How to link multilevel list to figure caption in InDesign?

Ugh. I managed to forget about the incremental caption numbers, 1.1-1, 1.1-2, from the original question. 🤦‍

Before you consider an application switch, take a look at Robert's scripting idea. He may be able to get you there within InDesign. I'm not teaching tomorrow, so will have a chance to think this all the way through one more time.

But again, how were you doing this in PageMaker?

~Barb

One last thing @Jospeh Isherwood., unless you have further questions from me. 

I made one more quick video to demo that you can add the en dash and space to the heads so that they will be picked up by the x-ref, but hidden the in heads (with a GREP style).

I have a question for you though. I was a very long time PageMaker user—I don't recall either cross references or numbered list in PageMaker. Now it's been 23 years since I've used it and maybe I've just forgotten, but how were you handling this in PageMaker? I'm guessing everything was done manually?

~Barb

To be clear, I'm not suggesting updating to FrameMaker now. I'm just pointing out that InDesign wasn't designed for the rigorous layout requirements of technical documents, so you may run into additional unexpected difficulties. I just wanted to give you a heads up.

That said, cross-references can address this issue. They can be updated after you add, remove or renumber headings. This video shows me removing the heading above the one referenced and then updating the references. 

~Barb

Ok. Keep the ^H.

The lowest level heading is at level 5 (1.1.1.1.1) for the books, although there isnt a heading of that level in this chapter.

This seems like a stumbling block that I don't see an answer for. If some chapters have a level 5 head and some don't, then InDesign is going to call in the number when it is there, and use a zero when it isn't. Is there any chance you can simplify the figure and table numbers and perhaps just call in the top two levels? Figure 1.1-1 and Table 1.1-1 instead of Figure 1.1.1.1.1-1 and Figure 1.1.1.1.0-1? If not, we are now looking at manual workarounds, which require human proofing because they can go awry after edits.

~Barb 

Hi @Jospeh Isherwood.:

So you've made a change from yesterday that necessitates clarification: is your tech doc a series of chapters pulled together in an InDesign book (.indb file) or is it all contained in one .indd file?

You want to start with  ^H for book documents and ^1 for a single file. If the document you are showing us below is just the first chapter of what's going to be a multi-chapter book then you want to leave the ^H. Otherwise, you will want to restore the ^1.

The extra zero is because you seem to have added two levels instead of one (which you might need but I can't see why from what you are showing us). Let's make Figure title a Level 5 and change the number format to "Figure ^H or ^1.^2.^3.^4–^5". Does that do it?

~Barb

Hi @Jospeh Isherwood. 

This is just a level 5 in your list. Create a new style for the caption based on  Heading Style 4 and set it as Level 5 with the Number format ^1.^2.^3^4 – ^5. This will product Figure 1.2.2.6-1, 1.2.2.6-2, 1.2.2.6-3, etc.

And remember to use cross-references to the Paragraph number <paraNum /> in those two final paragraphs in the left column, so that they will update when you add or remove figures. 

~Barb

I don't think there is an option to do it - you can only add Chapter Number placeholder - and no option for any kind of variables...

But it could be scripted... Script would've to create new ParaStyle - for each section - and add static text from this Section.