How can I copy and paste a numbered list?

Question

Level 1

30 points

How can I copy and paste a numbered list?

I've produced a numbered list in Pages 5.1. I wanted to copy and paste that into Mail, but the numbers do not copy. In fact, the only program that retains the numbers that I have found so far is Pages—I can paste into a new Pages document. Is there something I'm missing here? Why should this be anything but a no-brainer?

I should mention that a solution proposed in another thread for an earlier version of Pages, copying the list and then choosing Paste Style from the Format menu, does not work.

Mac mini (Late 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)

Posted on Feb 1, 2014 5:30 PM

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Answer 1

hmibrooklyn Author

Level 1

30 points

Feb 2, 2014 5:45 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

You're surely correct, but I can't begin to imagine what the something else could be. The procedure I followed is exactly what I described, nothing more or different. Meantime, I've posted here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5858037

Maybe someone else will have a suggestion. Thanks again.

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Answer 2

Feb 1, 2014 5:59 PM in response to hmibrooklyn

This may be more work than you'd prefer, but after the list is pasted (unnumbered) into Mail, select (highlight) the lines and select Format > Lists > Insert Numbered List. That converts the selected lines to a numbered list for me.

Maybe someone else has a better solution.

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Answer 3

Feb 1, 2014 7:17 PM in response to YeOldMacFan

Since the Mail freezing problem is a separate issue, you should probably post your information in a new Mavericks thread where the appropriate viewers will see it.

I promise I won't make any suggestions on how to resolve it. 😉

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Answer 4

hmibrooklyn Author

Level 1

30 points

Feb 2, 2014 4:08 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

Thanks for responding.

FWIW, a few minutes ago I created a new blank Pages doc, made up a 6-item list using Pages auto-formatting, saved the doument, copied the text and pasted it into a new Mail window, selected that text, and from the formatting bar chose Insert Numbered List. Result: immediate beach ball. After a couple of minutes I Force Quit. This time I saved the log and will post it in a Mavericks discussion.

FWIW, this is all being done on a pretty new MacMini under fully updated System software and a freshly installed and updated copy of Pages.

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Answer 5

Feb 2, 2014 4:26 AM in response to hmibrooklyn

Again I am in OSX 10.9.1 using Pages 5.1 copied and pasted 200 long numbered list and converted it to a numbered list in Mail, no crash, only a slight delay.

Tried it with a nested list, same result.

There is something else in the formatting.

Peter

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Answer 6

Feb 1, 2014 6:01 PM in response to hmibrooklyn

List is a style format, applied to the text in Pages.

Select the text in Mail and reapply the list format from the Toolbar, to see the formatting bar click on the A icon.

Peter

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Answer 7

hmibrooklyn Author

Level 1

30 points

Feb 1, 2014 6:46 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

Well, I've tried both your version and YeOldMacFan's version. In both cases the uniform result is that Mail freezes and must be Force Quit. So, my thanks, but I'm not there yet.

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