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Question

Complex Page Numbering Help

Forum|Forum|11 months ago
March 12, 2025
3 replies
1633 views

Hello! I'm working on a 1300+ page technical document, and the owner wants some complex numbering. In lieu of a running head in the footer, they would like each page to indicate what "sections" of the book are on that page (ie. Section 1.4A to 1.6B)--note these sections start mid-page, so I can't use InDesign's sections.

The last version of this book did this numbering manually. I've got the actual sections set up with a List, but I'm not sure how to reference the sections in the footer--and I'd like to avoid the manual approach. Any suggestions?

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

@default99d2y87k82lj

Can you post some screenshots of what exactly you want to achieve?

I mean how your text looks like?

Or better yet - please upload some sample file. If you prefer to share it privately - please click my nickname.

D

default99d2y87k82ljAuthor

Participating Frequently

Of course. Here's one example footer:

The part on the left-hand side is what is working in Word that I need to replicate in InDesign.

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

@default99d2y87k82lj

But that's just a screenshot from WORD...

Can you share either your WORD or better yet - InDesign file?

You can share it privately if you prefer - please click my nickname.

Barb Binder

Community Expert

Hi @default99d2y87k82lj:

I know before I start typing that this is not the answer that you are looking for or want to hear: InDesign has adopted some, but not all of Adobe FrameMaker's technical document layout features. Not being able to call in auto-numbers into a variable is a prime example of how InDesign falls short.

Just the page count alone is saying use FrameMaker, as is the fact that it is a technical document. These types of files are why FrameMaker is still around since it was introduced in the mid-80s. No other application can do what FrameMaker can. Word wants to, but undoubtably you switched to Indesign because of the instability in technical document layout in Word.

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

I know the forums dislike "me too" posts but I wanted to second Barb's suggestion for FrameMaker.

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

Peter Spier

Community Expert

If the section number text appears on the page (and it could be non-printing) I think this could be accomplished using two Running Header variables one for first and one for last occurrence.

D

default99d2y87k82ljAuthor

Participating Frequently

Thank you! I tried that, but because the actual section numbering is being achieved with a Numbered List, the numbers aren't "text" that I can pull. I can pull the Words (ie. Sect. 1.08 This Is An Example -- creates the running head "THIS IS AN EXAMPLE") but not the numerals. Unless you have a suggestion?

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

Thank you! I tried that, but because the actual section numbering is being achieved with a Numbered List, the numbers aren't "text" that I can pull. I can pull the Words (ie. Sect. 1.08 This Is An Example -- creates the running head "THIS IS AN EXAMPLE") but not the numerals. Unless you have a suggestion?

By @default99d2y87k82lj

Extracting numbering isn't a problem at all - but that would require more or less a dedicated scripting solution.

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