Two questions for people good at using MS Word

[jmcoreymv]

I'm typing up a big document and there are two things I cant figure out how to do in word:

1. I have a number of figures with captions below them such as 'Figure 2 - Example of a blah blah'. In my text surrounding the figures, I want to refer to the figure by saying 'In Figure 2, we can see that...'. However I want the figure number in the text to change if the figure number in the caption changes. I've figured out that I can add a reference which will automatically update the number, but instead of just containing 'Figure 2' in the text, it contains the entire caption as 'Figure 2 - Example of blah blah'. Is this possible to just reference the figure #?

2. I have a number of subsections where I dont want the section title to end up on the bottom of a previous page and separated from the body text. However I dont want to use a section or page break because I don't care if the body text itself gets split up. Is it possible to make it so the section header does not end up by itself without using a page / section break?

 

[jmcoreymv]

^

 

[jmcoreymv]

Anyone need clarification of what I'm trying to do? It can't be that rare of a need (or can it...).

 

[bendixG15]

I can't help you bump ....

looks like you got a dry hole.....

 

[mayest]

I'll take a shot at question 1:

When you add a caption, just put in the figure number (as Figure 1, Figure 2, etc) and don't add any additional text. That places a textbox with the caption number, and now you can type additional text to identify the contents. Now, select the caption number (Figure 1, etc) and create a bookmark for it. Now, to refer to that picture, refer to the bookmark instead.

I just tried this and it worked for me, assuming that I understand what you are trying to do.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
I'm typing up a big document and there are two things I cant figure out how to do in word:

1. I have a number of figures with captions below them such as 'Figure 2 - Example of a blah blah'. In my text surrounding the figures, I want to refer to the figure by saying 'In Figure 2, we can see that...'. However I want the figure number in the text to change if the figure number in the caption changes. I've figured out that I can add a reference which will automatically update the number, but instead of just containing 'Figure 2' in the text, it contains the entire caption as 'Figure 2 - Example of blah blah'. Is this possible to just reference the figure #?

2. I have a number of subsections where I dont want the section title to end up on the bottom of a previous page and separated from the body text. However I dont want to use a section or page break because I don't care if the body text itself gets split up. Is it possible to make it so the section header does not end up by itself without using a page / section break?

Answer 1: This is for Word 2003

You need to right click on the 'picture/figure' and select 'Caption'. Then ebter whatever text you need. (I guess you already did this because just writing normal text under the picture will not count as a true caption)
To make a reference to it in the main text like you mentioned (only 'Figure 1' and not the full caption) you need to select 'Insert' ---> 'Reference' ---> 'Cross Reference'.
A window opens. Select 'Figure' from the Reference Type menu and then select 'Only label and number' from the Insert reference to menu.


Answer 2: Insert blank lines (CR)

 

[jmcoreymv]

Originally posted by: mayest
I'll take a shot at question 1:

When you add a caption, just put in the figure number (as Figure 1, Figure 2, etc) and don't add any additional text. That places a textbox with the caption number, and now you can type additional text to identify the contents. Now, select the caption number (Figure 1, etc) and create a bookmark for it. Now, to refer to that picture, refer to the bookmark instead.

I just tried this and it worked for me, assuming that I understand what you are trying to do.

Thanks! I also just found that I can insert a cross-reference and then set the reference type to figure, and then the set the "insert reference to:" box to 'Only label and number' and it works.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv

Originally posted by: mayest
I'll take a shot at question 1:

When you add a caption, just put in the figure number (as Figure 1, Figure 2, etc) and don't add any additional text. That places a textbox with the caption number, and now you can type additional text to identify the contents. Now, select the caption number (Figure 1, etc) and create a bookmark for it. Now, to refer to that picture, refer to the bookmark instead.

I just tried this and it worked for me, assuming that I understand what you are trying to do.

Thanks! I also just found that I can insert a cross-reference and then set the reference type to figure, and then the set the "insert reference to:" box to 'Only label and number' and it works.

It sure does work. I use it daily writing technical documents (specs, instructions....).

