Re-numbering Images

It's interesting how the constraints of linear, printed documentation continue to inhibit many of us.

The need to number tables and graphics is a good example. When a document has a lot of them, and you can't guarantee they will appear close to the relevant text, you need to be able to say "See Fig. 21, etc." You may have several references to Fig. 21 in various parts of the document. The number saves a lot of time flipping pages, and makes a Table of Figures useful.

With the hyperlink came a revolution not only from the instant action of a click, but in the way we think about what we know and what we need to know about subjects of great complexity. Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Word, originally designed primarily for producing and moving information to be printed, added siignificant value to their products by incorporating hyperlinks in text, TOCs and indexes.

Now, instead of saying "See Fig.21 . . . . " we can say "Click here to see a photo of 'The subject we're talking about in this paragraph.' "

My HAT is off to Captiv8r for making that point here first.

Harvey

Just curious, has the answer to the original post changed with the release of RH7? I'm trying to do the very same thing, namely, use some sort of auto-numbering for images. A temporary (and decidely inferior) solution is to leave out numbers altogether. I hate to create something like:

(Image)
Figure: The opening screen.

..but repeatedly numbering and re-numbering 50+ images seems tedious. I'm not using Word, if that matters. Everything I author is in RH HTML. ;-)

JJ

Pam,
Is this document exported to Word? If so you can use the SEQ field code in place of the caption number. Just set the first figure number with the field code { SEQ fig /r1 } (which sets the figure number at 1) and then every figure number afterwards, use the field code { SEQ fig }. Unfornately if you add a new figure in RH and export the document to Word again, you will have to repeat this process.

I don't think RH has the field code ability or to autonumber figures, but at least this would help you renumber the figures.

Just an idea.
Greg

Could you talk to the powers above to get them to agree to change your style? If you sold it to them that it took you 30 minutes each time a new image is added to change all the numbers maybe they'd agree to a change. I presume you are exporting to Word? How about not adding the "Figure" tag in RH but when you have the Word doc. Then you'd have a set sequence.

Not really Pam. You don't mention where you edit your source but if you were using Word, it has an automatic caption facility what would autonumber for you. You could then import the Word file into RH. Mind you as someone who never goes near Word unless it is absolutely necessary I wouldn't recommend it for your sanity.