Tiered Headings not Working in Pages

Question

Level 1

13 points

Tiered Headings not Working in Pages

Whenever I use tiered headings in Pages, it goes horribly wrong once I have a numbered list somewhere in my text. Rather than continuing the count from the previous heading, the following heading will have the next number from that numbered list.

For example:

[beginning of example]

1. First Chapter of this Text

bla bla bla

The following considerations need to be taken into account:

1. Numbering is an important factor in organising a document

2. Numbered items help guid the reader through the document

3. Tiered numbers help add structure to a document, and therefore make it easier to guide the reader.

4. Second Chapter of this Text

bla bla bla...

[end of example]

Obviously, I would want the second chapter of the text to have the number 2, but Pages will continue the numbering from the numbered list rather than the previous heading.

I can of course choose 'start from' and pick 2 to force the issue, but in my mind there is no point having automatic numbering in the first place if it can only be made to work by numbering things manually...

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4), Magic Mouse

Posted on Apr 10, 2018 7:30 AM

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Answer 1

Yellowbox

Level 7

21,939 points

Apr 11, 2018 2:32 AM in response to red_wolf_uk

Hi Thorsten,

The list within a chapter has broken the continuity within the chapter lists.

The Second Chapter is referring back to the intermediate list.

Therefore, Continue from previous makes sense to me.

It looks like you are stuck with Start from: and choose 2.

Regards,

Ian.

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Answer 2

red_wolf_uk Author

Level 1

13 points

Apr 11, 2018 7:38 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

Ok, contacted Apple Support on the issue, and here is the solution:

Create the list to be numbered and highlight it.

In the pull-down menu after "Bullets & Lists", rather than selecting "Numbered", click on the '+' sign and create a new list style. Name it "numbered list", or whatever takes your fancy.

In the pull-down menu below the one just opened, change "None" to "Numbered".

The numbered list now has its own numbering, and does not interfere with the numbering of the headings.

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Answer 3

Apr 11, 2018 2:36 AM in response to red_wolf_uk

I'll just correct your Heading yet again:

‘Numbered Headings not Working in Pages 5, 6 & 7’

They work fine in Pages '09. I've given up Lists in the subsequent versions.

Peter

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Answer 4

red_wolf_uk Author

Level 1

13 points

Apr 11, 2018 2:37 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

Hi Peter,

Thank you for that interesting snippet of information!

Best regards,

Thorsten

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Answer 5

red_wolf_uk Author

Level 1

13 points

Apr 11, 2018 12:50 AM in response to Yellowbox

Hi Ian,

Many thanks for your reply.

However, I fully understand how to achieve tiered numbering of headings, or anything else for that matter.

My problem is that Pages continues the heading numbering from the last numbered list in the text, so that heading numbers are completely out. I really should have used the Title ‘Numbered Headings not Working in Pages’, as truthfully it has nothing to do with being tiered, it just so happened that tiered headings was what I was trying to achieve at the time. However, it is the numbered part that is not working, not the tiered part.

In the example I have given, the number in front of ‘Second Chapter’ should be 2, not 4.

Best regards,

Thorsten

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Answer 6

red_wolf_uk Author

Level 1

13 points

Apr 11, 2018 2:35 AM in response to Yellowbox

Hi Ian,

I was afraid that this would be the answer. I was just hoping that someone knew a magical trick to fix this, as has happened a surprisingly number of times in the past. I am writing a lot of research-related documents, so getting the numbering right is paramount. Looks like I will have to revert back to LaTeX.

<rant> Given the reputation of Apple, I am surprised that they cannot get something as simple as heading numbering right, which the competition sorted out decades ago. </rant>

Many thanks for taking the time to answer!

Best regards,

Thorsten

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