Outline Numbering from Z to AA, BB, CC (Word 2000/1)

[diane1812]

When creating an outline, the numbering follows Z with AA, BB, CC, etc.

How can I get it to follow Z with numbering such as: AB, AC, AD, AE, etc. -- then, once I've finished with AZ, to follow it with BA, BB, BC, etc.?

Diane

[Phil Rabichow]

<P ID="edit" class=small>(Edited by Phil Rabichow on 22-Sep-03 15:31. to add the correction)</P>Hi Diane:
At least up through Word 2000, automatic numbering doesn't support AA, AB, AC, etc. I got this tip somewhere off the MVP site, I believe. I haven't tried it lately.

It can be achieved using SET and IF fields:
{ Quote { Set ABC { = { ABC } + 1 } }{ SET ABC2 { IF { ABC } > 26 "{ IF { = MOD({ ABC }, 26) } = 1 "{ = { ABC2 } + 1 }" "{ ABC2 }" }" "{ ABC2 }" } }{ SET ABC1 { IF ABC1 < 26 "{ = { ABC1 } + 1 }" "1" } }{ If { ABC } < 27 "{ ABC1 * ALPHABETIC }" "{ ABC2 * ALPHABETIC }{ ABC1 * ALPHABETIC }" } }
Hope this helps,

Correction: I just tried this & can't get it to work. I think I must have left out some steps & can't find the original article. I'll see what I can come up with.

[macropod]

Hi Diane,

Try a field like:
{QUOTE{SET A2Z{=MOD({SEQ ABC}-1,26)+1}}{SET AA2ZZ{=INT(({SEQ ABC c}-1)/26)}} {A2Z * ALPHABETIC}{IF{AA2ZZ * ALPHABETIC}= " " "" {AA2ZZ * ALPHABETIC}}}
where the braces '{}' are inserted in pairs using Ctrl-F9.

Cheers

[Phil Rabichow]

I just knew you'd find a way. <img src=/S/grin.gif border=0 alt=grin width=15 height=15>

[diane1812]

I created the contents you provided by pressing Ctrl+F9 to create each new set of braces and typed the contents within them. I captalized where you capitalized; I spaced where you spaced. It appears to be an exact duplicate of yours. But, when I press Alt+F9, the screen is blank. This was the second time I created it.

What is interesting is that the first time I typed it, I ended up with a lowercase "a" (because I had typed everything--including ALPHABETIC--in lowercase). I copied/pasted this code twice under the one I typed, and each time an "a" appeared, rather than a "b" and "c" as I was expecting.

As I was correcting that, I noticed several more mistakes (like misspelling ALPHABETIC, ending up with an extra ending braces, and one or two more errors that I don't recall specifically right now). Once I made all of the corrections, I checked it again and made sure it appeared exactly as yours. However, Alt+F9 no longer displayed the "a" -- it displayed nothing.

My experience with field codes has been minimal and was about three years ago. From my description of what I did, do you have any idea of what I might have done wrong?

Diane

[Phil Rabichow]

Hi Diane:
I don't think macropod's online now. The capitalizing of alphabetic isn't important, nor the word seq or set. However, other capitalization may affect the result. Don't press Alt+F9--press F9 & the field will update. Alt+F9 will switch between the result & the field code.

Download the attached document & copy & paste the code. If you plan to use this often, make the entire code an autotext entry so that you can easily use by typing something like AZ (or whatever you want) & pressing F3.
Cheers,

[macropod]

Hi Diane,

Try the attached. When re-testing, I noticed that I'd put the output order the wrong way round <img src=/S/doh.gif border=0 alt=doh width=15 height=15> , so that after Z, you'd get AA, BA, CA etc instead of AA, AB, AC etc. Correct field is:
{QUOTE{SET A2Z{=MOD({SEQ ABC}-1,26)+1}}{SET AA2ZZ{=INT(({SEQ ABC c}-1)/26)}}{IF{AA2ZZ * ALPHABETIC}= " " "" {AA2ZZ * ALPHABETIC}}{A2Z * ALPHABETIC}}

Cheers

[diane1812]

I downloaded the attachments both of you provided ... both worked perfect!

Phil, I appreciate the extra tutoring. I placed the code in AutoText and then AutoCorrect (my preference), and either feature makes it a breeze to use.

Thanks to both of you, Phil and Macropod, for your help.

Diane