WD97: Word Sorts Numeric Index Entries as Alphabetic Entries (197823)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q197823 SYMPTOMS
In an index, Microsoft Word incorrectly sorts INDEX ENTRY (XE) field text
that contains numbers. For example, if your document contains the
following
numeric XE fields:
{XE "735"}
{XE "76"}
{XE "7123"}
the entries appear in the following order when you compile the index:
CAUSE
Word sorts numbers in the same way that it sorts alphabetic entries, that
is, one character at a time. For example, Word places all numbers that
begin with 1 (such as 12, 156, or 1147) before all numbers that begin with
2 (such as 22, 256, or 2276). If two or more items begin with the same
character, Word evaluates subsequent characters in each item to determine
which item should come first. For example, Word places 124 before 19,
based
on the second digit (2 is smaller than 9, so 124 comes before 19).
WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, add a sorting text argument to your XE field.
The sorting text argument is the index entry number padded with leading
zeros. Pad the number with leading zeros so all your numeric XE fields
contain the same number of digits. In other words, the sorting text
arguments should contain as many digits as the largest number used in an
XE
field.
To correctly sort the numbers listed in the "Symptoms" section above,
insert the following XE fields:
{XE "735;0735"}
{XE "76;0076"}
{XE "7123;7123"}
Word places these XE entries in the following order in your index (notice
that Word sorts the entry based on the sorting text argument instead of
the
actual XE text, but places the actual XE text in the index):
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 11/14/2000 |
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| Keywords: | kbfield kbprb KB197823 |
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