Using the field NUMWORDS in QuickParts Field

[ecn1942]

I'm taking a class in short fiction and one of the requirements is that the
first page header include the story's word count. I tried inserting
QuickParts > Field > NUMWORDS which gave me almost what I wanted. Problem is
that the required number is NOT to include the story title and author's name
which appear on the first page. How do I insert a number that is equal to
NUMWORDS minus the word count for my title and name? I tried putting the
number to subtract in the document properties then inserting Field > Formula
=NUMWORDS-6 but that didn't work. Can this be done so I don't have to
change the heading every time I edit my document?

 

[Jay Freedman]

You got it almost right. The NUMWORDS has to be a field embedded
inside the Formula field. Click on the Formula field and press
Shift+F9 (or right-click it and choose Toggle Field Codes) to display
the code. Select the keyword NUMWORDS and press Ctrl+F9 to enclose it
in field braces. It should now look like this:

{ = {NUMWORDS} - 6 }

Press F9 to update the field and get the number you want.

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

 

[macropod]

Note too that the NUMWORDS field counts itself as another word after the first update ...

 

[Jay Freedman]

But not if it's in a header -- it only counts the main text.

Note too that the NUMWORDS field counts itself as another word after the first update ...

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]

You got it almost right. The NUMWORDS has to be a field embedded
inside the Formula field. Click on the Formula field and press
Shift+F9 (or right-click it and choose Toggle Field Codes) to display
the code. Select the keyword NUMWORDS and press Ctrl+F9 to enclose it
in field braces. It should now look like this:

{ = {NUMWORDS} - 6 }

Press F9 to update the field and get the number you want.

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

 

[Graham Mayor]

Then if the stuff to be excluded was in the first page header, it wouldn't
need excluding from the count?

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

But not if it's in a header -- it only counts the main text.

Note too that the NUMWORDS field counts itself as another word after the
first update ...

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]

You got it almost right. The NUMWORDS has to be a field embedded
inside the Formula field. Click on the Formula field and press
Shift+F9 (or right-click it and choose Toggle Field Codes) to display
the code. Select the keyword NUMWORDS and press Ctrl+F9 to enclose it
in field braces. It should now look like this:

{ = {NUMWORDS} - 6 }

Press F9 to update the field and get the number you want.

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

On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:17:01 -0800, ecn1942

I'm taking a class in short fiction and one of the requirements is that
the
first page header include the story's word count. I tried inserting
QuickParts > Field > NUMWORDS which gave me almost what I wanted.
Problem is
that the required number is NOT to include the story title and author's
name
which appear on the first page. How do I insert a number that is equal
to
NUMWORDS minus the word count for my title and name? I tried putting
the
number to subtract in the document properties then inserting Field >
Formula
=NUMWORDS-6 but that didn't work. Can this be done so I don't have to
change the heading every time I edit my document?

 

[Jay Freedman]

Yes, that's correct. You could put the title and author's name in the
first page header along with the NUMWORDS field (by itself, not in a
formula field), and the count would be correct.

If the course instructor has such stringent requirements, though, this
strategy might be "against the rules". I never cease to be amazed at
the picayune garbage that's forced on students.

--
Jay

Then if the stuff to be excluded was in the first page header, it wouldn't
need excluding from the count?

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

But not if it's in a header -- it only counts the main text.

Note too that the NUMWORDS field counts itself as another word after the
first update ...

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]



You got it almost right. The NUMWORDS has to be a field embedded
inside the Formula field. Click on the Formula field and press
Shift+F9 (or right-click it and choose Toggle Field Codes) to display
the code. Select the keyword NUMWORDS and press Ctrl+F9 to enclose it
in field braces. It should now look like this:

{ = {NUMWORDS} - 6 }

Press F9 to update the field and get the number you want.

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

On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:17:01 -0800, ecn1942

I'm taking a class in short fiction and one of the requirements is that
the
first page header include the story's word count. I tried inserting
QuickParts > Field > NUMWORDS which gave me almost what I wanted.
Problem is
that the required number is NOT to include the story title and author's
name
which appear on the first page. How do I insert a number that is equal
to
NUMWORDS minus the word count for my title and name? I tried putting
the
number to subtract in the document properties then inserting Field >
Formula
=NUMWORDS-6 but that didn't work. Can this be done so I don't have to
change the heading every time I edit my document?

 

[macropod]

The NUMWORDS field also doesn't count text in footnotes, endnotes or shapes. The last of these gives the OP yet another option - put
the 'reserved' text into a textbox.

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]

Yes, that's correct. You could put the title and author's name in the
first page header along with the NUMWORDS field (by itself, not in a
formula field), and the count would be correct.

If the course instructor has such stringent requirements, though, this
strategy might be "against the rules". I never cease to be amazed at
the picayune garbage that's forced on students.

--
Jay

Then if the stuff to be excluded was in the first page header, it wouldn't
need excluding from the count?

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

But not if it's in a header -- it only counts the main text.

On Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:53:00 +1100, "macropod"

Note too that the NUMWORDS field counts itself as another word after the
first update ...

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]



You got it almost right. The NUMWORDS has to be a field embedded
inside the Formula field. Click on the Formula field and press
Shift+F9 (or right-click it and choose Toggle Field Codes) to display
the code. Select the keyword NUMWORDS and press Ctrl+F9 to enclose it
in field braces. It should now look like this:

{ = {NUMWORDS} - 6 }

Press F9 to update the field and get the number you want.

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

On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:17:01 -0800, ecn1942

I'm taking a class in short fiction and one of the requirements is that
the
first page header include the story's word count. I tried inserting
QuickParts > Field > NUMWORDS which gave me almost what I wanted.
Problem is
that the required number is NOT to include the story title and author's
name
which appear on the first page. How do I insert a number that is equal
to
NUMWORDS minus the word count for my title and name? I tried putting
the
number to subtract in the document properties then inserting Field >
Formula
=NUMWORDS-6 but that didn't work. Can this be done so I don't have to
change the heading every time I edit my document?