How do I get my autonumbering to work?

[FMdancer]

I am using FM11 and needed to add a fourth and fifth level to my procedure steps. I must have made a mistake in my autonumber format because when I have level 5 steps between level 4 steps, my level 4 restarts the numbering.

My first TBD is where the para numbering restarted. The last line shows where the para numbering restarted again. Both times a level 5 procedure followed the level 4 procedure paragraph format.

I have a Procedure_Begin para tag for the first in a series. Then I set the Next Pgf Tag to the para tag that is supposed to continue numbering.

This is my autonumber format used.

This shows the level 4 procedures basic setup.

I thought the <a+> would continue my numbering.

[Bob_Niland]

Looks like the counter is being reset by one of the other ANs.

Show us the AF for all of them.

[FMdancer]

Here they are. The other autonums seems to be working fine.

I don't have a procedureStelLevel 2_begin, if that matters.

[Bob_Niland · Accepted solution]

Back when FM had a manual, it said:
"If a counter is incremented, any omitted counters in the series to the right of it are reset to zero."

You need to include at least <> for every counter in every N: expression.

[FMdancer]

Now when my procedures steps have notes or substeps, the autonumber doesn't continue correctly. Here's an example:

Notice line 1037 should be "3" and line 1041 should be "4"

Here are my autonumber formulas:

If I don't interrupt the lines with NOTES or sub-paragraphs, the autonumbering works perfectly. How do I correct this?

[FMdancer]

Excuse me, line 1037 should be "c"

[Arnis Gubins]

First check that the correct paratags are applied.

As Error mentions, include all of your counters in the autonumbers, especially at the top levels, i.e. your first step level should be N:\t<n+>.\t< =0>< =0>< =0>< =0>. Note: each level should be resetting all counters for their respective child levels, i.e. everything to the right of the significant counter should be reset to zero and not shown, e.g. < =0>

Finally, check what you are inserting with Notes or sub-paragraphs to see if they use an autonumber in the N: series.

[FMdancer]

Ok. I see my problem. All my para numbers in a series such as 3.1.1.2 need to have the same autonumbering series identifier. But when I do a different numbering scheme inside the n.n.n.n steps, those should be in their own series number. When I made each indented level a different series identifier, the autonumbering worked fine, even when a NOTE or other lower level substeps separated them(as in the case of line 1037 and 1042. Thanks for your help! I love this forum.

[Arnis Gubins]

You really shouldn't need to use a different series number for sub-steps, unless you actually want these to number completely independently from the other steps [this might be quite confusing for your readers].

What you are trying to do is referred to as the matrix method for auto-numbering, where each each parent step resets the child sub-steps. You can create very complex numbering schemes this way, as well as minimizing the number of paratags required. Do a web search for an article by Brad Anderson on FM autonumbering. This is an excellent resource that explains how to do it properly.

There also is another paper available at: www.daube.ch/docu/fm-kurs/autonumbering.pdf that coversthistopic ina bit more depth.See the "Combined autonumbering" part.