Outlines are a great way to organize and structure blocks of text. You can also use this feature to create numbered lists, reports with bulleted sections, and detailed "staircase"-structured manuals. You can easily move items around (up/down) in the outline, place them in order relative to one another (i.e., on a different "level"), and even hide ("collapse") most of the items while you work on one section of the outlined material.

Outlines in WordPerfect can be numbered (e.g., 1., a., i.; 1., 1.1, 1.1.1; etc.). The numbers automatically increment at the start of each new paragraph (unless you start a new paragraph with a line break: <Ctrl+Shft+L>; this skips the auto-numbering process for the next paragraph). If you move items around or add/delete items, the outline automatically renumbers itself.

Outlines can also be bulleted, or they can start with text labels. Bullets can be quickly accessed via a button located on the standard (default) toolbar. (The button's icon shows three small squares in vertical orientation, each followed by a horizontal line.) There are other ways to insert bullets (see here).

To start an outline -- especially in a way that gives you more style options -- click on Insert, Outline/Bullets & Numbering. If you select text first, the outline will apply to the selection.

In the Bullets & Numbering dialog that appears, choose either the Numbers, Bullets, or Text tab at the top of the dialog. Then click an icon that represents the type of Outline style you want to use. When you click OK, WordPerfect inserts the outline number and (usually) an indent. Then just type your paragraph(s). When you press <Enter> a new outline item starts, with a new number (or bullet or label), unless as mentioned above, you use a line break.

To stop numbering, simply press the <Backspace> key at the beginning of a new outline level (see here for other methods).

While working in an outline, you will see the Outline property bar appear above the body text area; this bar lets you promote/demote items, hide items, etc.

To demote (indent) an outline item to a lower level, you can press <Tab> at the beginning of a new outline item. To promote it, press <Shft+Tab>. Or, use the special-purpose buttons on the Outline property bar.

You can create new outline styles if you prefer something different from the standard styles, or you can simply modify an existing outline style.

You can remove outline numbers, bullets, or text labels -- or even convert them to their text equivalents in the event you need to share the document in some format other than WordPerfect.

For more on this useful feature, see WordPerfect's online Help menu, or refer to a good book on WordPerfect, such as those noted on the Home page.

See also -

• "Automatic paragraph numbering, outlines, and numbered lists" - how to quickly turn numbering on and off, promote and demote outline levels, and a dozen other useful tips
• "Mark a style for inclusion in a Table of Contents"

Outlines are made up of two main parts: an automatic paragraph numbering scheme made up of one or more levels, and a formatting style associated with each level.

First, you set up the outline scheme by specifying whether it should be single level or multi-level, and what type of numbering should be used, such as Paragraph, Legal, Roman, etc.

Then you set up the actual formatting -- the style -- that the outline will take in each of the outline's paragraphs, such as the type of indenting, additional text characters, font, font attributes, etc.

Here's how to create new outlines (see the section below about how to modify existing outlines or make modified copies of outlines):

• Click on Insert, Outline/Bullets & Numbering, <Numbers tab>, Create. The Create Format dialog will appear. This sets up the new outline numbering scheme.
• In the "List name:" field of the Create Format dialog, enter the name of your new outline scheme. (Names are limited to 12 alphanumeric characters.) Add an optional description in the Description field. The name and description will appear in the Bullets & Numbering dialog when the outline style is selected by clicking on its graphic image (i.e., its icon).
• For "List Type:" choose
  • "Single level list" for numbers that will contain just one level (e.g., a normal list numbers such as 1,2,3, etc.; fixed-width numbered paragraphs such as 001, 002, etc.; or bulleted lists), or choose
  • "Multi-level list" for a typical outline style (e.g., 1, a, I, etc.)
• In the "Text before:" field, you can enter a word or short phrase to precede the outline number (e.g., Article, Section, Chapter, etc.).
  • [See also the "Contents" pane in the Styles Editor (discussed below), where you can add text, tabs, indents, and so forth, before or after the outline number.]
• In the "Number/Bullet" drop list, choose "1." (or "1" without the period/full-stop for fixed-width numbering), or other number or bullet for each Level in the "Style" list on the right.
• In the "Style" drop list, choose "Level 1" for single level lists, or accept the default levels for multi-level lists.
• In the "Leading zeros" drop list, choose the number of leading zeros (if any).
• Click Create Style. The Styles Editor dialog will appear. This sets up the formatting -- or style -- of the outline paragraph (how it will be indented in the document, etc.).
• In the Styles Editor, give the new format style a name and a description. The name can be similar (but not identical) to the one you gave to the outline scheme in the "List name" field (explained above).
• The "Enter key inserts style:" field should be set to <Same Style>.
• The "Type" should be set to Paragraph.
• In the "Contents:" pane, you will see some default codes. You can usually delete any codes surrounding or following the [Para Num] code (such as the default [Hd Left Ind] code that follows the [Para Num] code) and/or insert your own codes using the Insert or Format menu items at the top of the Styles Editor window. Be sure to retain the [Para Num] code, since this contains information about the structure of the outline itself (number of levels, etc.).
  • EXAMPLE 1: You could insert a Tab before the [Para Num] code, or insert a Tab or two (instead of the default hard left indent) after this code.

