Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with numbering

What is the name of this numbering system?

joelf — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:27:12 -0800

Does this Dewey decimal-like numbering system seen in requirements documents, site maps and any numbered system where you don't have to rewrite the numbers every time an update is made and looks like 1.2.1.1 have a name?

2
- 2.1
- 2.2

3
- 3.1
- 3.2
- 3.3
  - 3.3.1

Using Base & numbering

Salmonberry — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:10:29 -0800

Auto-generated numbers using Open Office base. Can it pick up where I left off? Hi there. I'm trying to create a simple database for storing purchase orders. Right now everything is done in Excel and information has to be re-input in 4 different spreadsheets. So I am attempting to build something I can use.

Currently we're up to PO number 1525. Ideally I'd like to have Base start with order number 1526 & keep going from there. Is that possible? And I'd like that PO number to be the primary key to avoid dupes. Is that also possible? I've looked high and low and can't get it to auto-generate without getting errors when adding a new record.

Thanks!

number my pages, dammit!

crazylegs — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 06:48:41 -0800

How do I put in page numbers in OpenOffice? What's the deal with OpenOffice? Sure it's free, but man it has some wierd quirks! I'm trying to put in page numbers, which has always been totally easy in Wordperfect and Word, the other two programs with which I'm familiar. The only way I can figure out to put page numbers in OpenOffice is to insert a header and then type in each page number individually. Surely there must be an easier way to do it. I've searched the help files, I've done everything. It's really pissing me off. Help!

aarrrggghhh! ms word help, please?

msconduct — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:00:35 -0800

sigh. using ms word 2003, sp3, and am trying to figure out how--or if it's even possible--to number all the paragraphs in the document. this is for a multi-reviewer document that has 1,745 paragraphs. the word count function under the tools menu will show me how many characters, words, lines, paragraphs & pages are in the document, but i can't find out how to number the paragraphs & display that number. i want the paragraph numbers displayed for the review only, not in the final document (which already has page & section numbers). it *used* to be a fairly simple thing. now it's driving me nuts. is it possible?

Three digits... Three letters... What's the code?

meindee — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:18:04 -0800

What's the numbering convention for the new Indiana vehicle license plates? Is there one? I've looked all over and can only find info on the OLD numbering convention . Any guesses, clues or insights?

Automatic creation of images displaying sequential numbers

Grensgeval — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:22:02 -0800

How do I automatically create a series of images of sequential numbers? ( 01.jpg shows the number '1', 02.jpg the number '2', etc) I would prefer to do this using software for Windows. Although if need be, a Mac-only solution would do.

The file-format is of no importance, since conversion is always possible.
Image size for my use is about 500x500 pixels. Simple two-tone images are fine, although some influence on (randomization of) background color, font type/color would be even better.

I'm no guru, but have a basic understanding of Adobe's CS3 Suite and have monkeyed around with various video-editing programs (using the titler functions) as well as image-management software (e.g. ThumbsPlus) and different watermarking software to get this problem solved, but without success.

I'm sure it must be possible, even if the method is a 'dirty' way of using a program. ThumbsPlus for example can make thumbnail-sheets of images, which it then numbers, if you ask it to. However, I haven't been able to cheat this option into doing what I need.

Any ideas? Making these by hand is not going to be fun...

How would you assign numbers to the different types of human effluvia?

Mapes — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 20:51:32 -0800

How would you assign numbers to the different types of human effluvia? We all know what "number one" and "number two" stand for. There is some precedent for referring to semen as "number three." What are some smart, memorable ways of numbering our other discharges: tears, sweat, earwax, saliva, breast milk, etc.?

Assume that the numbers might be used as a shorthand or code for privacy or obfuscation ("Cleanup number five on aisle seven").

The best answers will be suitable as mnemonics and be clever enough to seem obvious in retrospect. Example: #8 = vomit, because it's what you "ate." Creativity and memorability win here.

Searching through Automatic Numbering in Word '02

WCityMike — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 10:01:53 -0800

In Microsoft Word (I'm using Word 2002), automatic numbering is when the application numbers items, not you. I've run into a problem with navigating these items. If I am in, say, a 900-item document that's been manually numbered, I can use 'Find' to locate item no. 475. Is there a way to conduct such a search when automatic numbering is in effect, aside from paging through the document?

Numbered labels in Word?

ethel — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 12:59:11 -0800

I'm having some trouble creating labels in Word for Macintosh 2004. I'm working on a project now that requires that I print a number of labels (8 1/2 by 11 sheets of these guys, Avery labels, printed out on your standard inkjet printer), numbered one-by-one in sequential order, 1, 2, 3, and so on (about a thousand or so of these, each number contained in one label).
I cannot for the life of me figure out how to put this numbering system into a preset Word label table. There are previous questions that ask basically the same thing about mail-merges, but how do I get a 1 in one field, a 2 in the next, and so on without making myself crazy typing these numbers in one by one?

I know how to create separate sequential fields in Excel, with that pull-down cross-hairs, but I cannot seem to do the same in Word.

And if anyone has any idea about how to create labels from Excel, I would equally love to hear about that!

Sorry for such a mundane query, but I am just going batty trying to figure this out..

How can I stop InDesign from restarting footnote numbering?

omair — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 09:10:26 -0800

How can I stop Adobe InDesign from restarting its footnote numbering? Footnote numbering goes along perfectly fine, as long as I'm within the same textbox (or connected textboxes). As soon as there is a gap in my text (a new set of textboxes), the footnote numbering restarts. (I have disconnected the textboxes for layout purposes).

In the Document Footnote Options, there is only one checkbox: "Restart Numbering Every..." and the options are Page, Spread, and Section. This is unchecked...because I never want to restart footnote numbering. But it doesn't make a difference.

I tried Googling for this, but the best answer I can find is a suggestion to not use InDesign. Maybe in the future, but unfortunately it is not an option right now.

Thank you very much for your help!

It's a parking lot on the southbound 101 this morning

armage — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 18:04:15 -0800

Why do people in Los Angeles usually refer to their numbered highways with "the" (for example, US 101 is "the one-oh-one")? Perhaps this is done in other regions as well, but as far as I know it seems to be specific to Los Angeles. According to Wikipedia, US 101 is just called "one-oh-one" in Northern California and Oregon. Another article also notes a linguistic divide between Northern and Southern California in this regard.

In my hometown of Richmond, VA, when we colloquially refer to our major interstates and arterial highways (I-95, I-64, I-295, US 1, US 301, US 360, etc.) we do so without using "the" (so just "Ninety-five" or "Eye-ninety-five"). We also have named highways that also have numbers, like Chippenham Parkway (Rt. 150). (Interestingly we don't refer to it with "the".) (I'm aware that in many places, especially in LA, they use the names of highways more often. E.g. "The Santa Monica Freeway" is used in conversation, not just in official documents.)

Is this specific just to LA? Is it done in other regions? How do you refer to numbered (or named and numbered) highways where you live?