[Greg Maxey]

Despite hope for the better, I find list numbering in Word 2007 as
frustrating as any previous version. I experimented with it today and here
are my observations and questions:

I typed 10 or 12 lines of text in normal style. I selected the first four
lines, clicked the numbering icon in the Paragraph group and selected one of
the Number Library formats. The four lines where numbered 1 through 4
correctly and the style was changed to List Paragraph. I don't really
understand that part but maybe ignorance is bliss in this case.

I skipped a few lines and then selected 4 more lines of text. Then I used
the numbering icon to apply the same numbering format. To my utter glee the
paragraphs where numbered 1 through 4 as I would intuitively expect.

Now the first problem. I put the cursor in the first paragraph of the
second list and clicked "Set numbering value" in the Numbering Library
gallery. I then choose "Continue from previous list" then "OK." Nothing
happened. I would expect those four paragraphs in the second list to be
renumbered 5 through 8. Nothing I could do would cause those lines to
renumber as a continuation from the previous list.

I started again with the 12 lines of unnumbered text. I applied List Number
style to the first four lines (they numbered 1 though 4), skipped a few
lines and applied List Number style to four more lines. They numbered 5
through 8. I put the cursor in the paragraph numbered "5" and then with the
numbering icon, set numbering value, start new list, clicked OK and nothing
happened. I notice that "start new list" is the default option but the "set
value to" read "5." That doesn't make much sense as most new list would
start with "1" I would think. So I tried again to start new list and this
time I put a "1" in the set to value. Eureka!! The second list was
renumbered 1 through 4.

Now the second problem. If I delete the first paragraph of the second list
the remaining three lines are not renumbered 1 through 3 but 5 through 7.
This is clearly broken IMHO.



While it appears the MS went to some effort to simplify simple list
numbering the process seems to still be clearly broken. I will try to keep
an open mind and hopefully someone will be along to enlighten me on what I
did wrong to make this process appear to be as broken as ever. Thanks.


--
Greg Maxey/Word MVP
See:
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/word_tips.htm
For some helpful tips using Word.