 

[jmcoreymv]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
I'm typing up a big document and there are two things I cant figure out how to do in word:

1. I have a number of figures with captions below them such as 'Figure 2 - Example of a blah blah'. In my text surrounding the figures, I want to refer to the figure by saying 'In Figure 2, we can see that...'. However I want the figure number in the text to change if the figure number in the caption changes. I've figured out that I can add a reference which will automatically update the number, but instead of just containing 'Figure 2' in the text, it contains the entire caption as 'Figure 2 - Example of blah blah'. Is this possible to just reference the figure #?

2. I have a number of subsections where I dont want the section title to end up on the bottom of a previous page and separated from the body text. However I dont want to use a section or page break because I don't care if the body text itself gets split up. Is it possible to make it so the section header does not end up by itself without using a page / section break?

Answer 1: This is for Word 2003

You need to right click on the 'picture/figure' and select 'Caption'. Then ebter whatever text you need. (I guess you already did this because just writing normal text under the picture will not count as a true caption)
To make a reference to it in the main text like you mentioned (only 'Figure 1' and not the full caption) you need to select 'Insert' ---> 'Reference' ---> 'Cross Reference'.
A window opens. Select 'Figure' from the Reference Type menu and then select 'Only label and number' from the Insert reference to menu.


Answer 2: Insert blank lines (CR)

Thanks for the reply, didn't see your post before I posted though.

For the second question though, I know I can go and insert blank lines manually after its all done. However the problem is that it is a large document and modifying one section might change the page spacing of another section, so I'd have to go back through the document and fix the spacing again.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser

Originally posted by: jmcoreymv
I'm typing up a big document and there are two things I cant figure out how to do in word:

1. I have a number of figures with captions below them such as 'Figure 2 - Example of a blah blah'. In my text surrounding the figures, I want to refer to the figure by saying 'In Figure 2, we can see that...'. However I want the figure number in the text to change if the figure number in the caption changes. I've figured out that I can add a reference which will automatically update the number, but instead of just containing 'Figure 2' in the text, it contains the entire caption as 'Figure 2 - Example of blah blah'. Is this possible to just reference the figure #?

2. I have a number of subsections where I dont want the section title to end up on the bottom of a previous page and separated from the body text. However I dont want to use a section or page break because I don't care if the body text itself gets split up. Is it possible to make it so the section header does not end up by itself without using a page / section break?

Answer 1: This is for Word 2003

You need to right click on the 'picture/figure' and select 'Caption'. Then ebter whatever text you need. (I guess you already did this because just writing normal text under the picture will not count as a true caption)
To make a reference to it in the main text like you mentioned (only 'Figure 1' and not the full caption) you need to select 'Insert' ---> 'Reference' ---> 'Cross Reference'.
A window opens. Select 'Figure' from the Reference Type menu and then select 'Only label and number' from the Insert reference to menu.


Answer 2: Insert blank lines (CR)

Thanks for the reply, didn't see your post before I posted though.

For the second question though, I know I can go and insert blank lines manually after its all done. However the problem is that it is a large document and modifying one section might change the page spacing of another section, so I'd have to go back through the document and fix the spacing again.

That's the exact reason 'page breaks' were invented.

 

[Smilin]

Nice responses in this thread.


You guys should get jobs as paper clips.

 

[oog]

Change the paragraph style of the header to specify "keep with next" to prevent it from being stranded at the bottom of a page

 

[jmcoreymv]

Great responses, thanks everyone. Got one more question now:

I don't like the way Word numbers equations so I added a 3 column table for each equation and put the equation in the middle column. In the right column, I inserted a '(' followed by a insert>field>seq number, followed by a ')' so that I get this effect:
x = 3+y (1)
blah blah blah
z=5*x (2)

I can't figure out how to reference the equation number though. So in the text I can type 'In Equation (1), blah blah'.

Any ideas?

 

[DannyLove]

Originally posted by: Smilin
Nice responses in this thread.


You guys should get jobs as paper clips.

LOLLLL

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: Smilin
Nice responses in this thread.


You guys should get jobs as paper clips.

Well that's where you come in bud!