The former (using a Tab before the [Para Num] code) would create an outline style something like this:

     1. This is paragraph one. It will wrap to the left margin.
     2. This is paragraph two.

The latter (using two Tabs after the [Para Num] code) would create an outline style something like this:

1.          This is paragraph one. It will wrap to the left margin.
2.          This is paragraph two.

• EXAMPLE 2: You can also add text around the [Para Num] code; for example, you could type brackets to produce numbers like [1], [2], etc., or if you use leading zeros, [0001], [0002], etc.

The would create an outline style something like this:

[0001]     Paragraph one.
[0002]     Paragraph two.

• EXAMPLE 3: You can also add text labels following (or preceding) the [Para Num] code, with formatting, such as "Section" or "Definition:" (Note: You can add up to about 4,000 text characters in the Contents field. Adding text inside the Styles Editor is one way to create text variables -- identical text inserted in several document locations by inserting a special style -- a feature that was added in WP10.)
• Click OK twice to return to the Bullets & Numbering dialog.
• IMPORTANT: To save this outline in your default template to make it available in all future documents, click Options, Copy, Default template, OK, while still in Bullets & Numbering. Alternatively, before creating the outline style, click on Settings (or Setup), and "Save to default template." [You can also retrieve custom outline styles later into the current document or template.]
• You can now select this this outline from the Insert, Outline/Bullets & Numbering menu selection by clicking on its icon. You can toggle it on and off in the document with a shortcut key.

TIPS:

• You can apply font attributes (Bold, Italics, Redline, Small Caps, etc.), relative sizes (Large, Small, etc.), and/or Fonts (Arial, Copperplate, Technical, etc.) to the outline level's style. This is done in a similar manner to the method used to "Mark a style for inclusion in a Table of Contents"; just double-click the [Style] code in an outline level to modify the style's Contents field in a manner similar to the TOC-marking method described in "Mark a style for inclusion in a Table of Contents".
• See also Automatically numbered document headings.

MINOR CHANGES

For minor changes to an existing outline's appearance, you can click the Modify button on the outline property bar that appears when your cursor is in an outline. For example, you can add a short string of text before the outline's number to produce outline numbering like "Chapter 1" or "Paragraph 1".

MORE EXTENSIVE CHANGES
(such as modifying the paragraph spacing between outline items or changing font formatting)

METHOD A: Brief modification method. (Intermediate to advanced level users might prefer this method for many "on the fly" modifications.) Double-click the outline's [Style] code in Reveal Codes; this opens the Styles Editor for more precise, direct editing of the outline style for that level. See also the "Alternatives and Examples" section below if you want to add or delete tabs or indents, or put several (repeating) words or sentences in front of outline numbers. See also the Tips section in "How to Create New Outline Styles" above.

