Forum Discussion
Make numbering independent of position
Yes. I want to try that...
(The actual question is placed at the end of the post)
Below there's a gimmick ilustration of what I'm trying to achieve. The actual document I'm working on is an instructions manual of a complex machine with lots of elements.
I want to place referenceable identification numbers of the elements contained in explanations throughout my document. Here I made some baloons by inserting round shapes with added texts and and also some arrows, with the Numbering Style giving me those identification numbers. These let me copy and paste, getting the next number every time.
Problem 1: I can't create a new baloon for SolidWorks (for example) and assing it any desired number, like 5. Using "Set Numbering Value..." would do a mess. It seems that doing it would set the first element (that doesn't even show in the ilustration) to 5 and then re-number everything from that.
Problem 2: I couldn't find any way to cross-reference headings or numbered lists insided texts in shaper nor inside text boxed. I guess that this is a subject for another post.
Question: Is it possible to insert a new list item at any position of that same existing list in another paragraph or shape? It would be something like inserting number 3 like this:
1. Item
2. Item
4. Item
Other location:
3. Item
6 Replies
I was tempted to mark Sefan's answer as the solution already. But I still want to take a look into Charles' product recommendation. Charles_Kenyon It seems that the platform has censored the product's name, all I can see is "Sn**it" and I couldn't find anything with this. Is there a way to tell me the name of it so that I can search?
Also, Stefan_Blom, I don't think that using static numbers would do for us. We develop custom machines for every client and we need to provide a manual for every single one. We need something that enables us to take the last similar machine and make only the necessary changes to the manual. Remaking the numbering with every change would not be practible.I can try. The site will not let me type it.
S_n_a_g_I_t by T_e_c_h_s_m_i_t_h.
Note, the numbers will not be dynamic once you put them in.
Thank you very much! That's a nice tool. It might be helpful.
As an alternative, it should be possible to create a macro which increments a sequential list and inserts a number at the insertion point. You'd need a text file (for example) to keep track of the sequence. I believe such a macro has been suggested by forum contributors such as Graham Mayour, Doug Robbins or Jay Freedman.
Stefan is correct (as is usual).
I use a commercial product Sn**it to create such step numbers. They go on images and are independent of location. I know of no way native to Word (or any other program) to have numbers which automatically update regardless of position. Sn**it has a number of features designed for producing documentation.
Using static (typed) numbers may be the simplest solution in a situation such as this one. If the document is long and contains many numbers, it may be difficult to keep track, obviously.
Note that SEQ fields inside text boxes will be numbered based on the relative order of text box anchors. This may or may not be useful.
