InDesign: Inserting a cross-reference with a full context paragraph number

[vachrispy]

Is there a way to insert a cross-reference with a full context paragraph number? For example, if I want to fully reference the bolded item, in the outline below; it would like so "See 1.2.2. Heading 3 (Reference this line)". I can only find two routes to process cross-reference numbers. I can use a single paragraph number, which would appear as: "See 2. Heading 3 (Reference this line)". This causes a problem because I don't know which level and parent level(s) this referenced item 2 refers to.

1. Heading 1
   1. Heading 2
      1. Heading 3
      2. Heading 3
   2. Heading 2
      1. Heading 3
      2. Heading 3 (Reference this line)
      3. Heading 3

The other alternative is to fully list the numbered item level on each bullet, but I'm working with a long document (800+ pages) with nine tiers of a multi-level list. This wouldn't be ideal because my numbered items will take up too much real estate on the page and make it difficult for the reader to skim the document.

Example:

     1. Heading 1

         1.1. Heading 2

               1.1.1. Heading 3

               1.1.2. Heading 3
         1.2. Heading 2

               1.2.1. Heading 3

               1.2.2. Heading 3 (Reference this line)

               1.2.3. Heading 3

                    1.2.3.A. Heading 4

                         1.2.3.A.1. Heading

                              1.2.3.A.1.a. Heading 5

                                   1.2.3.A.1.a.i. Heading 6

This desired method can be achieved in MS Word using the cross-reference function of Reference Type: Numbered Item | Insert Reference to: Paragraph number (full context)

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

- Chris P.

[Barb Binder]

Hi Chris:

AFAIK, that's no in InDesign. These are the building blocks used to define an x-ref format, and there is no Full

Context option similar to what you have been using in Word.

There is an option for referencing a partial paragraph, but that isn't going to help with what you want, either. See  Insert and manage cross-references in InDesign​ for more information.

You can put in a feature request here: Adobe InDesign Feedback , and in the meantime, I'd recommend using <fullPara/>. In your example, how many lines can there be on a page that show "2. This is the text for this heading 3"?

~Barb

[FRIdNGE]

Hi,

If I understand well what you seem to mean:

You have this numbering:

2. Heading 3

and you want this cross-reference:

see 1.2.2. Heading 3

Right?

Best,

Michel, for FRIdNGE

[vachrispy]

That is correct. When I apply a cross-reference in my master document, I'm given just the current line count of the referenced item. In my description above, I added the parenthesis "Reference this line" to clarify the location in my outline.

Thanks!

[vachrispy]

Thank you Barb! My firm is shocked that there is no full context function for references in Adobe InDesign, though I can understand the programming language may allow for this function; HTML certainly doesn't. We want to move away from the MS Office and move into a more controllable vector based program like InDesign.

I'll submit the feature request with Adobe soon and reference this thread. My hope is that there are others who may be looking for this functionality as well.

- Chris

[FRIdNGE · Accepted solution]

Personally, as usual, I'm not shocked and, once again, I disagree: it's totally and easily doable in InDesign! …

Just a matter of right auto-nums, a conversion to text and a simple grep style.

It could be done quickly manually but I'll do it myself by script and with just 1 click!

Have a good day!

Best,

Michel

[vachrispy]

Thanks Michel,

This is so far the best solution and one that works for a final document. I didn't think about converting to text and using a GREP! Unfortunately, this still doesn't satisfy the functionality I need. I should've explained earlier in the thread that this document will be considered a "living document" in that it could and will be revised over the course of 10-20 years. The key issue to this process is converting the numbered items to text. Once I convert the bulleted items, I can't add or remove any sections without having to go through my entire document. With 500+ pages and an average of 3-5 cross-references per page, this won't do. I might be able to maintain a DRAFT version and do a save as with a FOR_PRINT version, then do this conversion. I'll have to run some tests to see if this works.

In the meantime, we have shorter static prints from time-to-time and I'm most definitely going to employ this method until Adobe can find a solution. I'm sure many people dealing with technical and legal documents would pay big bucks for a third-party extension that can do this very process.

Thanks!

- Chris

[FRIdNGE]

Chris,

As usual with me, most don't understand what I mean! …

You can do all what you want! …

If you add or remove parts of text, no problem! …

What you need to clearly understand is that the conversion is only used to "save" the first numbering used in the cross-ref.!

Nothing else! … Most ignore that a "conversion to text" only makes the auto-numbering "sleep", absolutely not "remove"!

If the layout moves, you just need to play again!

That's why I could write a script [not really complicated: its steps are already in my mind].

It's not automatic [no need] but it's just 1 click! … and you'll keep your doc … definitely alive with cross-ref. that just need to be updated!

Best,

Michel