METHOD B: Step-by-step modification method. (All users.) Step 1: Click on Insert, Outline/Bullets & Numbering, Numbers tab (or Bullets or Text tabs). Step 2: Select an existing outline (numbers, letters, bullets, etc.) by clicking on its graphical (icon) representation in the dialog's window with your mouse. Then either - Step 2(a) Click the Edit button to modify the chosen outline for the current document only; or Step 2(b) To make the modified outline style available in the current and future documents: Click the Options button, and then click on Copy to make a copy of this outline, so you can edit it to make a brand-new outline. The Outline Definition Copy dialog opens. Click OK to save the modifications to the "Current Document" (you'll save them to the default template later). The Outline Definition Duplicate dialog opens. Give the copied style a name (perhaps similar to the original), then press OK. The new outline style will be added to the icons. Its graphic (icon) representation should already be selected; if not, select it now, then click Edit. (Step 2 continued:) The Create Format dialog will appear. This sets up the general outline numbering scheme. Since you are modifying an outline that already has a name, the name and description fields will be grayed out. Step 3: For the "List Type," choose either one of these radio-button choices: (a) "Single level list" for numbers that will contain just one level (e.g., a normal list numbers such as 1,2,3, or I, II, III, etc.; fixed-width numbered paragraphs such as 001, 002, etc.; or bulleted lists), or (b) "Multi-level list" for a typical outline style (e.g., 1, a, I, etc.). [Some outline styles, such as Bullets, in some versions of WordPerfect might default to the "Single level list"; simply click the other radio button.] Step 4: In the largest field in the dialog, click on the outline level(s) you want to modify to select it. In the "Text before:" field (above the list of outline levels) you can delete the current contents and/or enter a word or short phrase to precede the actual outline number or letter (e.g., Article, Section, Chapter, etc.), or you can enter (or replace) a symbol such as a bullet (by pressing <Ctrl+W>, select the symbol, then press Insert and Close). [See also the "Contents" pane in the Styles Editor (discussed below), where you can add text, tabs, indents, and so forth, before or after the outline number.] If you are modifying a Bullet outline, you can now skip to Step 7. Step 5: In the "Number/Bullet" drop list (above the list of outline levels), modify the level's number as desired. For example, if you are modifying an existing Legal number outline, you could use 1, 1.1, (a), and (1) for the first four levels; or if you are modifying the standard Roman numeral outline, you could use I. and I.A for the first two levels (assuming a multi-level Roman numeral outline). Just put the cursor in the "Number/Bullet" field and type (for example) an "A" character after the "I." characters. Step 6: Then either do one of these two steps for each level: (a) In the "Style" drop list, choose an existing style for the currently selected level (or just accept the existing styles), or - (b) Click the Create Style button to modify the currently selected level's style. The Styles Editor dialog will appear. This sets up the formatting -- or style -- of the outline paragraph (how it will be indented in the document, etc.). In the Styles Editor, give the new format style a name and a description -- probably the same or similar name you gave to the outline scheme. For example, if you are modifying a copy of the Roman outline that you have named Roman2, and the currently selected level is #3, you could use a name like Rom2Lev3. This makes the new style easier to identify in a styles list. (Incidentally, you must give each new style a name.) The "Enter key inserts style:" field should generally be set to <Same Style> or to whatever setting the original used. The "Type" should generally be set to Paragraph or to whatever setting the original used. In the "Contents:" pane, you will see some default formatting codes. You can usually delete any codes surrounding or following the [Para Num] code, such as the default [Hd Left Ind] code that follows the [Para Num] code (this code is responsible for indenting the entire paragraph from the margin by one tab stop; to wrap to the left margin, some users replace it with a Tab using Insert, Tab on the Styles Editor menu). You can also insert your own codes using the Insert or Format menu items at the top of the Styles Editor window. You can also add text labels following (or preceding) the [Para Num] code, with formatting, such as "Section" or "Definition:" Note: Be sure to retain the [Para Num] code, since this contains information about the structure of the outline itself (the number of levels, etc.). [See both Examples and Tips in the "How to Create New Outlines" section above.] Step 7: Click OK to return to the Bullets & Numbering dialog, then to the main document screen. Step 8: Test the outline in your document. (Do not close it without saving it until you have performed the next step.) Step 9. IMPORTANT: To save this outline in your default template to make it available in all future documents, select the newly modified outline with Insert, Outline/Bullets & Numbering. Then click Options, Copy, Default template (answer Yes to "Overwrite...?"), OK. If you do not do this the modified outline will be available (saved) in the current document only. [You can also retrieve custom outline styles later into the current document or template.] NOTE: To remove or edit this new outline in the future, simply edit your default template as explained here and delete it from the Bullets & Numbering dialog. Step 10: You can now select this this outline from the Insert, Outline/Bullets & Numbering menu selection by clicking on its icon, then OK. You can easily toggle it on and off in the document with a shortcut key.

