Taming OpenOffice.org

A reader pointed me to issue 100262, where I learned a much better way to solve the problem with master documents described in this post.

Here is the secret:

1. Right-click on the first list item in the first list in the document and choose Paragraph, not Restart Numbering.
2. On the Paragraph dialog, go to the Outline & Numbering tab.
3. Under Numbering, choose Restart at this paragraph and 1 for Start with. Click OK to save.

Note: If you do not explicitly choose 1 for Start with, the setting is not retained!

This is a bit cumbersome, but works fine. Unfortunately I can see no way to build it into a paragraph style.

The problem

When custom numbering styles are used for lists, the first item in the first list in a file does not retain a Restart numbering setting when the file is saved.

When files are used standalone, this is not a problem, but when they are combined (as in a master document), the first list in each chapter continues its numbering from the last list in the previous chapter. To correct this, the first item in the list must be manually changed—but any manual changes in subdocuments are lost when the master document is updated.

The solution

Create a hidden section near the beginning of each document. Put one paragraph in that hidden section and assign your custom numbering style to that paragraph.

Because this first list is hidden, it does not matter if the number is wrong. Now when you select Restart numbering on the first item in the first real list in the document, that setting will be retained.