Section numbering not sequential

[ReggieJ]

I've created a large document that has three levels of numbering -  Section 1, - 1.2 and 1.2.1. After inserting some new text with second level numbering, the numbering has lost sequence -  1.1 - 1.3 - 1.4 - 1.5 - 1.2 - 1.6.

Obviously the text in section 1.2 is linked to section 1.1, and i have inserted new text with headers in between. How do I break the link between section 1.1 and 1.2 so that the numbering updates to be in sequence?

[Eugene Tyson]

In my experience there's so many faults with the numbering that it just doesn't work the way you expect. 

I find it very faulty. There's so many permuations.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/restart-numbering-not-working-for-numbered-lists-created-w-p...

For example, not related, but I typeset a novel, and set the running header to be first on page. And on a blank page opposite a new page, it says Chapter 26, but the next page is the start of a new chapter, so it should say Chapter 25.

It's the only place in the entire book of 60 chapters it happens, and there is no other master page.

It's actually so bad, I've given up on auto numbering and running heads and set them manually now, it takes longer, but it's just so randomly bad.

For instance, I had a new document with numbering like you say, and I setup the numbering, and just randomly, like yours, it stopped working. I had 2 paragraph styles, Body text, and numbering.

Nothing I did fixed it, so I switched to manual numbering to save time as it just wasn't working.

https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601021-adobe-indesign-feature-requests

It needs to be fixed.

I'm going to start documenting cases and raise them in the bugs link above. Feel free to do the same.

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Hi Reggie:

I will respectfully disagree with Eugene on auto-numbering in InDesign. I work primarily with long docs, and consecutive numbering is a requirement. Once the logic is worked out, it works flawlessly.

Success comes down to logic but also how the file is set up—threaded frames make it easiest. If you have non-threaded frames, then they are numbered in the order in which they are drawn. (Cut and paste solves this)

Here is are two posts that I wrote for my students—work through the appropriate one to see if you can figure out where you went wrong. I'm happy to look at the file if you give it a shot and still can't figure it out. 

• If the document is set up using a book, with multiple InDesign files, see https://www.rockymountaintraining.com/adobe-indesign-numbering-headings/.
• If document is a single InDesign file, see https://www.rockymountaintraining.com/adobe-indesign-numbering-headings/#document.

~Barb 

[Eugene Tyson]

Absoultely disagree that it works flawlessly. It is heavily bug riddled. I work almost exclusively on long documents. And it doesn't work and largely complex compared to other software.

If it works flawlessly, then why does it start renumbering halfway through something and works fine everywhere else? 

There's no logic to it not working, it's bugged.

[Eugene Tyson]

And for the record, I largest book I typeset is 3,200 pages, and auto numbering breaking, and running heads (automation of these kinds) break my heart due to InDesigns quirks and bugs with them.

I'll happily start documenting these and raise them in the bugs.

[Frans v.d. Geest]

I fully agree with Barb: it works perfectly, if you know how.

Most, if not all, problems are caused by user error. For example reusing a paragraph style, not defining the list they are part off (most people seem not to know you can make list stick together to make them part of the same list), not setting levels, not setting levels in the code to repeat, untreathed frames, settings etc.

If you know how, it works without any oroblems or bugs, but you will have to learn how.

[Barb Binder]

Hi Eugene:

I can't say that for sure these bugs don't exist, but I can say that I've never encountered what you're describing in my numbered docs.

I would got back and rule out the issues I mentioned in my first response first – specifically testing the logic within one file, across the files in a book and how the frames are threaded (or not—in unthreaded frames, numbers are assigned chronologically and not by geography and you have to tell them to incrment across frames). Also the use of Lists and list properties brought up by Frans are also important factors that I neglected to mentioned.

And Eugene, for documents that are that long I do want to suggest you give some thought to FrameMaker. It's the best option for complex layout that involve hundreds (and thousands) of pages. A lot of the long document features that were added to InDesign were part of FrameMaker from the beginning, and work better there. Complex running heads, variables than can break across lines, condition tags and reflow, etc. Typographical controls are not as robust however, so that is something to think about.

If you have any interest in discussing if Fm is a good match for your docs, just let me know and we can chat off-line.

~Barb