Alternatives and examples (modifying outline styles)

Example 1. Put a Tab (or other code) in front of the outline number

Here's an alternative from "Robin" at WordPerfect Universe (01/26/2004). Note that the procedure will modify the outline for the current document only. However, if you find this technique helpful you can copy the modified outline to your default template. To save this outline in your default template to make it available in all future documents, open Bullets & Numbering, choose the outline, and click Options, Copy, Default template, OK.. "You can edit any of the available outlines to display the paragraphs the way you want. Here are some step-by-step instructions [to produce an outline similar to the first example above on this web page, in "How to Create New Outlines"]: 1. Pick and insert an outline. [Insert, Outline/Bullets & Numbering.] 2. Open up Reveal Codes (Alt + F3). 3. Double-click on the [Style] code next to the paragraph number. 4. In the Styles Editor that comes up, click in front of the first code. (The cursor shows as a red bar.) 5. Go to Insert on the top menu and click Tab (at the bottom of the list). That will put a left tab in front of your numbers. 6. Still in the Styles Editor, place your cursor all the way to the right and backspace to delete any indent codes, if any. [Note: Do not delete the long code, "Codes to the left are ON, codes to the right are OFF."] You [might] want to place a left tab [or space character] after your paragraph number code. So go back to Insert, Tab and add [it] after the codes. 7. OK out." TIPS: Instead of (or in addition to) a Tab or Indent code, you can insert format codes such as [Bold] or [Large] from the Styles Editor menu or property bar. Since the outline is a paragraph style, the format will apply to all words you type until you stop the outline or apply a new sub-level that does not contain these format codes. See also the Tips in "How to Create New Outline Styles," above. If you use this type of outline for section headings, and if the text you enter after the paragraph number is reasonably short, you can also mark these outline entries for inclusion in a Table of Contents.

Example 2. Put several (repeating) words or sentences in front of outline numbers

Here's an outline style (posted on 04/08/2004 by the author on WordPerfect Universe in the Tips forum, here) that puts the same (static) bolded and underlined words in front of all the outline's numbers at that outline level. You can literally put several thousand words in front of an outline number this way, but most likely you would use it where adding preceding text via the Modify button on the Outline property bar (limited to 20 characters) is not enough, or where you need additional formatting (bold, etc.). "... WP users may not know that any WordPerfect for Windows outline can be easily modified to add text characters to the outline's paragraph style to produce a static text phrase along with the automatic numbering of the item -- such as the examples given in the ... MicroLaw site [here], "Response to Interrogatory No. 1:" ... Here's how to do it (at least for WPWin8 and later versions): Start an outline. For example, if you want to use one of the default (1,2,3,...) outline numbering styles, click on Insert, Outline/Bullets&Numbering. Under the Numbers tab, choose "Paragraph" or "Legal," etc. Click OK to insert the first outline item in the document. (Tip: Instead of using Insert,..., etc., use whatever outline toggle key or macro that you normally use to start the WP default outline/list numbering.) Next, open Reveal Codes and double-click on the [Style] code in that outline item. This brings up the Styles Editor, where you can enter text characters in the Contents field, just in front of and just after the [Para Num] code. For example, the Contents field for your outline level could look something like this:  Response to Interrogatory No. [Para Num: 1...]:[Hd Left Ind][Codes...] Note the colon (:) between the paragraph numbering code and the indent code. When you use this modified outline it will produce numbered items like this: Response to Interrogatory No. 1: Yada, yada... Response to Interrogatory No. 2: More yada, yada... Response to Interrogatory No. 3: Even more yada, yada... etc. Each time you press <Enter>, a new item is entered in the document, automatically numbered. To make the items bold and underlined, click on the "Show 'Off' codes" checkbox in the Styles Editor to enable that option. Then simply place the cursor before (i.e., to the left of) all text and codes in the Styles Editor's Contents field, hold down the <Shift> key, and use the <RightArrow> key to select everything you want bolded and underlined -- including the [Para Num] code, but do not include the [Hd Left Ind] code or the [Codes to the left...] code. Click the B and U buttons on the menu, then click OK when done. You should get something like this in your document: Response to Interrogatory No. 1: Yada, yada... Response to Interrogatory No. 2: More yada, yada... Response to Interrogatory No. 3: Even more yada, yada... etc. The same method can be used to apply a different color, font, font size, or other font attributes (Large, Small, Redline, Small Caps, etc.). Changes to the outline will only be available in the current document. However, if you find this technique helpful you can copy the modified outline to your default template. To save this outline in your default template to make it available in all future documents, open Bullets & Numbering, choose the outline, and click Options, Copy, Default template, OK.. Better yet -- create a new single-level outline style in your default template so that it is available whenever needed. See WP's online Help (<F1> key) index, under "outline(s)" for more information...." NOTE: For an alternative approach, see using text and counters with a QuickWord.

