WD: How to Modify the Start Number for Caption Numbering (176381)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition
This article was previously published under Q176381

SUMMARY

When you insert a caption into your document, it will always start with the number 1 and will be numbered sequentially throughout the document. As you add captions to the document, the numbers will be automatically updated in sequence. There is no option to automatically start inserting captions with a number other than 1 and have it continue sequentially from there.

This article describes how you would restart the numbering of a caption within a document or how your would start the caption numbering with a number other than 1.

MORE INFORMATION

To modify the start number for caption numbering, use one of the following methods.

Method 1

  1. Insert all of the captions as usual.
  2. Press ALT+F9 (Windows) or OPTION+F9 (Macintosh) to toggle the field codes on. You should see something like the following:

    Figure {SEQ Figure \* ARABIC}

  3. Place the insertion point within the field code braces {} and after your caption text. In the above example, place the insertion point between Figure and \* inside of the field code braces {}.
  4. Type \r n where n is the number that you can to start captions from.
  5. Toggle your field codes off by pressing ALT+F9 (Windows) or OPTION+F9 (Macintosh).
  6. On the File menu, click Print Preview. Then, click Close on the Print Preview screen.
This will refresh your document and update all of the Caption fields in your document.

Method 2

  1. Insert all of your captions as you would normally do.
  2. Go to the caption where you want to renumber the starting number of the caption and then select the number in the caption.
  3. On the Insert menu, click Field.
  4. Under Field Names, select "SEQ."
  5. In the Field Codes box, after "SEQ," type <your caption text>. (Where <your caption text> is the text you want to appear in the caption).
  6. Click Options, click the Field Specific Switches tab, select the \r switch, and then click Add To Field in the Field Codes box. Then, in the Field Codes box, type the number desired to restart the caption numbering after the \r.
  7. Click OK twice.
  8. On the File menu, click Print Preview. Then, click Close on the Print Preview screen. This will refresh your document and update all of the Caption fields in your document.
The figure is now labeled with the new Figure number and the subsequent figures will be labeled sequentially from there.

Microsoft Word allows for the addition of captions to figures, tables, equations, and other items by using the caption command from the Insert menu. Word inserts a label and a number. Word uses a sequence field to insert the figure number as illustrated in the following example:

Figure { SEQ Figure \* MERGEFORMAT }

NOTE: This field can be viewed by turning on the field codes by pressing ALT+F9 (Windows) or OPTION+F9 (Macintosh).

The sequence field has an optional restart switch that can be added to the field to restart the sequence numbering at a specific number. This switch is not added to the field by default and is not an option when using the Caption feature from the Insert menu.

By using the sequence field procedure above, the option for the \r switch is added to the sequence field. The resulting field code for the caption numbering is as follows

Figure { SEQ Figure \r n \* MERGEFORMAT}

where n is the desired number that the caption is to restart at.

For more information about SEQ fields, click the Office Assistant, type "seq," click Search, and then click "Seq (Sequence) field."

In Word 97 for Windows and Word 98 Macintosh Edition for more information about SEQ fields, click the Office Assistant, type "seq," click Search, and then click "Seq (Sequence) field."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Word Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

120802 Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office Program or Component

For additional information about using chapter numbering with captions, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

126081 Reset Switch in Caption Doesn't Work with Chapter Numbers

For additional information about this situation in earlier versions of Word, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

145508 WD: How to Modify the Start Number for Caption Numbering Include

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/8/2003
Keywords:kbformat kbhowto kbprb KB176381
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.