WD97: Heading Numbering Command Changes Style, Paragraph Format (196862)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q196862

SYMPTOMS

When you apply heading numbering to a document that is formatted with built-in heading styles (such as Heading 1, Heading 2, and so on), Word changes the paragraph formatting and may change the heading style definition. Specifically, Word replaces any of your previous left-indent and special-indent formatting changes (including the None Indentation setting) with the heading numbering settings. (To view the heading numbering settings, click Heading Numbering on the Format menu and then click Modify.)

CAUSE

By design, when you apply heading numbering to heading-style-formatted paragraphs, the "Hanging indent" and "Distance from indent to text" heading numbering properties replace the left-indent and special-indent properties defined in the heading style. This happens even if your heading style sets the Special Indentation format to None.

WORKAROUND

Modify the heading styles AFTER you apply heading numbering.

Troubleshooting

Because the Heading Numbering command affects the heading style definitions, you may need to determine the source (style or direct) of some paragraph formatting in order to modify it. To reveal the source of formatting for a paragraph, press SHIFT+F1 or click Help on the Standard toolbar. When the pointer becomes a question mark, click the text you want to check. Word displays all the style and direct formatting that is currently applied to the paragraph.

Once you determine the source of the formatting, you can take steps to change it by modifying the style or by changing the direct formatting.

MORE INFORMATION

This section contains a description of how heading numbering affects the heading style definition. When you apply heading numbering to a document, two things happen to the style definition:

  • First, Word adds the Auto Numbering property to the style definition.
  • Second, Word adds indent formatting to the style definition ( .5 inch by default, or as defined by the Number Position settings in the Modify Heading Number dialog box).
The key to understanding the effect of heading numbering on a document is that the Auto Numbering property is not a regular paragraph property, but rather a document property. Word does not add this property to a template if you add the style to a template.

Conversely, Word DOES add the indent formatting, which is a regular paragraph property, to a template if you add the style to a template. To demonstrate the effect of heading numbering on your styles, follow these steps:

  1. Create a new, blank document, based on the Normal template. (To do this, click New on the Standard toolbar.)
  2. Apply the Heading 1 style to one or more paragraphs in the document.
  3. Click Style on the Format menu to check the Heading 1 style description. In a default Normal template, the style description contains no indent formatting and no Auto Numbering property.
  4. Apply heading numbering by clicking Heading Numbering on the Format menu. Click OK to accept the default settings.
  5. Click Style on the Format menu again. Notice that the style definition now contains indent formatting and the Auto Numbering property.
  6. Use the Organizer to copy this Heading 1 style from the document to your Normal template (Normal.dot). (To use the Organizer, click Style on the Format menu, and then click the Organizer button.)
  7. Repeat steps 1 through 3.

    Notice that, although Word does not add heading numbering to your Heading 1 paragraphs, it does apply the paragraph indent formatting. Also, notice that the Heading 1 style description includes the paragraph indent formatting but not the Auto Numbering property.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/14/2000
Keywords:kbprb kbualink97 KB196862
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