Example 3. Outline-in-an-outline. Create an outline where the first and second levels are numbered separately and continuously throughout the document, and automatically reset themselves if items are added, deleted, or moved

This effect is accomplished by using a WordPerfect counter inside a paragraph Heading style -- a Style-plus-counter --for the first level, and using a standard numbered Outline for the second and lower levels. [Thanks to Maggie Holman in a thread at WordPerfect Universe for this tip.] The format will look something like this (bold added to emphasize sequential lettering and numbering): Section A: (First level using a Style+counter)   1. Subsection (Second level using Outline)   2. Subsection (Second level using Outline)   3. Subsection (Second level using Outline) Section B: (First level - same Style+counter)   4. Subsection (Second level - same Outline)     a. Sub-subsection (Third level - same Outline)     b. Sub-subsection (Third level - same Outline)   5. Subsection (Second level - same Outline) Section C: (First level - same Style+counter)   6. Subsection (Second level - same Outline)     a. Sub-subsection (Third level - same Outline)     ... etc. Notice that, in Section B, the numbers for all Subsections continue the sequence started in Section A, and do not reset to "1" as they otherwise might using a normal Outline for all items. For the first level (in the above example, this is "Section A," "Section B," etc.) you can create a new paragraph Heading style (or modify a standard Heading style by editing it; see Tips below) and place a single-level counter in it. The counter keeps track of the sequential numbering or lettering. For the second level (in the above example: "1. Subsection...") you can use WordPerfect's built-in automatic numbering (which is simply a single-level Outline style's numbering feature; however, be aware that any Outline scheme can be used with Insert, Outlines....) The Outline automatically keeps track of the sequential numbering and/or lettering for this level. And if you use a multi-level Outline style, this level can have sub-levels, as demonstrated in the example above ("a. Sub-subsection..."). NOTES Compound style outline levels -- for example, two Styles-with-counters and one Outline style -- can be created with the method below. (See also Footnote 1 for macros to help create them.) You can also create the opposite: multiple outline levels (e.g., Part, Chapter, Section) using a multi-level Outline style for the major levels, and a Style-plus-counter for the uninterrupted consecutive numbering of (for example) Tips or Examples throughout the document. See the Tips section below. Here's how to do it. 1. Create the counter first. Click Insert, Other, Counter, Create. In the Create Counter Definition dialog, give the new counter a name (e.g., Letters). In the "Single level method" field, choose "A,B,C" to use capital letters for the first level of your outline list. Click OK, then Close. 2. Next, create the custom style-with-counter that you want to use for a Heading. [Most of the following comes from "Including counters in a style" on the Counters page, here.] Click Format, Styles, Create. Give the style a name (e.g., ABC Heads, NumbHead 1, etc.) and a description. Set the "Enter key..." field to <None> (if you want the cursor to go back to body text when you press Enter), and set the Type to Paragraph. In the Contents pane, insert the counter you just created in step 1 above. From the Styles Editor menu, click Insert, Other, Counter, and make sure the new counter is selected, then click the "Display in Document" button. Again, click Insert, Other, Counter, and make sure the new counter is selected, but this time click "Increase." You should now have two codes in the Contents field: [Count Disp][Count Inc] -- in that order. The idea is to make WP display the number, then (internally) increment it for any counter number that may follow later in the document. Add any attributes (Bold, Large, etc.), centering, text or spaces before or after these codes. You can add tabs or indents after the counter codes (on the Editor's menu, click Insert,Tab or Format, Paragraph, Indent). [To mark this style for inclusion in any Table of Contents, see here.] Click OK, then Close. [You should save this custom style to your default or other template as explained here.] You should now be back in the main document. 