How do I create numbered paragraphs in the context of "Heading 1" without polluting the "Heading 2"

English
#1

I always use “Chapter Numbering” (formerly known as “outline numbering”) for my Heading styles in Libre Office Writer, with multiple heading hierarchies. Most paragraphs are not numbered, but on some particular sections in the “Heading 1” level, I will need to number the paragraphs displaying the 2 hierarchy levels. This looks like a good use case for numbered list, but how can I use the “chapter numbering” as part of the list style without using a heading style, and consequently without messing the other levels of “Chapter Numbering”. Even if I were numbering all paragraphs, I don’t know how to do it.

Example:

1 Section ONE in Heading 1 style

1.1 sub-Section One in Heading 2 Style

Text of sub-Section One. Not all sections have a subsection. Body Text style

1.2 sub-Section Two Heading 2 Style

Text of sub-Section Two

2 Section TWO

2.1 This is a paragraph, not a sub-section, so it cannot be the same style as sub-section One heading, but it will display a number in the same hierarchic level (2.1). I could change the list style manually to start at “2” in the first level, have no items in first level and start at level 2, but this is a cheat that will get me in trouble at Section FOUR. (No idea which style to use, probably custom)

2.2 Section three has no numbered paragraphs.

3 Section THREE (Heading 1 style)

Text of Section THREE, not numbered. (Body text)

4 Section FOUR (Heading 1)

4.1 Now the paragraphs are numbered again. And it should start in number 4.1 because it is the first paragraph of the 4th section. But I can’t just reuse the list style of section 2, because that would start on 2.3 (or maybe 3.1. if I leave an invisible level 1 item on a blank line). If I tell the numbering style to start at 4, this messes up section 2.

4.3 There is no option to “Start level on previous levels at Current Heading number”

It is the same problem that was exposed by this user:

The accepted solution, however, is not suitable, because my documents already have a level 2 heading that uses the same numbering sequence that I want for the numbered paragraphs. The reason why I do not use the Heading 2 style in every paragraph is that I still want to keep a different format when it is in fact a heading.

Writer Version: 6.4.7.2
build ID 1:6.4.7-0ubuntu0.20.04.9

#2

Heading Numbering is intended to number headings. It is a “protected” list style you can’t reference directly so that you don’t mess it up.

A list style defines a “type” of “abstract category” for a list. Every item referencing this list style is a member of the abstract list. You can reset or restart numbering but you can’t mix two abstract lists.

Consequently, you can’t mix Heading Numbering with another list style. Also only one list style can be applied to any paragraph and item number can’t be preceded by a field (otherwise we could imagine inserting a reference to the current level in front of the item number).

There is no solution based on list styles.

However, your “estranged” paragraphs can be handled with something similar to captioning. But, mixing numbers which are visually too similar (“estranged” paragraphs and headings) would probably confuse your readers unless you opt for specific character styles for the numbers, independently from different paragraph styles. Are you really sure that everything is not in the end the unique heading numbering collection? In other words, can you have both a 2.1 heading and a 2.1 “estranged” paragraph?

While giving more details, don’t forget to mention OS name and LO version (assuming you’re saving .odt because such a trick won’t survive conversion to .doc(x)).

#3

No, there won’t be a 2.1 Heading and a 2.1 Paragraph. If there is a 2.1 Heading, there can be a 2.1.1 paragraph Following 2.1 Heading in subsection 2.1 or a 2.2 Paragraph following subsection 2.1 in section 2.
If it’s not supported it’s not supported. I will use integer numbers without context relative to section and include this context when back referencing. If I’m demanded to include section context, I’ll have to add numbering by hand like everyone has been doing so far.

Thank you

#4

Wrong, there is a solution mimicking what captioning does. But before sharing the trick, I want to fully understand your goal. The main difference between your “strange” paragraphs and headings is only that the “strange” paragraphs must not be collected in TOC, right? And also they don’t look like headings (different paragraph style).

#5

You are correct, they don’t look like headings nor appear in the TOC.

#6

The solution to your question is to use a number range field.

Go to the first such “strange” paragraph and put the cursor at the very beginning.

  1. Insert>Field>More Fields, Variables tab
  2. in Type, select Number Range
  3. in Name, enter a dedicated name for your counter, e.g. NoTOC
  4. choose your preferred Format (by default Arabic (1 2 3) should be preselected)
  5. set With Heading Number Up to level 10 so that your number range is “universal”
  6. Insert

Your counter is now initialised.

For every occurrence of your special numbering:

  1. put the cursor at the very beginning of the paragraph
  2. Insert>Field>More Fields, Variables tab
  3. in Type, select Number Range
  4. in Select, click on the name of your counter, e.g. NoTOC
  5. Insert

This dialog is somewhat “special”. You need not close it to scroll across your document and select another insertion point.

Don’t forget to apply a specific character style to you number range field so that your readers see immediately this is not a heading numbering.

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