1. Ed Zachary

    Ed Zachary New Member

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    how do I start the arabic page number two pages later in word>

    Discussion in 'Writing Software and Hardware' started by Ed Zachary, May 16, 2021.

    my front matter is numbered in roman numbers and chpater 1 should start as 1, however it starts at 3. There is a section break just before chapter 1, and I thought that meant the arabic numbering would start on the next pae (where chap 1 begins) but the numbering starts two pages earlier.

    How do I move the arabic numbers so they start two pages later?
     
  2. Amontillado

    Amontillado Senior Member

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    I don't use Word except when required to. Please fact-check me. I had to do this a few weeks ago, and I think the process matched what I just found via Google.

    After you insert your section break, double click on the header or footer on the first page in the new section, whichever (header or footer) contains your page numbers.

    You may need to click on the page number in the header/footer.

    I think the ribbon will then show "page number" somewhere as a flyout menu. Click that, and look for "format page numbers."

    In a dialog box that appears you can choose the number format and what number to start on.

    Good luck!
     
  3. Ed Zachary

    Ed Zachary New Member

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    Thank you. I did research for more than an hour on google before, and would make a back up, then try what I just read and it wouldnt work so would try something else, etc. I guess I was just exhausted and not paying attention, or maybe getting page and section breaks confused, or something I dont know. But I followed what you wrote above, and only got past the first step, inserting a section break, and it renumbered everything correctly. So thanks again. Sometimes we just need fresh eyes on the objective I guess.
     
  4. SapereAude

    SapereAude Contributor Contributor

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    Yes, a page break is different from a section break. To change from Roman numerals to Arabic numerals you need to use a section break rather than a page break.

    I believe I have read that you should always use section breaks to begin a new chapter, whether you are formatting for e-book or print-on-demand. For print-on-demand, I like chapters to start on a right-hand page, so I always use a section break for "Start on odd page."
     
  5. Amontillado

    Amontillado Senior Member

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    Note to self - change style set to force section break before chapter heading, not page break. As I read your comments, @SapereAude, I realize I have that wrong in both my novel style sets.

    No harm, no foul. As far as I've gotten with a novel is the style sets.

    Sad, sad, sad!
     
  6. SapereAude

    SapereAude Contributor Contributor

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    IMHO, Microsoft really broke page numbering in the new (2007 and up) versions of Word. In the 2003 version, it was dirt simple to reset numbering style and numbers when changing from one section to another. I'm now mostly using Word 2016, and I consistently find page numbering to be basically impossible to get right. It's so bad that on multiple occasions I have resorted to opening the document in Word 2003 just to straighten out the page numbering, then I save it and go back to writing or editing in Word 2016.
     

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