PRB: Lists in Word Cause Numbering Problems When Saved As RTF

• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK)

SYMPTOMS

When you save a document in Rich Text Format (RTF) in Microsoft Word 97 for Windows to generate Help (.hlp) files with the Microsoft Help Compiler, unwanted line numbering may precede paragraphs in the help source file. The document does not show these line numbers in Word 97.

CAUSE

This problem occurs in Word when you choose to continue a previous list, but there are non-list paragraphs between the two lists. The list can be either a bulleted or a numbered list.

Word places RTF codes after the first list which indicates that line numbering should continue silently, as in the example below:

   {\*\pn \pnlvlcont\ilvl0\ls0\pnrnot0\pndec }

   \*\pn = line numbering

   \pnlvlcont = continue line numbering but silently (don't display on
   screen)

   \ls0 = the list id that should be continued

   \pndec = the list is decimal (1,2,3)

WORKAROUND

The Help compiler does not allow you to continue a previous automatically numbered list. To generate this effect, turn off automatic numbering.

To turn off Automatic numbering, follow these steps:

1. On the Format menu, click AutoFormat, and click Options in the AutoFormat dialog box.

2. Click the AutoFormat As You Type tab and click to clear the Automatic Numbered Lists check box.

3. Click OK twice.

NOTE: Because bulleted lists do not provide the option to continue a previous list, this situation is more rare. When it occurs it is more difficult to solve, because you can not turn off the "continue previous list" option for bullets.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/default.asp

   Sub BulletFix()
   '
   ' BulletFix Macro
   '
   Dim par As Object

   ' Cycle through all paragraphs in document
      For Each par In ActiveDocument.Paragraphs
         ' Select paragraph
         par.Range.Select
         ' Save its ListTemplate (its formatting)
         Dim lt As ListTemplate
         Set lt = Selection.Range.ListFormat.ListTemplate
         If TypeName(lt) <> "Nothing" Then
            Dim FirstLine As Double
            Dim LeftIndent As Double
            FirstLine = Selection.ParagraphFormat.FirstLineIndent
            LeftIndent = Selection.ParagraphFormat.LeftIndent

            ' Remove Bullets/Numbers
            Selection.Range.ListFormat.RemoveNumbers _
               NumberType:=wdNumberParagraph
            ' Restore the list format
            Selection.Range.ListFormat.ApplyListTemplate _
            ListTemplate:=lt, ApplyTo:=wdListApplyToWholeList

            ' Restore Indentation Settings
            Selection.ParagraphFormat.FirstLineIndent = FirstLine
            Selection.ParagraphFormat.LeftIndent = LeftIndent
         End If
      Next
   ' Go back to the beginning of the document
   Selection.HomeKey Unit:=wdStory
   End Sub

For more information about the Listformat Property, while in the Visual Basic for Applications Editor, click the Office Assistant, type "Listformat," click Search, and then click to view "Listformat Property."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If the Assistant is not able to answer your query, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q120802
   TITLE     : OFFICE: How to Add/Remove a Single Office Program of
               Component

   ARTICLE-ID: Q173707
   TITLE     : OFF97: How to Run Sample Code from Knowledge Base Articles

Although there is no continuation option for bulleted lists, a bulleted list can inherit this behavior from a numbered list. If you look at the RTF code, the same problem RTF codes immediately follow the bulleted list, although they specify "\pndec" (referring to a numbered list.)

REFERENCES

Rich Text Format (RTF) Specification

For additional information about the Rich Text Format (RTF) Specification, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q86999
   TITLE     : WD: Rich Text Format (RTF) Specification 1.5 (GC0165)

Keywords          : appsconv kblist kbconversion
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb