Automatically inserting a section number?

[ArrBeeNayr]

Hi!

I would like each page of a book to display the chapter (i.e. section) number. I know I can insert the section name as a field, but I can't find any way of instead inserting the section number.

Is this possible?

[DWright]

Hi @ArrBeeNayr,

Welcome to the forum

You can use an additional Master pages and place the section information and then apply the master to all pages in the chapter 

[thomaso]

12 hours ago, ArrBeeNayr said:

I know I can insert the section name as a field, but I can't find any way of instead inserting the section number.

If you mean automatic numbering (as for page numbers): there is none. But you can type a number together with (or instead of) the section name, right?

[ArrBeeNayr]

8 hours ago, DWright said:

Hi @ArrBeeNayr,

Welcome to the forum

You can use an additional Master pages and place the section information and then apply the master to all pages in the chapter 

Oh - that would work, yeah! Thanks!

8 hours ago, thomaso said:

If you mean automatic numbering (as for page numbers): there is none. But you can type a number together with (or instead of) the section name, right?

The idea was to have the "Chapter [number]" on the left page and "[chapter name]" on the right, so that wouldn't have worked unfortunately. 

[thomaso]

On 7/20/2022 at 7:52 PM, ArrBeeNayr said:

The idea was to have the "Chapter [number]" on the left page and "[chapter name]" on the right, so that wouldn't have worked unfortunately. 

It could, with a workaround: Place the text frames for chapter number and for chapter name as wanted on the master pages & link them (text flow), or simply use a wide frame across both pages. To make the two texts run across two pages use a break character (e.g. frame break) or a tab character (for the wide single frame version). To enter the desired text with the required special characters into the Section Name Field type it first in a temporary frame, then copy the line + paste it into the field. As usual also this way might need an extra master page (or manual adjustment) when a chapter starts on a right page and thus should display number & name, e.g. on page 1.

For instance:
• Master page with wide single text frame (note the tab marker in the text ruler on the right page):

• Text to copy (note the tab character / or optionally frame break for use in 2 separate text frames):

• Paste this text from the paste board into the section field (the special character will not be displayed but some space):

• Result:

[ArrBeeNayr]

On 7/20/2022 at 7:43 PM, thomaso said:

It could, with a workaround: Place the text frames for chapter number and for chapter name as wanted on the master pages & link them (text flow), or simply use a wide frame across both pages. To make the two texts run across two pages use a break character (e.g. frame break) or a tab character (for the wide single frame version). To enter the desired text with the required special characters into the Section Name Field type it first in a temporary frame, then copy the line + paste it into the field. As usual also this way might need an extra master page (or manual adjustment) when a chapter starts on a right page and thus should display number & name, e.g. on page ...

Oh - that's a good idea! Thanks!