3. Apply the new heading style from the "Select Style" drop list on the property bar (or use Format, Styles). Type some text for this first "outline level." (You can also select text first, then apply the style to the selection.) Press <Enter> to go to the next line, and press <Tab> or insert a Left Indent (<F7> or <F4>), if desired. 4. Choose and apply the numbering outline with Insert, Outline/Bullets... "Numbers 2," or simply press the default shortcut key, <Ctrl+H> (for those who use the DOS keyboard, use <Ctrl+T>). Enter as many items for this second level as desired. As before, press the <Enter> key to "chain" them together. You can use the same shortcut key to turn the outline numbers off. 5. When you need the first "outline level" again -- the new heading style -- repeat Step 3. The letters should increment. Repeat the process of inserting the custom style and toggling the outline numbers on/off, as needed. 6. (Optional:) Save the new heading style to your default (or other) template so it is available in the future in new documents based on that template. See "Saving custom styles to your default (or other) template." 7. (Optional:) You can use a macro to create the custom Letter heading style with the custom counter embedded in it -- all in one step -- in any document, as needed. You can then play the macro in the document (and even play it just to increment an existing Letter level; if this shortcut is useful, you could assign the macro to a keystroke or toolbar button). See Footnote 1 for the macro code. TIPS You can create custom headings by making copies of existing Heading styles (such as Heading 2) with Format, Styles, <choose the Heading 1 style>, and click Options, Copy, Current document. (You can always copy it to the default template later, after testing it.) Edit the new style and insert the counter codes in it as explained above. Since the Outline numbering used for the second level is separate from the new Style-with-counter used in the first level, you can use any Outline/Bullets scheme for the second level. The numbering mechanisms are independent of each other. Moreover, you can quickly modify the Outline's style (perhaps to add tabs, or format the number in bold) by double clicking on the [Style] code. The [Style] code takes care of general formatting for the Outline's level; the [Para Num] numbering codes inside the [Style] code take care of the Outline's automatic numbering. Conversely: You can use a standard or modified multi-level Outline style, such as the standard "1,A,i" Paragraph Outline style, with a single-level Style-with-counter (e.g., Example #1 ... Example #99) to make use of uninterrupted consecutive numbering for certain levels that are interspersed throughout the document or major part of the document. The Outline would be used to number (for example) Chapters, Sections, Subsections, etc. -- demoting and promoting levels as needed -- and the Style-with-counter would be used to consecutively number all Examples or Tips in the document. If at some point further in the document you need to reset the style-with-counter numbering sequence to the beginning, you can place your cursor just to the left of the level's style codes (or even on a line above the style codes) and click Insert, Other, Counter. Then choose that style's counter (or a custom counter, if used), and click the Value button to reset the sequence to "A" (or "1", "I", "a", etc.). To cross-reference these styles-with-counters, or include them in a Table of Contents, see the TIPS on the Counters page, here.

