Thread: Any Microsoft Word Wizards Out There? Table of Contents showing all captions

Lionelgee - I'm not sure I'd label myself an expert - but have played around with / use semi-regularly TOC feature in Word.

The easiest thig would be for you to share the file so I can look at it. I'll PM my email address if you want to do that so I can see if I can help.

Originally Posted by towe0609

Lionelgee - I'm not sure I'd label myself an expert - but have played around with / use semi-regularly TOC feature in Word.

The easiest thig would be for you to share the file so I can look at it. I'll PM my email address if you want to do that so I can see if I can help.

Hello Tim,

Thank you for the reply and for the PM. I had a break then returned to the task. I noticed that somehow multiple copies of List of Figures and List of Tables were within the whole document - about three complete lists. I have no idea how they arose - I did them only once. Anyway. I deleted the whole lot of them. Then went back to the ToC and clicked on Update Whole table ... and "bingo" I had a proper ToC.

It was not my first attempt to fix this problem by any means. It has been a matter of intense sessions without success over the past six. My having a session - giving up - having a long walk away from it. Returning - being thwarted again and then at last today - finding the problem. Fixing the problem.

Now to find out where the List of Tables and List of Figures should go according to the styleguide. I will then see how I go. Fingers crossed.

Kind regards
Lionel

Hello Tim and All,

Well - I tried putting in a new List of Figures. Did it once and it generated okay. I went back to the ToC and went "update entire table". Sure enough, the whole list of captions for each figure appeared in the ToC.

Okay let's look at the options within how to generate a List of Figures. The automatic default is "From Template". This is Microsoft Word's very own untouched format. As mentioned it is the "Default". I noticed there were five other options for style such as: "simple", "classic" and "distinctive". I chose a specific option - not the "default". I generated a new List of Figures. Went back to ToC and updated the whole table.

Knock me down with a feather.... the title "List of Figures" and its page number appeared. That was it ... followed by an empty space. No exhaustive list of each and every caption for each figure.

There is something very wrong with the "Default" option of "from Template" that Microsoft generated. It was the same story when I generated a new List of Tables.

I revised the estimate of how long I have been trying to solve this issue. It has been off an on since I first noticed the problem back in January. After all this effort it turns out to be a problem with the freaking software!

Not me.

Kind regards
Lionel

I have had to submit documents for commercial publication purposes in Word. Frustrating exercise if you do not adopt the way Word forces you to work once you get over a certain level of complexity.

Found this one of the better help sites for working with Word. Don't know if your problem has a solution within the contents of this web site but try 'Numbering, Headings, Outlines' from the menu on the left of the web page.

Microsoft Word Help, Tips and Tutorials – Making the most of Word in your business | ShaunaKelly.com