Page Numbering Where I Want To!!!!!

[spark69]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel So, to ask a stupid question, Why is it so difficult for Microsoft to make it so I can start page numbers where ever I want? I have printed out the Microsoft Word 2008 Help File for doing just that, followed the instructions to THE LETTER...6 times and it didn't work. I still got a page number on the cover page, which I didn't want. Then to make sure that it was not my fault, I gave the computer to the wife to try and she too tried 4 times with no success.

Can somebody explain why I can't just click on the header/footer of the page I want to start my number on, click insert page number( and what options I want from that menu) and then away I go???????

If I do this, then each page will say 1 or say 2 depending on what I type in there.

 

[Rob Schneider]

Good rant.

I have never read this part of the Word 2008 Help file. I find th Word
2008 Help file shockingly bad; but since I didn't pay very much for Word
I guess I can't expect much.

I don't use Menu: Insert/Page Numbers ... as I've never really made it
work and don't understand what it does.

For years, including Windows versions of Word, I insert page numbers by:

1. Menu: View/Header and Footer
2. Go to where the page number wants to go (header, or footer).
Position cursor where you want it. I usually put it on a Right Tab at
the right side of footer.
3. Insert field for page number: Menu: Insert/Field, pick All
categories, then pick "Page". Press the Options if you want to make it
fancy.
4. Consider using NumPages for something like "Page 3 of 89" ... but
then you need to be aware of sections to truly understand how NumPages
is computed.


--rms

www.rmschneider.com

 

[CyberTaz]

First the "why I can't", because that's usually the toughest thing to wrap
one's head around ...

There is no such thing as a _page_ in the structure of a Word document.

It is a flow of text from start to finish. That text is contained in
paragraphs stored within a Section - specifically, Section 1, which is what
any new document starts with. That's regardless of how many 'sheets of
paper' will be required to print the document. In order to have portions of
the document treated differently from other portions, the appropriate
Section Breaks need to be inserted.

To address your immediate issue, though, you need to be more descriptive of
what you currently have. There are a number of variables that can influence
how pagination is imposed which in turn impacts Headers & Footers. Unless
the document has multiple Sections the H/F runs from start to finish. Since
page numbering is in the H/F it will typically start on the first page & run
consecutively through the rest of the document. In order to vary the page
numbering additional specs need to be provided which may or may not require
the use of Section Breaks.

To help you get it on track turn on the non-printing characters (¶) to help
you see what is currently there. Then;

Is the "cover page" one you typed or did you use one of the Cover Pages from
Document Elements in the Elements Gallery?

How long is the document?

Have you added any Section Breaks to the document? If so, how many, what
type of Section Breaks and where?

Are you using Headers or Footers in the document (other than for page
numbers)? If so, do you want the H/F content to appear on the initial
(cover) page or just beginning on the 2nd page?

Have you created any Manual page breaks -- such as at the end of your cover
page? They are *not* the same as Section Breaks & I have a feeling that may
be the source of the problem you're encountering. It's best to avoid manual
page breaks altogether.

Describe exactly how you want the page numbering to run -- such as
"continuous throughout the document starting on the 2nd page". Do you want
the numbers to start at 1 or at 2?

Once you provide the above information it should be relatively simple to get
you the result you're looking for.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac