Delivering RH9 Output in MS-Word format with auto numbering

[nankinnankin]

I am creating an RH 9 project that must be delivered to the customer in MS Word (2007 or higher) with paragraphs defined in a strict numbering format.

The RH9 project will make extensive use of the RH9 autonumbering feature at both the paragraph and topic levels.

Will this autonumbering translate into the generated MS Word document? Can I count on the numbering to appear in Word as it does in my RH9 project?

Thanks for any help or insight you can provide.

[Peter Grainge]

As explained in the RoboHelp Tour on my site (RH8 New Features), autonumbering was really intended for the numbering of images and tables whereas you want to use it for headings and paragraphs. You would have to try that out in a test project.

Perhaps List styles are what you really need. However if the client only needs Word output, why not work using Word?

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[nankinnankin]

Hi Peter,

I appreciate your reply. I want to provide the users with both an online help project and a Word document that both use autonumbering.

1. It looks like the lists feature would allow me to create lists at multiple levels (e.g., 1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1). I could use that feature to tag sequential topics and paragraphs in the RH9 project. Correct?

This brings me back to my original question.

2. Will this autonumbering translate into the generated MS Word document when the document is generated from RH9?

Can I count on the numbering to appear in Word as it does in my RH9 project?

Thanks again for all your help.

[Peter Grainge]

Multilevel lists should work fine for your paragraphs in a topic but be aware the numbering works only within a single topic, it starts over again in the next topic. You can force the start of the numbering so you could use that to make topic one have 1.1 and topic two 2.1 etc if that is what you want.

I don't think numbering is designed to work with heading styles so you will have to experiment a bit there.

As to your original question, what I was trying to convey was that you are trying to use that for a purpose it wasn't designed for I cannot give you a categoric confirmation. In any case, if you are going to take on a contract, you really need to test this will work to your satisfaction. I'm not intending to be unhelpful, it's just that's the way it is. Also bear in mind the output in Word may have the numbering applied but if changes are made direct in Word, may not autonumber.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[nankinnankin]

Hi Peter,

Thank you for your responses. I really appreciate it. One more question.

If I use the multi-level lists in RH9 and then convert that document to MS-Word format, will that multi-leveling come over in the new Word document?

[Peter Grainge]

If you just output the multilevel list to Word, you will see the numbering but it will not be a true multilevel list in Word. In other words, if you pressed enter in or at the end of a list, it would not increment the numbering.  However, you can map the Rh multilevel list to a Word multilevel list and then it will map.

This is mentioned under Printed Documentation in the Rh9 section of the RoboHelp Tour on my site and it is covered in the sample project that ships with Rh9. Click Open on the RoboHelp Starter page and then click Samples in the ribbon on the left.

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See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge