Why do my page numbers in Word show as {PAGE}?

November 23, 2004 11:23 AM

MicrosoftWordFilter: Page numbers are not being displayed properly. { MORE }

While writing a paper for one of my classes, all of a sudden, the page numbers stopped displaying. Instead of showing the number, they now display: { PAGE } ...and that's it. I restarted, now none of my papers display the page numbers. In fact, anything I try to insert (date, time, etc) does the same thing. Anyone seen this before? Google won't let me search for "{ PAGE }"...

posted by MrAnonymous to computers & internet (3 comments total)

What's happened is that you have (perhaps through an unconcious/unfortunate string of keystrokes, doesn't matter) set your Field Codes so they show, instead of what's in them.
I'm assuming that your page numbers are in either the Header or Footer of the doc, so first:
1. On the View menu, click Header and Footer
2. You should see a little tool bar appear in the middle of your document - the Header/Footer tool bar. Click the page with the two boxes on it (one at the top, one at the bottom) - that will toggle you between the header and the footer.
3. Click in the {PAGE} thing, wherever it is (header or footer).
4. Right-click and select Toggle Field Codes. That should let you see what's in the field code, instead of the code itself.

HTH - JAN (Just another n00b)
posted by dbmcd at 11:36 AM on November 23, 2004

Amazing. Thank you!
(And I've been using Word for how long?)
posted by MrAnonymous at 12:04 PM on November 23, 2004

You're welcome!
I just re-read your original comment and you can fix the "...everything I try to insert acts the same way..." part by doing this:
1. Ctrl+A to select the entire document
2. Right-click and select Toggle Field Codes
This will not work for the headers and footers, for that, you still have to do the other procedure.
If, for some reason, you want to see your field codes all the time, you can change that by going to the:
1. Tools menu
2. Select Options>View(tab)>Field Codes
3. Select the box next to Field Codes
Then you can further decide if you want to see shading - I like to leave the default, which is Always, so that I can find any Field Codes at a glance, and know where to click to update or fiddle with them.
posted by dbmcd at 12:21 PM on November 23, 2004