multilevel lists Word 2007 NOT numbering correctly

[mt_si_dad]

I have this list in Word 2007:
1.
1.1
1.2
2.
1.3
1.4
1.5
3.
1.6.
1.7.1
1.7.2

and so on

what I ***WANT*** is this
1.
1.1
1.2
2.
2.1
2.2
2.3
3.
3.1
3.1.1
3.1.2

and so on

I've tried the multilevel lists, tried creating a new list, tried modifying
the multilevel list style - nothing is working.

What's going on here?

 

[finalword]

The setting that you are looking for is "Reset List After" and is located on
the right side of the dialog box. Have you adjusted this?

Are you linking the levels of your list to styles? I would highly recommend
that you do. It really helps the structure of the document.

 

[mt_si_dad]

Yes, the styles are linked.
H1 is linked to "(no style)"
h2 is linked to h1
h3 to h2, h4 to h3, and so on

I've set the "restart list after" feature both on and off, updated the style
to match the selection, and in no case does it work - the lists remain
stubbornly set to an incomprehensible numbering style.

 

[mt_si_dad]

I've even deleted the normal.dotm template, thinking that maybe there's an
odd numbering style hidden there.

 

[mt_si_dad]

Ok, I got it to work, but this is how I did it. It doesn't make sense, but it
worked.
1. I created a NEW document, and styled the content using Headings 1-4.
2. I defined a NEW multilevel numbering style & attached it to Heading 1
3. I clicked a Heading 2 paragraph, defined a NEW multilevel style, made
sure it was "level 2" in the popup window. NOTE that this sets the numbering
style wrong.
4. While still in the Heading 2 paragraph, I clicked the multilevel style
drop down, but I clicked the EXISTING style used for Heading 1.

This numbered the paragraph correctly.

But I don't know why.

 

[Cindy M.]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?bXRfc2lfZGFk?=,

I have this list in Word 2007:
1.
1.1
1.2
2.
1.3
1.4
1.5

Is this from a template from an older version of Word? This
was a problem in the default numbering galleries from Word
2002 or 2003 (can't recall which). The second level was not
set to start renumbering when the next higher level was
used.

In Word 2007 you can't modify the built-in numbering styles
(at least, not the ones that come with 2007). But you can
create a multi-level new style. When you do, you should
create the definitions for ALL heading levels at the same
time. Creating (or using) a new multi-level style for each
heading level is the WRONG way to approach it (and may be
why you were seeing the problem to begin with, now that I
think about it).

What you want to do, when editing the document, is to apply
the multi-level style where each level is linked to a
heading style. When you apply the heading style, the level
should adjust automatically.

Or, if you want to apply the style via the numbering, you
apply the multi-level numbering, then change the outline
level of the paragraph. This can be done by using
Shift+Alt+Left/Right arrow keys, or by using the "Change
List level" command for the numbering.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update
Jun 17 2005)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any
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[Stefan Blom]

Note that in order to edit a multilevel/outline list created in an older
version, you can place the insertion point in the first numbered paragraph
of the list (for example, the first Heading 1 paragraph of the document if
this is heading numbering), and then click Home tab | Multilevel List |
Define New Multilevel List; this displays a dialog box similar to the
Customize Outline Numbered List of Word 97-2003 (and the advice given at
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html is still
helpful).

As a long-term solution, of course, creating a list style is a better
choice.

 

[mt_si_dad]

Both of these were helpful responses, but honest to $deity, I tried looking
in online help for this.

I seriously *cannot* imagine what would possess the Word developers to make
this such an ugly and unhelpful experience. I know of *no one* who would want
a multilevel list that would be numbered the way the list is numbered in my
first example.

I've been using Word 2007 for about 9 months now, and have used Word since
the days of MS-DOS--based Word 1.0 (I used to train people how to use it),
and this is the ugliest & most profoundly broken functionality I've ever
seen.

In previous versions this just worked. I cannot imagine why this
functionality got broken, what user base said "Hey, we want oddly numbered
nested lists! Yeah!", and what problem this change solved.

Yeah, rant, I know. I've been a Word partisan for years, but you know, this
is the first time I've seriously considered changing word processors. I'm
glad that I haven't upgraded at home -- this feature is broken not just in
functionality but in a complete and utter lack of understanding of the user
base.

 

[Stefan Blom]

Here are the steps to create a list style where all levels are attached to
paragraph styles in Word 2007:

On the Home tab, click Multilevel List, and then click Define New List
Style. In the Modify Style dialog box, type a name for the list style. To
define the numbering properties, click the Format button, and then click
Numbering; this displays the Modify Multilevel List dialog box, where you
can change the number format, indentation, attach paragraph styles to the
numbering levels, etc. (For more on the options of the dialog box, you may
still find the article at
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.hmtl useful.)

The list styles of the active document are displayed under "List Styles" at
Home tab | Multilevel List. You can click a style to apply it to text, but
if you've attached numbering to paragraph styles (which I would recommend),
you'll find it easier to apply the appropriate paragraph style directly. To
edit a list style, right-click it and choose Modify from the context menu.

 

[Cindy M.]

I seriously *cannot* imagine what would possess the Word developers to make

this such an ugly and unhelpful experience. I know of *no one* who would want
a multilevel list that would be numbered the way the list is numbered in my
first example.

Actually, there are people out there who need this. Prior to Word 97 you could
only set up this kind of numbering using field codes (SEQ). For this reason,
lots of (legal) users stayed with Word Perfect.

The functionality you see in Word 2007 was actually introduced in Word 97, more
than 10 years ago. But it really is NOT the default behavior in Word 2007. I've
never seen it happen "just like that" - I have to go in there and set it up
explicitly.

I think the "disconnect" in your case came from applying/linking an entry from
the Gallery to the different headings, rather than linking the headings to the
different levels within the list style.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
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

 

[lindalou]

I completely agree.

Both of these were helpful responses, but honest to $deity, I tried looking
in online help for this.

I seriously *cannot* imagine what would possess the Word developers to make
this such an ugly and unhelpful experience. I know of *no one* who would want
a multilevel list that would be numbered the way the list is numbered in my
first example.

I've been using Word 2007 for about 9 months now, and have used Word since
the days of MS-DOS--based Word 1.0 (I used to train people how to use it),
and this is the ugliest & most profoundly broken functionality I've ever
seen.

In previous versions this just worked. I cannot imagine why this
functionality got broken, what user base said "Hey, we want oddly numbered
nested lists! Yeah!", and what problem this change solved.

Yeah, rant, I know. I've been a Word partisan for years, but you know, this
is the first time I've seriously considered changing word processors. I'm
glad that I haven't upgraded at home -- this feature is broken not just in
functionality but in a complete and utter lack of understanding of the user
base.