Re: Word x-ref question

Subject: Re: Word x-ref question
From: "Monique Semp" <monique -dot- semp -at- earthlink -dot- net>
To: "Tammy Van Boening" <tammyvb -at- spectrumwritingllc -dot- com>, <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>, <lonewriter-discuss -at- mailer -dot- stc -dot- org>
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2017 16:02:29 -0700

Hi Tammy,

I'm still on Word 2010 (because I haven't needed Word for a client for a long while, so haven't bothered to update), but the numbering/xref functions don't seem to have changed since 2007, so it's likely still applicable for Word 2016.

I do not use word's numbering for the tables or the captions. It's been so long since I set up my Word templates (originally for Word 2003, and ported to Word 2007 and then 2010), and so long since I used Word for full-featured docs, that I don't recall a lot of why I have things the way they are. But in this case, it's certainly likely that I ran into the problems you're having.

Instead of using Word's numbering, I use sequence numbering via field codes right in the text itself. So if I expand the field codes for the text of Figure Caption-styled paragraph, which of course will contain the figure's caption, here's what it shows:

Figure {Seq Figure \* ARABIC \* MERGEFORMAT}. Title of the figure

IMPORTANT reminder to everyone about showing field codes: To replicate this, don't just type the curly braces and their contents as shown above. You have to insert the field code and make the right selections and add the right modifiers.

Then for every figure caption, I just copy/paste the text from another figure's caption, change the desired text, and select all/update field codes.

For the xrefs, I use Insert > Cross-reference, select Figure for the reference type, select Insert as hyperlink, and choose Insert reference to: Only label and number. The result is the desired "Figure #", where "#" is the actual number.

The xref is going to use "Figure" for the label no matter what you actually type in the figure's caption, which effectively means that you must use "Figure" in your caption line text. (Otherwise it wouldn't match the xref's label.)

I do the same process for tables.

This field codes for sequence numbering and the copy/paste of the text seems perhaps non-standard. But it's easy, and after a while it becomes so automatic you won't even think about it. And certainly much better than inserting bookmarks, which bring their own headache.

I'm not sure I got the procedure complete, so if it doesn't work, please ask for clarifications.

HTH,
-Monique

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Visit TechWhirl for the latest on content technology, content strategy and content development | http://techwhirl.com

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-leave -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com


Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwhirl.com/email-discussion-groups/ for more resources and info.

Looking for articles on Technical Communications? Head over to our online magazine at http://techwhirl.com

Looking for the archived Techwr-l email discussions? Search our public email archives @ http://techwr-l.com/archives


Follow-Ups:

References:
Word x-ref question: From: Tammy Van Boening

Previous by Author: Re: Going freelance?
Next by Author: Re: [Lonewriter-discuss] Word x-ref question
Previous by Thread: Word x-ref question
Next by Thread: Re: [Lonewriter-discuss] Word x-ref question


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads