the selection.

5. Update fields.

To avoid in the future, never insert text at the start of a possibly
referenced line. Go to the previous end of para, press return and insert the
new text, finally removing the extra para end if necessary.

 

[desta161921]

I am having the same problem in word 2007. The moment I update (refresh) or print my document, all my cross referencing are moving (starting) from a new line. Any help would be highly appreciated.

 

[saadaip]

could you solve the problem?
]I am having the same problem in word 2007. The moment I update (refresh) or print my document, all my cross referencing are moving (starting) from a new line.

I am having the same problem in word 2007. The moment I update (refresh) or print my document, all my cross referencing are moving (starting) from a new line. Any help would be highly appreciated.

 

[Raich]

It seems that the space you might put between the previous paragraph and the table using carriage return becomes attached to the table caption. The following has been effective for me (I couldn't get the bookmarks thing to work): I'm using Office 2013, but hopefully it works for earlier versions too. It's been driving me nuts! But I think I've cracked it....

1. Put your cursor at the beginning of the table or figure caption.
2. Do a backspace delete (i.e. delete the line of space before the caption)
3. Go to the end of the text of the paragraph before where your blank line was, and do carriage return to put the space back in.
4. Go back to the naughty cross-reference and right click, then click on update field. It should jump back to where it's supposed to be i.e. the problem carriage return is removed.
5. You might have to do this twice - I've had instances where two carriage returns were connected to the caption.

It also works when your paragraph formats itself according to the caption style: again, backspace from the caption, add the carriage return at the end of the naughty paragraph, and do the 'update field' on the cross-reference.

 

[DanielP]

I got the same problem. I solved it.

In my case, it is because, for example, I used both format: Tables 11-14 and Table 11. The latter (Table 11) got the the problem. --> To solve it: change the latter (Table 11) to "Table" by typing + reference "11" by Toggling field code after right click+ add "\#0" after \h in the code .

 

[anon12345]

This worked for me, hope this helps:

1. Highlight your caption ("Table X")
2. Click insert > bookmark > delete ("Table X" with space above also highlighted)
3. Click insert > bookmark > add ("Table X" alone, without the space)
4. Remember your caption's new reference code ("_RefXXXXXXXXX")
5. Right-click on your reference ("Table X")
6. Click toggle field codes to update the code
7. Right-click on your reference ("{REF_RefXXXXXXXXX\h \*MERGEFORMAT}")
8. Click update fields