Chapter numbering across multiple files in a book

[Blenderik]

I cretaed a book with different chapters from files. Page numbering works fine across all chapters.

When I use numbering in the paragraph style inside one file (chapter) it works, but I want the chapter headings (Style of the 1. line in every chapter) to be continous as well. However, count restarts in each chapter, they all are number 1.
I tried setting the Chapter heading style numbering to Level 1 and the Headings inside the chapter (subchapters) to level 2. In the Paragraph style of subchapter I tried Text: \1.\2, \1.\#, \#\2. The \2 is always the correct number, but \1 is always 0 in every chapter. Even after synchronizing the styles. I don't even know where to teill it to start \1 with 1 instead of 0. I did it in the chapter headings, that worked, but in the subchapters it stayed 0.

I checked the index settings, found nothing.
Set restart numbering to manual only
Synchronized all styles
Made sure they actually changed in the previous chapter
Updated all numbers
Set the next style and next level in chapter headings to subchapter headings. (wouldn't it make more sense to apply a previous to subchapter?)

Please don't make me use sections, I have too many chapters to do this manually.

 

[MikeTO]

3 hours ago, Blenderik said:

I cretaed a book with different chapters from files. Page numbering works fine across all chapters.

When I use numbering in the paragraph style inside one file (chapter) it works, but I want the chapter headings (Style of the 1. line in every chapter) to be continous as well. However, count restarts in each chapter, they all are number 1.
I tried setting the Chapter heading style numbering to Level 1 and the Headings inside the chapter (subchapters) to level 2. In the Paragraph style of subchapter I tried Text: \1.\2, \1.\#, \#\2. The \2 is always the correct number, but \1 is always 0 in every chapter. Even after synchronizing the styles. I don't even know where to teill it to start \1 with 1 instead of 0. I did it in the chapter headings, that worked, but in the subchapters it stayed 0.

I checked the index settings, found nothing.
Set restart numbering to manual only
Synchronized all styles
Made sure they actually changed in the previous chapter
Updated all numbers
Set the next style and next level in chapter headings to subchapter headings. (wouldn't it make more sense to apply a previous to subchapter?)

Please don't make me use sections, I have too many chapters to do this manually.

To created a numbered list across a Book's separate chapter files, you need to create a global list (aka a running list). The basic elements are the list must be named, be set to global, and restart set to manual only. Did you name your list and make it global?

[Blenderik]

Thanks, that was the first step in the right direction. Global absolutely makes sense.

The chapter numbers are now correct. I gave both lists the same name, changed both to global and set the restart numbering of level 1 to manual and Level 2 to below current level. Unfortunately the subchapter numbers don't restart anymore.

I want to do the same for image captions, so I really don't want to do that manually (which works) set restart points.

[MikeTO]

31 minutes ago, Blenderik said:

The chapter numbers are now correct. I gave both lists the same name, changed both to global and set the restart numbering of level 1 to manual and Level 2 to below current level. Unfortunately the subchapter numbers don't restart anymore.

If you want level 2 (the subchapter numbers?) to restart in each chapter, do not set them to global or give them a name, just make them a regular list.

[Blenderik]

Then they are not linked anymore.

I want this style In the headings:

#: Lvl 1; §§: Lvl 2, where Lvl 2 should start over at 1 at each occurence of lvl 1 (chapter)

# Chapter

#.§§ Subchapter (I called them sections in ID, don't get confused with Affinity sections)

When I Give them different names, or make lvl 2 not global it all turns into:

# Chapter (correct)
0.§§ (incorrect, # is always 0)

Chapter headings look the same, only they are lvl 1 and only display \1

[MikeTO]

Hmm, there does seem to be a bug here.

Insert the Level 1 token when Level 1 is Global always inserts a 0 instead of the actual level. Maybe somebody else will see something I'm missing but I think this is a bug that hasn't been previously reported.

Here's a test document illustrating the issue for anybody who wants to look at it.

test.afpub

For now, the best workaround I can suggest is to manually insert the chapter number as static text in the Bullets and Numbering field which you'll have to do manually for each chapter.

[Blenderik]

Thank you for posting this. If you make sure, the 2 global versions share the same name, it works, except level 2 doesn't start over. Which makes it feel like intended behavior, but some explanation would be nice. Also note, I'm working with a book containing multiple files, that might have a big impact.
If I change the lead number in my Style, I can't sync the book anymore without making all chapters 1 again (assuming I'm sampling from chapter 1), right?

[MikeTO]

17 minutes ago, Blenderik said:

Thank you for posting this. If you make sure, the 2 global versions share the same name, it works, except level 2 doesn't start over. Which makes it feel like intended behavior, but some explanation would be nice. Also note, I'm working with a book containing multiple files, that might have a big impact.
If I change the lead number in my Style, I can't sync the book anymore without making all chapters 1 again (assuming I'm sampling from chapter 1), right?

It happens whether or not level 2 shares a list name with level 1 so I think it's a bug. Especially since I can't find any way to get the token to display a number.

If you change it to a static number, you're going to have some tedious work ahead of you but I don't see any other way around it.

[Blenderik]

I feel, there should be a better approach, but I don't think it's a bug:

• Make all paragraph styles that can be combined to a list global and give them the same name
• define the levels
• Set restart numbering to manual in all
• Use \1, \2 to obtain the bullet numbers in the paragraph style.
• Click anywhere you want your list to restart counting (for me only lvl 2 does that) and in the paragraph options, check Restart numbering now

1. Hurdle taken, I guess, but:
You need to specify the start number each time you insert a restart numbering now
By default it will fill in the number you were at.

What I don't like about the approach:
You should be able to automatically make counters restart at chapter files, it is a very common practice, so please tell me I just missed something
You should not have to make sure to spell list names the excact same, there should be a dropdown or manager to make it less error prone and more intuitive.

Edited December 14, 2024 by Blenderik

[MikeTO]

Yes, this is the problem with that approach, you'll have to restart numbering. You shouldn't have to do that so I think there was an oversight here on how the various pieces came together.