Legal numbering

How do I set up legal paragraph numbering for styles, so that my paragraphs are numbered:

1. Para
1.1 Sub para
1.2 Sub para
1.2.1.Sub sub para
2. Para

(reformatted by ajlittoz for better readibility)

So not Bullets and numbering > outline and selecting Numeric with sub levels?

If it is, then create a new paragraph style with suitable modification in outline tab.

Just apply the Paragraph Styles that are assigned to the levels of the Chapter Numbering feature. Set the numbering levels, and the assigned Paragraph styles in the menu item: Tools - Chapter Numbering

The “assigned” paragraph styles are names Heading n with n 1 to 10.

The Headingn paragraph styles don’t, so far as I can see, have any numbering associated with them and don’t link 1 → 2 → 3 etc. Is there a decent write-up anywhere of paragraph styles, numbering, outlines, etc? I find the on-line Help confusing. I’m used to the old WordPro program where paragraph formatting was so easy. You assign a numbering level (1, 1.1, 1.1.1) to a paragraph style and link one to the next. You can alter indent, spacing etc for each level independently and it’s stored in each paragraph style for future use. LibreOffice doesn’t seem to have that flexibility, or is it just because I don’t know how to use it yet?

The Heading n are already assigned to the outline level. However, you need to choose which form of numbering is your favourite for this document. You do it with Tools>Chapter Numbering. By default numbers are set to None.

Numbering specifications are so diverse that it does not make sense to impose one over another (note that having unnumbered outline paragraphs is also a specification).

In Writer, you can compose very sophisticated numbering scheme. In your case it is quite simple: set Number to 1, 2, 3 and add Separator After as .. Select Leval 1-10 to set simultaneously all levels. You may eventually need to set the tab stop position in Position tab to separate clearly the number from the heading. Here I recommend to set it per level to account for the increasing width of the combined numbers.

Okay, that’s very useful. Thank you. Can I have two or more heading/outline styles in one document? For example, while I number normal paragraphs 1, 1.1 etc, I number the appendices A, A.1, A.1.1 etc. Also I may have lists within a document that I want to number a), b), i),ii), c) etc.without this interfering with the paragraph numbering.

Lists are independent from chapter numbering. You can freely mix them with numbered outline paragraphs.

Having chapters 1, 1.1, … and appendices A., A.1. is possible but requires advanced skills in manipulating styles. I already described extensively the procedure in one of my answers but I can’t find quickly the reference.

To make the answer short, you must duplicate the Heading n family, create an independent list style (which is in fact the definition of a multi-level sequence counter), associate the list style with your new family and finally attach the members of the family to an outline level.

If you come across your more detailed answer I’d be pleased to see it. It’s not clear to me how to associate a list style with the duplicated Headings. Many thanks.

This is where the procedure is tricky. This association is made in the Outline & Numbering tab of the paragraph style Numbering style attribute.

For maximum “comfort”, don’t make a brand new Heading n family, but derive it so that it inherits all attributes. Then any modification you make in Heading n is automatically forwarded to the family, keeping your heading consistent between chapters and appendices.

Sorry, I don’t follow the bit about association. Wherever I look I can’t see a link to the present Heading family. Perhaps it’s done through the Numbering Style Numbering123, but the editor for this doesn’t show the answer.
I appreciate your time on this and I’ve got to go out shortly, but it would be useful to have a step-by-step guide to this sometime.

You can use Numbering 123 only if you don’t use it elsewhere. Using a sequence counter (represented by a list style) for two unrelated things leads to an unmanageable mess. Therefore, one list style, one purpose (either appendix numbering, caption numbering or list numbering, but never a mix).

What I mentioned about derivation is a way to create new paragraph styles so that they look exactly the same but can have some different specific attributes. In this case, derived styles never inherit outline level and also Chapter Numbering style is never inherited.