How do I start numbering from something other than one?

[guest]

Hi,

I've found how to add page numbers using the insert and fields choice, but I do not see how to add numbers starting with something other than 1. When I go to fields --> other and select "page" it looks like I should be able to do this by setting the offset, but when I do and click "insert"... nothing is inserted into the header. Nothing at all happens.

Thanks, Kevin

[ksclarke]

Hmmm,

Okay after more attempts it seems I can set the offset to 1, 2, or 3 but nothing more. I have chapters that are individual documents so need offsets in the double digits... any ideas why I wouldn't be able to set higher offsets than 3?

Thanks, Kevin
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[knowe]

That's odd. What version of OOo and which platform?

[ftack]

Indeed, for me also there seems to be a problem here (OOo 1.02 on Win98). A page number with ofset 2 displays 3 and numbering continues on the following pages, up to 17, but then on the next page, numbering stops: a small gray box is where 18 should be. I can insert an offset 13, but numbering stops after 17.

[Guest]

Did you guys ever sort this out - I am having a similar problem and would love some help!

[dstillman]

found this at
http://www.8daysaweek.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34

and it has worked for me...enjoy!


1. Place your cursor in the header or footer of your document.
2. Insert the page number, click Insert > Fields > Page Number. The page number will be 1.
3. Place your cursor in the first paragraph in the text area, or type a paragraph of text if your document is blank.
4. Click Format > Paragraph (or right-click and choose Paragraph from the pop-up menu) to display the Paragraph dialog box.
5. Click the Text Flow tab. In the Breaks section, select Enable (OOo1) or Insert (OOo2), With Page Style, and the page style you are using for the first page of the document.

6. The Page number field is now active. Type the page number you want to start with. Click OK to close the Paragraph dialog box.

Do not set a starting page number that is an even number or you will get a blank page after the first page.
However, you can change the options so that this blank page doesn't "print" in Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Writer > Print (remove the tick from "Print automatically inserted blank pages").

[foxcole]

Beware... never use offsets in documents that will have a table of contents and/or an index. The offset is a simple calculation local to the field you create it in, and is only useful for display purposes. The actual page number on that page is unchanged and that's what the TOC or index uses, so the page number in the TOC or index will not match the number that shows on the page.

What is the exact layout of the document in which you need to start with a page number other than 1? There are several ways to accomplish that, but keep in mind that page numbers are a page style attribute.

You can insert a manual break, for example, and in the break you'd specify the next page style to use and the page number you want on that page style... but this assumes that you have at least one page of content before the page you want to start numbering.

If you're manually setting the starting page number of a file that will be a chapter in a book, I see no reason to do it that way and, in fact, advise against it because numbering quickly becomes a nightmare when you do any of it manually.

What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Why do you need to set the page number? Perhaps there's a better approach...
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---Fox

WinXP Pro SP2, OOo Portable 2.3.1, OOo local 2.4 RC4
New OpenOffice forum: http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/
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[udippel]