Home | Tips | Library | Other Authors | Other WP Sites | Writer's Links | Contact | Site Map | Donate
Barry MacDonnell's
Toolbox for WordPerfect

Macros, tips, and templates for Corel® WordPerfect® for Windows®
© Copyright 1996-2024 by Barry MacDonnell. All Rights Reserved.

 Page updated Nov 9, 2020

WordPerfect Tips
Main tips page | Browse more tips

Page numbering using both Roman and Arabic numerals

For basic information on Page Numbering in WordPerfect, and several related items on this site, see here.

 How to use Roman numerals page numbers for initial material (a.k.a., "front matter") or elsewhere in a document, and Arabic numbers for the rest of the document
■  For documents with standard page numbering (i.e., page numbers not inside headers or footers)

To use page numbering that contains Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.) in the first several pages of your document, and then switch to Arabic numerals (1,2,3,4, etc.) for the rest of the document (or a section of it), see See Laura Acklen's tutorial, "Numbering Pages, Chapters, and Volumes in WordPerfect".

From that turorial [italics added]:
"...Frequently, different numbering styles are used for the introductory pages, the body of the document, and the closing sections. With WordPerfect, you can apply these different styles easily. Simply select a format for the page numbers at the top of the document, and then select new formats at the main body and at the closing section.

 Let’s say you want to use roman numerals for the introductory pages, arabic numbers for the main body and lowercase letters for the closing pages. Each of these formats can be selected in the Page Numbering Format dialog box. First, position the insertion point where you want to start using a different page number format. Choose Format > Page > Numbering. In the Page Numbering Format list box, select a format, and then choose OK to insert the page number...."
Tips

•  You are not limited to just one switch in numbering formats (e.g., from Roman to Arabic). The above tutorial mentions two switches in a document: initial format to the main body's format, then another switch to the closing's format.

Similarly you can change the page number's value on a specific page more than once; see the above tutorial for more information. (And for additonal information on the general topic of Page Numbering in WordPerfect see here.)

•  If your document contains a Table of Contents, Index, or other WordPerfect reference tool (see the Tools, Reference menu), you might also want to regenerate the document after you have set up the new page numbering with Tools, Reference, Generate. This should refresh their page numbers to reflect the changes you have made.
■  For documents with page numbering inside headers or footers [for information on creating and using headers/footers see here]

While you can certainly do "page number format switching" with standard WordPerfect page numbering (Format > Page > Numbering), as explained in Laura's tutorial referenced above, let us assume here that you want to use page numbers inside a header or footer instead of one of the 10 standard (i.e., built-in) page numbering locations on the page.

Using headers or footers for page numbers is a bit more flexible than using standard page numbering. However there are a few things to bear in mind (hence the extra steps below), but once you've set it up in a document you should find it fairly quick and easy.
Important

For the method below let's also assume that no page numbering has already been set in the document; if it has, you should remove the existing numbering first. An easy way is to open Reveal Codes and search for — and remove — all [Pg Num Set][Pg Num Meth] codes in the document. Obviously, make a back up of the document first. [See also "How to clear (i.e., remove) page numbering in a document to resolve page numbering issues" on the Page Numbering in WordPerfect page.]
Method

Step 1.  Open Reveal Codes (View, Reveal Codes) so you can see precisely where you are in the document and also see the effects of the following steps.

Step 2.  Create the header or footer that will contain the page numbering with Insert, Header/Footer, <make your selection>, Create. It should normally be created on the page where you wish page numbering to begin; otherwise, headers and footers can be suppressed on earlier pages, as explained here.

For example, if you do not want a page number on the first physical page (e.g., a Title page) but you want numbering to begin on the following page, position the cursor at the top of the second page before creating the header or footer.

You can also delay the appearance of the header or footer: See here.

Step 3.  Position the cursor inside the header or footer as desired. (If your cursor is not already inside the header or footer, click inside it.)

Notice that the Property bar that should be visible has some useful buttons such as Flush Right and Page Numbering, but you can also use the main WordPerfect menu (e.g., Format, Line, Flush Right).

Add any text (e.g., "Page ") and then click the Page Numbering button on the Property bar (or use Format, Page, Insert Page Number, <choose Page in the list>, Insert, Close).

You should see a [Pg Num Disp] code in the header or footer itself, visible in Reveal Codes whenever you edit the header or footer.

Step 4.  Exit from the header or footer. You can just click in the main document area.

(However, if you have delayed the header or footer you will need to use the Close icon on the property bar, then click Close on the Define Delayed Codes property bar to return to the document (or template).)

Step 5.  Using Reveal Codes, position the cursor in the main document just before (i.e., in front of) the [Header] or [Footer] [or [Delay Codes] code you just created. (In Reveal Codes, a header code appears as [Header A] or [Header B], and a footer code appears as [Footer A] or [Footer B].) If there are other codes on that line (e.g., a Paragraph style code), move the cursor to the left until it is positioned before those codes, but still remains on the desired page where numbering should begin. The basic idea here is to position the cursor in the main document where the new numbering format (here, Roman numerals) should take effect, such as the top of the page that begins the Introduction and before any codes on that page.

Step 6.  Change the number format to Roman numerals:  Click on Format, Page, Page Numbering from the main WordPerfect menu bar. This opens the Select Page Numbering Format dialog [as shown in Laura's tutorial.]
Step 6a.  First, be sure to set the Position field at the top of the dialog to "No Page Numbering" or you will also get numbers in the standard page location (e.g., bottom center, which is not inside the header or footer) as well as inside the header or footer. (You probably do not want two page numbers on every page!)

Step 6b.  Choose (i.e., click on) the desired Roman numeral format in the Page Numbering Format list. For the time being, ignore the actual number's value, which is set in the next step.

Step 6c.  Cick the Set Value button and set it to "1". Note that the radio button "Always keep number the same" should be enabled if you always want to start page numbering in this section of document with Roman numeral "i".

Step 6d.  Click OK twice to return to the document.

The numbering in the header or footer should change to Roman numerals, beginning with "i" at that location. (Note that this also inserts [Pg Num Set][Pg Num Meth] codes in Reveal Codes. If you double-click on the second code you will see the numbering method is Roman numerals.)

Step 7.  Change the page number format of the following pages to Arabic numbers:

Step 7a.  Place your cursor at the very top of the first page of the section that follows the front matter — again, before all codes. This is the page where you want to begin numbering with Arabic numbers.

As above, use Format, Page, Page Numbering — but with these settings in that dialog:
Position: "No Page Numbering".

Page numbering format: Choose an Arabic number, which at this point will show the actual page number you are on, but this number will change in the next step.

Step 7b.  Click the Set Value button and set the value (the page number) back to "1".

Step 7c.  Click OK twice. Another [Pg Num Set][Pg Num Meth] code pair is inserted; these should start page numbers with an Arabic number "1".

Step 8.  If you wish to change the format of page numbers again further down in the document, repeat the above step with a different format.

Step 9.  Finally, don't forget to regenerate any Table of Contents and Index, if used, with Tools, Reference, Generate. This should refresh their page numbers to reflect the changes you have made.