Example 4. Create an outline where the second level automatically resets itself

A user wanted to create an outline format for chapters and sections of a book that would look like this: I.      first title I.A     first subtitle I.B     second subtitle I.C     third subtitle II      second title II.A      new [first] subtitle * II.B      new [second] subtitle * - "Note that the second [level] needs to be reset just before the ... title. Otherwise, this would become II.D." Note also that the first level's number (I, II, III, IV, etc.) is carried over as a prefix in the sub-level(s), unlike the standard Paragraph (1,a,i) or Outline (I,A,1) styles that come with WordPerfect. There are at least two ways to do this. One method modifies the outline's number format, and the other inserts a counter in the outline style's second level. The former method is both easy and recommended; however, the latter method is explained here for those who want to learn how to use counters in styles. Note that the following methods use the user example outline above, but you can modify them to set up any desired custom outline style. Method A: Modify the outline's number format. 1. Click on Insert, Outlines/Bullets & Numbering. Click on the Outline style of outline ("I./A./1."), then Options, Copy, (to) Current document. [After testing, you can copy the outline style to the default template while the document is still open).] Click OK and give it a name (e.g., Outline2). Click OK and you are back in the Bullets & Numbering dialog, with the new style's icon selected. 2. Click Edit to edit the new outline. Click the "Multi-level list" radio button. 3. Select (i.e., choose) the second outline level, Level 2, in the bottom pane. 4. Click in the "Number/Bullet" field and enter a "I." before the "A" -- i.e., it should be "I.A" 5. Create additional custom Levels for the outline by repeating steps #3 and #4 for each Level, and -- this is the important part -- adding the previous level numbers to each subsequent level (e.g., Level 3 should be "I.A.1," Level 4 should be "I.A.1.a," etc.). Note that you can use hyphens, parentheses, and even WordPerfect symbols (<Ctrl+W>) in the "Number/Bullet" field. You can also assign new formatting Styles to the remaining Levels by picking them from the Styles drop list in the Create Format dialog. Normally, the Level 1-8 styles insert a consecutive number of indents before the paragraph outline number and a single indent after it (to separate the number from the body of the paragraph). The Legal 1-8 styles do not insert any preceding indents; this causes all the outline numbers to be flush left with the margin. 6. If everything works as expected, and while the current document with the new outline is still open, copy the new outline to your default template: Select the new Outline2 outline's icon, then click Options, Copy, Default template, OK. The new outline should appear in any new document in the Number icon list of the Bullets & Numbering dialog. Method B: Use a counter in the Outline style. To create the outline style in the example at the top of this section, the basic idea is to create a new Roman numeral outline where the first level resets the second level's style each time the first level is used. First, make sure you have created one, new single-level counter: Click Insert, Other, Counter, Create. Give the new counter a name (e.g., "Title lettering"), and use "A,B,C,..." for the method. Click OK, then Close. (You'll set the Value later.) Next, create a new outline: 1. Click on Insert, Outlines/Bullets & Numbering. Click on the Roman outline style ("I./II./III."), then Options, Copy, (to) Current document. [After testing, you can copy the outline style to the default template while the document is still open).] Click OK and give it a name (e.g., Roman2). Click OK and you are back in the Bullets & Numbering dialog, with the new style's icon selected. 2. Click Edit to edit the new outline. Click the "Multi-level list" radio button. (The first level -- Level 1 -- of the outline should be selected at this time.) Click the Create Style button to bring up the Styles Editor so that you can modify Level 1. Give the new style a name (e.g., Roman2 Lev1) and optional description. You can click "Automatically update..." If desired. 3. Put the cursor in the Contents field -- *after* all other codes. Click Insert, Other, Counter and choose your new counter ("Title lettering"). Click the Value button; the Numbering Method should be "A,B,C.." and the Value should be "A." Click OK. You will see the Value become "0" (zero). Click Close. You should see two new codes in the Contents field: [Count Meth][Count Set]. Click OK to exit from the Styles Editor and return to the Create Format dialog. 4. Select Level 2. In the "Number/Bullet" field, enter an "A" after the "1." -- I.e., it should be "1.A" OPTIONAL: Add a period / full stop after the "A" or enclose the "A" in parentheses, if desired. Create additional custom Levels for the outline by repeating this step for each Level. You can also assign new formatting Styles to the remaining Levels by picking them from the Styles drop list in the Create Format dialog. 5. Click OK to exit from the Create Format dialog. The new outline should be selected, so just click OK to return to the document and begin the new outline. If everything works as expected, and while the current document with the new outline is still open, copy the new outline to your default template: 6. Select the new Roman2 outline's icon, then click Options, Copy, Default template, OK. The new outline should appear at the bottom of the icon list in any new document.

Page Top

Counter in a style - a macro approach

Below is a macro that

• (1) creates a custom counter ("CapLtrCnt"), then it
• (2) creates a Letter heading style ("CAPS") with the new counter placed inside it to create a style-with-counter.

To copy the macro into WordPerfect, see here.

To test it, open a new blank document and play the macro. You should see "Section A" followed by a tab. Type some paragraph text, press <Enter> and if you don't immediately need the next item in the level (i.e., "Section B"), press <Backspace>. Then use your favorite Outline number style (or just press <Ctrl+H> or <Ctrl+T>) to insert an auto-incrementing number for the second level, as explained above.

Try cutting a section of the outline and pasting it above or below the current location. The letters and numbers should reset themselves to the proper sequence.

You can modify the style in the "Edit the style..." block below (but be sure to leave the two Counter... commands alone). For example, you can replace the Tab() command with a space by using a Type(" ") command, or with a hard left indent by using an Indent() command. The changes will take place in new documents when you play the (saved) macro.

