word document - how to create custom section headers?

Anonymous
2017-08-17T16:37:36+00:00

I have a Word 2016 document with 6 sections in it. Each section contains 3 tables. It's possible for the tables to span more than one page. When they do, I'd like to repeat the section header at the top of the second page, with " (continued)" tacked onto the end of the header. I looked at "fields" for this, but I don't see that level of customization. Can anyone suggest what Word features I should use to create this effect?

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Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2017-08-21T23:43:35+00:00

Try using a STYLEREF field.

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-09-18T14:25:27+00:00

    OK, I like the tool. It's having a little problem displaying the list of headers & footers in the "Select" box on the left side - the text is overlapping. A little tough to read, but still possible. If it were implemented using a TreeView object (looks like a ListBox now), it would look and behave much better.

    By marking "H/Fs that control their own content", I see that section 3's Primary/Odd Header controls its own content, rather than being linked to the previous section's content. I used the buttons to try to unlink, then re-link section 3's content to section 2 - it seemed to go through the motions, but after it was done, nothing changed. This is pretty much the same behavior as when I tried to do it using the standard Word commands. My guess is that the tool is just using the same standard Word commands to try to do the same thing.

    This may mean what you said - that the file is "broken". I will wait to see what your contacts come up with. (Hopefully, I won't need to rebuild the file - ugh!)

    OK, I went ahead and re-created my document from scratch. It seemed to work for a while, but at some point, my StyleRef field vanished again! I think it might have to do with the statement that was made earlier - that maybe fields aren't supported in the header???

    Once the field vanished, just putting it back doesn't seem to work. I can go thru the steps of inserting the field, but even after I do, the field isn't visible now. Sigh...

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  2. Charles Kenyon 171.2K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2017-09-18T16:24:56+00:00

    ***

    OK, I went ahead and re-created my document from scratch. It seemed to work for a while, but at some point, my StyleRef field vanished again! I think it might have to do with the statement that was made earlier - that maybe fields aren't supported in the header???

    Once the field vanished, just putting it back doesn't seem to work. I can go thru the steps of inserting the field, but even after I do, the field isn't visible now. Sigh...

    1. The StyleRef field was designed primarily for use in headers and footers.
    2. To me this indicates that you have a header in which you do not have the field.

    Header/Footer Settings Recap

    Use the tool on your new file.

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-09-18T17:03:16+00:00

    ***

    OK, I went ahead and re-created my document from scratch. It seemed to work for a while, but at some point, my StyleRef field vanished again! I think it might have to do with the statement that was made earlier - that maybe fields aren't supported in the header???

    Once the field vanished, just putting it back doesn't seem to work. I can go thru the steps of inserting the field, but even after I do, the field isn't visible now. Sigh...

    1. The StyleRef field was designed primarily for use in headers and footers.
    2. To me this indicates that you have a header in which you do not have the field.

    Header/Footer Settings Recap

    Use the tool on your new file.

    I insert the field as a Cross-Reference. I then edit the field - right-click, Edit, choose "StyleRef" and "Heading 1", Check "Search from bottom of page to top", Check "Preserve formatting during updates". Click OK and the field disappears.

    I did use the tool on it. The first section is fine, the second section gives me an error I don't understand. Maybe you can help? Thanks!!!

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-09-18T19:18:27+00:00

    I'm having a pretty easy time reproducing this. I create a blank doc. I put in lines that say Section One, Section Two, Section Three, with blanks lines between them. I make each of these lines a "Heading 1" style. I insert a Section Break (Next Page) before Section Two and Section 3, making the doc 3 pages long.

    I then open the page header and insert a Quick Parts -> Field. Select StyleRef, Heading 1, Search from bottom of page to top, Preserve formatting during updates. I created one doc like this, the field appeared for a while, then with a little playing around, it disappeared. I created a second doc from scratch, now the field in the header won't appear one the first page, but does on subsequent (even though "Different First Page" is not checked).

    Yes, I can toggle the field and it'll show me the field definition, even when it doesn't display the field contents. So the field is there, it just doesn't always display. And in section two and beyond, I get the error message in the Header Footer Boss screen, same as in the previous picture. Not sure how to react to that. Hhhmmm...

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