using styles to restart numbering

[FieryPantone]

so … I have an experimental InDesign file, trying to replicate an existing FrameMaker file. The content includes level 2 and level three headings (not numbered, style names :h2 and :h3) plus level 1 and level 2 ordered lists :ol and :ol_2
I've started from Kvern, Blatner and Bringhurst; I've consulted the Adobe documentation; I've dug around on the internet … and I still can't work out how to use properties of the heading styles to restart the list numbering!
Patient explanations, or even URLs for patient explanations, much appreciated. Note that I deliberately don't want to get into the realm of multi-level list styles, because there's an export process involved that identifies each level as a separate style.
Thanks in advance!

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Oh hi, FieryPantone:

I wrote up the process here:

https://www.rockymountaintraining.com/adobe-indesign-restart-numbered-lists-automatically/

~Barb 

[FieryPantone]

I feel encouraged already :-} sorry for the delayed reply, but I'm out of office Thursdays and Fridays for the time being.

[FieryPantone]

Clear and correct – thanks very much! Farther brain-cudgelling will be required, though, before I have any clear mental model of how "continue" and "restart" work together … I mean, they sound rather like complete opposites :-}

[Barb Binder]

Hi @FieryPantone:

I see your point. In reality, it doesn't really matter if the paragraph being used to reset the counter has the Mode set to Restart At or Continue From Previous because it won't be visible. You just need that first level to be in place to allow you to Restart Numbers at this Level: After any Previous Level for the actual list. Honestly, I'm not sure why I chose Restart At: 1 that day—it was probably the first combination of settings that I tried that achieved the goal.

I need to retract all that! ^^^. I was playing with it with the numbers on the restart paragraph visible, and either one works. But once I hide the numbers, then that style needs to be set to Restart at 1. 🙄

~Barb 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS · Accepted solution]

You should be able to use the same basic concept as FrameMaker.

For the Header and Numbered List styles:

Header style settings

[Barb Binder]

Dave (aka @Dave Creamer of IDEAS)  knows both InDesign and FrameMaker at least as well as I do (probably way better!), but setting restart to 0 aka < =0> doesn't actually achieve the desired result in InDesign.

~Barb

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I usually test things before I post so I don't make a complete idiot of myself (just a partial one...). Worked for me, anyway--but I only did two consecutive lists to test it.

The Heading style was the start at zero (0), not the numbered list.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Below is a screen shot of my test file. Each new numbered list starts at one automatically.

The InDesign file is attached too.

[Barb Binder]

LOL. Dave Creamer and "idiot" have never been used in the same sentence!

In my test—I still had the file open when you posted earlier—I had two styles: List Body and List NumberedList (Now who sounds like the idiot? But I didn't want to rename/mess up my Body and NumberList styles in that file. 😂) Anyway, in my screen shot, I set the Mode to Start at 0 for List Body, and you saw the result—the List NumberedLists all started at 0.

Are you saying that worked for you?

~Barb

[Barb Binder]

OK, I have now spent way too much time on this but the key to the discrepency between our two approaches is the grayed out number in the List style that is left over from the Start at value as you switch the Mode to Continue From Previous Number. 

Barb's example

Dave's example

Now I need to go out and play in our new snow. 

~Barb 

[FieryPantone]

Enjoy the snow! milk-glass sky and just-perceptible dampness is the best we can manage here in Belgium at the moment.

FrameMaker's numbering paradigm, imho, is a thing of beauty and a joy for ever <g> but I'll carry on experimenting with InDesign and hope I'll be able to get my head round it for those occasional sorties outside the FM reserve.

[pixxxelschubser]

Hi @Dave Creamer of IDEAS, hi @Barb Binder 

IMHO in the example of Creamer, you can set any value as you wish. It does not matter whether "0" or "507" or "9999" is used for the level 1 numbering, since the number is suppressed anyway. It is only important to check the checkbox: Restart Numbers At This Level After: [Any Previous Level] in level 2 numbering.

Nonetheless, for a "clear logic" it makes sense to use the number "0" in level 1 numbering. However, this value has no real further meaning.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

True--any number could work, but why muddy the waters since zero is a logical input. Since I build templates for other users, I try to imagine what would make the most sense to them in the future.