Once a style exists in the current document, open Reveal Codes and simply double-click on any [Style] code for the style. You can then edit the style directly "on the fly." For example, you might want to use something other that "Section" before the counter's letters/numbers/Roman numerals, or use a hard left indent (Format, Paragraph, Indent on the Styles Editor menu) instead of a tab (Insert, Tab) after the heading. (TIP: To include text formatted with these styles in a Table of Contents, see here.)

// Macro code begins. Names for the counter and style are shown // in color. These can be changed to create copies of this macro // for different purposes. // CAPS style.wcm Application (WordPerfect; "WordPerfect"; Default!) // Create the counter in the current document - OnError(NextSegment@) // (if counter already exists, jump down) CounterCreate (CounterName: "CapLtrCnt"; Method: UpLetter!) Label(NextSegment@) // Create the style (which uses the new counter) in // the current document - OnError(NextSegment2@) // (if style already exists, jump down) StyleCreate (Name: "CAPS"; Type: ParagraphStyle!; Library: CurrentDoc!) StyleEditBegin (Style: "CAPS"; Library: CurrentDoc!) StyleCodes (State: WithoutOffCodes!) StyleDescription (Description: "Capital letters with counter") // Edit the style; enter (optional) text, counter codes, // (optional) and a tab - Type (Text: "Section ") CounterDisplay (CounterName: "CapLtrCnt"; Level: 1) CounterIncrement (CounterName: "CapLtrCnt"; Level: 1) PosLineEnd () Tab () // Exit from the Styles Editor - SubstructureExit () StyleEditEnd (State: Save!) Label(NextSegment2@) // Insert the style in the document - StyleOn("CAPS") // Exit here - Return // Macro code ends

Counter in a style - a more general macro approach

Here is another macro you can download that creates five styles-with-counters in the current document similar to the single style created by the macro in the left column. Each has its own unique single-level counter embedded inside the style. (The counters produce numbers, upper- and lowercase letters, and Roman numerals.)

Download FiveStyles.zip (v1.01; 05/16/07, 13,740 bytes) Downloading, Documentation, Modifications, and Support

NOTE: After downloading and extracting it from the ZIP archive, open the macro like any other document and read the comments at the top, which explain in more detail the macro's operation.

TIP: To include text formatted with these styles in a Table of Contents, see here.

You can use these styles-with-counters whenever needed to automatically number sections of your document (instead of -- or in addition to -- using a standard outline). This gives you the ability to use several different numbering schemes at the same time, each maintaining its own automatic numbering sequence even if interspersed with the others. Each will renumber the sequence automatically if you delete, insert, or move an instance of the style to another location.

Each of the five styles uses one of the counter methods available in WordPerfect:

numbers (1,2,3...)
upper case letters (A,B,C...)
lower case letters (a,b,c...)
upper Roman (I,II,III...)
lower Roman (i.ii.iii...)

By default, each style inserts the label "Section " before each counter (number or letter), then follows the counter with a colon and tab, like this:

Section A:

Just select (i.e., choose) one of the new five styles that appear in the Select Style drop list on the Text property bar (or use Format, Styles). WP will then insert the new paragraph style at the cursor location. Type some text, then press <Enter>. To stop the style, press <Backspace> immediately after <Enter>, or press the right arrow key to skip past the ending paragraph code.

You can then type your body text ... or you can use any Outline style (Insert, Outline....) to interpolate a numbering scheme between the new style's items. Both the new style and the Outline style will independently track their numerical/alphabetical sequences. Hence, you can insert one of the new styles-with-counters in several locations inside a standard Outline, and not disrupt the existing Outline numbering. The style will automatically adjust its own numbers/letters, too. You can move them to different locations, insert new items, or delete items, and the counters will automatically sequence properly.

The styles can be easily edited (Format, Styles or by double clicking the [Style] code when they are applied in a document) to customize them. For example, you might want to use something other that "Section" before the counter's letters/numbers/Roman numerals, or use a hard left indent (Format, Paragraph, Indent on the Styles Editor menu) instead of a tab (Insert, Tab) after the heading. (TIP: To include text formatted with these styles in a Table of Contents, see here.)

See the comments at the top of the macro code about its operation, customization, etc.

If one or more of the same-named styles already exists in the document, no new style of that name will be created. So if you forget and play the macro again, you don't have to worry that it will overwrite your style-with-counter customizations in that document.