Using Sectionpages in a Multi-section "Section"

[Jerry]

Our documents often have appendixes, which need page numbers in the format
"Page A1 of A10." We normally use the field { SECTIONPAGES } to insert the
total number of pages in the appendix.

Today, I have a document with an appendix that has the first two pages in
portrait orientation, and the remainder of the pages in landscape. Of course
I had to use a section break to change to landscape, so this appendix now has
two sections in it. Is there any way to link these two sections so that a
single field will insert the proper number of pages on all pages of the
appendix?

Thanks.

 

[Jay Freedman]

There is a way, although it's a bit less robust than I'd like.

Insert a bookmark on the last page of the appendix, at or near the end of
the visible text. Replace the { SECTIONPAGES } field with a { PAGEREF }
field containing the name of the bookmark. It will display the page number
of the page that contains the bookmark.

The danger is that future editing will either delete the bookmark or add
more pages after it. Going into the Options dialog and turning on the
display of bookmarks may help to avoid trouble, if you (and anyone else who
edits the document) are aware of what the bookmark is for.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[macropod]

Hi Jerry,

Here's one approach:
1. Make sure the 'same as previous' setting for both Appendix Sections is unchecked.
2. In the first Section's footer put a field coded as {SET App1 {SECTIONPAGES}}
3. In the second Section's footer put a field coded as {SET App2 {SECTIONPAGES}}
4. For the x of 'Page Ax of Ay' numbering in both footers, use the std Page # tools.
5. For the y of 'Page Ax of Ay' numbering in both footers, use a field coded as {=App1+App2 \# 0}
There is a risk that the SET fields (which are used to create two bookmarks (App1 & App2)) will be deleted by accident. You can
guard against this by embedding them and the page numbering code in a QUOTE field, thus:
{QUOTE{SET App1 {SECTIONPAGES}} "Page Ax of A{=App1+App2 \# 0}"}
for the first Section and:
{QUOTE{SET App2 {SECTIONPAGES}} "Page Ax of A{=App1+App2 \# 0}"}
for the second Section, where the 'x' is created as per step 4 above.