Indesign is skipping a chapter number

[ustamills]

I have a Book document. I have a master page that uses the chapter number. It's applied to the first page of each chapter. It's supposed to update automatically. Each doc contains exactly one chapter. Pretty normal, right?

But if I look at all the chapter numbers across the book I get 1,3,4,5,6,7.  The Chapter 3 should actually be Chapter 2. I checked, all the docs in the book have the right master pages set. I don't recall ever using that variable anywhere else, and I can't find a stray "2" anywhere. All docs are in the right order. There is no document between 1 and 2.

• Why is my chapter number skipping? How could this happen?

• Is there a way I can search for, or visually detect, the presence of variables?

Any other ideas?

[ustamills]

Forgot to say: I have done a sync. More than once.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS · Accepted solution]

Check the problem document and see if the Number  & Sections Options is set to Automatic. Technically, the numbering is controled by each document's setting--the book just updates based on those settings. 

Also, sync'ing is not the same as updating book numbering--be sure you are choosing the correct option.

[ustamills]

So, I got it fixed and here's where it got interesting.  I went back to make sure I did everything you said.  Nothing worked. But then I CLOSED all the documents that were open (including the problem document), ran the Update Numbering again. Et voila. It was updated as I expected.

Thanks for the pointers!

[Lorenzo33226162zhje]

To fatiguing telling us where this "update numbering" sub-menue is?

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

It's on the Book panel. The person I was resonding to already had a book so that info wasn't necessary. 

[Lorenzo33226162zhje]

These are public Q&As, so please always consider including some more context when answering. Thank you!

[BobLevine]

You're hijacking a four-year-old post. If you have a question, please start a new discussion. I'm locking this one to avoid any further confusion.

[joervi08]

Hello. I am also encoutering this issue. My numbering for the list of figure is skipping #11 and jumped into #12 instead. And when i add a new number, it skips the odd number now. So it becomes 12, 14, 16 despite being automatic in numbering. Also, where can i find the option to "update numbering". Maybe this will resolve my issue. TIA. 

[joervi08]

nvm, i found the issue. apparently there are two numbers in a text box and its just hidden in my view. but still would like to know the my second question. thanks again!