WD: Page Number Format Doesn't Carry to Other Sections

• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

In Word, when you insert a page number with a format other than the default (1, 2, 3,...), "same as previous" sections in your document do not retain the format you applied.

In a document with multiple sections, if you click Page Number on the Insert menu, click Format, and then select a number format other than the default (for example I, II, III or i, ii, iii), the non-default format appears only in the current section. All other sections have the default page number format (1, 2, 3, ...).

This behavior occurs even if the numbering is continuous throughout the document and if Same as Previous is selected for headers and footers.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because the Page Number Format dialog box does not allow you to select where Word applies the numbering format. That is, there is no option to apply the formatting to the "Current Section" or the "Whole Document."

Page Number Format is a section property. When Word applies page numbering to a document, it uses the default numbering scheme of 1, 2, 3, and so on. If the Page Number Format is changed when applying the page numbers, only the section containing the insertion point receives the format. All other sections retain the default numbering format.

WORKAROUND

To correctly apply a page number format to an entire document that contains no current page numbering, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Use the Field Option on the Insert Menu

1. Place the insertion point where you want the numbers to be in the header or footer.

2. On the Insert menu, click Field. Under Categories, click Numbering. Under Field Names, click Page.

3. Click Options. Choose the format that you want, and then click Add To Field.

4. Click OK twice.

Method 2: Add a Formatting Switch to the Page Numbers {page} Field

1. On the Insert menu, click Page Numbers, and select the Position and Alignment that you want. Click OK.

2. On the View menu, click Header And Footer, and view the field codes (press ALT+F9 in Windows; OPTION+F9 in Macintosh).

3. You will see the page number field code that looks like this:

         { PAGE }
   

   Add one of the following switches to the field code:

      Page Number Format     Switch
      ------------------     ------------
   
      1,2,3                  \*Arabic
      a,b,c                  \*alphabetic
      A,B,C                  \*ALPHABETIC
      i,ii,iii               \*roman
      I,II,III               \*ROMAN
   
      For example, if you want your page number format to be in capital
      letters the field code would look like this:
   
         { PAGE \* ALPHABETIC }
   
   

The numbering sequence continues correctly, but only the section that contained the insertion point has the selected numbering format. This behavior is by design for the way Word page numbers a document.