Automatically numbering equations and other equation-related questions in Word for Mac 2011

Anonymous
2013-02-06T21:04:18+00:00

Using the built-in equation editor for Word for Mac 2011 (NOT the separate Equation Editor or Math Type), how do I add automatic equation numbering? How do I add cross-references to numbered equations?

What is (are) the keystrokes or commands to create (stacked | skewed | linear) fractions? It is really awkward to continually have to go to the graphical menus to do this.

Also, same question (keystroke, command) for (resizable) brackets, especially parentheses.

And generally, related to the above questions, I notice that the graphical menus for math items do not show keystrokes or commands for entering any of the items, even though some of them such as \sum are listed in the math autocorrect. Is it generally not possible to use commands for the graphically displayed items, or is it possible but I haven't yet discovered how?

I was able to discover how to make subscripts and superscripts only by examining the "linear" version of some equations, but some items are not so easily discoverable. For instance, resizable parentheses show up in linear form as only ( and ), but typing ( and ) directly from the keyboard do not result in resizable parentheses, only normal parentheses. Is there a place where this kind of information is summarized? Perusing the math autocorrect list doesn't turn up anything for many items such as these. (And perusing that list, with apparently hundreds of items, in a little scrolling box is IMHO a poor interface choice.) I know a little LaTeX but that knowledge seems to translate to Word only partially.

Many thanks,

Jerry

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2014-01-06T08:52:22+00:00

A couple of things to consider/look at:

a. if your caption text comes before the label + number, ir will be treated as part of the label as far as the reference is concerned. (That's my best bet as to what is going wrong here).

b. When you make a reference to a caption, what Word does is to "cover" the text it is going to display in the reference with an invisible bookmark, then creates a { REF } field to display the contents of that bookmark. Although it doesn't obviously get you very far, you can at least verify what the boomark is "covering" as follows...

  • use option-F9 or fn-option-F9 (depending on your keyboard) to reveal the { REF { field code, which will look something like

{ REF _Ref123456789 }

(perhaps with an \h inside)

  • Select the _Ref123456789 part and copy it to the clipboard (e.g. cmd-C)
  • Click Edit->Find->Go To...
  • Under "Go to what", select "Bookmark"
  • Under "Enter bookmark name", paste (e.g. cmd-V) the bookmark name.
  • Click Go to

Word should then select the text that the bookmark "covers" Perhaps that will give you a clue as to what is going wrong.

If absolutely necessary, you could consider manually bookmarking each caption label + number and inserting your own REF fields to your own bookmarks. This shouldn't be necessary but it may at least be /a/ way to do what you need.

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Anonymous
2013-02-12T00:01:06+00:00

Thanks for that macro, Jim. I'll give it a try.

Jerry

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-02-07T03:28:08+00:00

    I see that I can update all fields in the document by selecting the entire document and then clicking anywhere to get a contextual menu, then selecting "Update Field." This then updates equation captions and also cross references. How wonderful.

    Jerry

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-02-07T03:10:15+00:00

    Thanks, Bob, With your comments, I have been able to make progress. Let me comment on my new experience with equation numbering.

    * The equation caption placement option is limited to "above" or "below," as if this were a table or figure. This is incorrect placement for equations which are "captioned" to the left or right, on the same line as the equation. Not only is "above" or 'below" incorrect, it adds a large amount of white space in the same horizontal space.

    * Equations are typically numbered like this; (12), that is, with the equation number inside parentheses and no label such as "Equation." However, Word will not let me make such an equation number, at least as far as I have found so far.

    * The same applies to equation cross references—they are supposed to appear as a number in parenthes, as in: "As we showed in (12)...." The whole "Equation 12" appears instead.

    * When an equation caption is inserted before existing equation captions, the existing captions are renumbered as one would expect. But when an equation caption which precedes others is removed, the later ones are _not_ renumbered. I found that a contextual menu appears that allows the "field" to be updated, and when I do that, the equation number is corrected, but apparently I would have to do this manually for each numbered equation. This is unacceptable and hope there is a better way.

    * When attempting to manually update the equation caption field codes manually by using the contextual menu, sometimes the "Update Field" option does not appear in the menu thus making it impossible to update the field code. What to do? Start all over?

    * In the AutoCaption dialog box, I have checked "Microsoft Equation." I believe that this is supposed to then automatically add equation captions when a new equation is inserted. (Presumably this is intended to work only for display equations.) However, this doesn't work—when I later add a new (display) equation, no caption appears.

    • Cross references to equations are not automatically updated when the referenced equation number is changed by adding or deleting preceding equation captions.

    * Sometimes, when doing Insert -> Caption on an equation, something goes terribly wrong and (I think) the entire paragraph containing the equation is converted to caption text. Hitting Undo and trying over (sometimes several times) seems to eventually get the right result (where "right" means bad placement, etc.)

    I have also studied your comments on keystroke and command things. I might be able to improve my situation there. It seems very odd that many of the math commands are deeply buried in a dialog box and then apparently only accessible by assigning a keystroke manually. It also strikes me as odd that all of the existing key combinations are blocking at the point where one is inserting math; in LyX, for example, the program recognizes when you are in math mode and interprets key combinations in that context without getting mixed up with the "external to math mode" commands.

    I hope to work through these problems with the help of this forum.

    Jerry

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  3. Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 438.4K Reputation points
    2013-02-07T00:03:25+00:00

    I can't fully answer all of your questions but perhaps you can go from here...

    Not much in the EQ editor has keystroke assignments due to lack of available strokes. However, you can assign keystroke of your own, including the reassignment of built-in strokes for which you have no need. Se Word Help on: Create or delete a keyboard shortcut

    You'll need to select the All Commands category in the dialog & most everything you've asked about is listed alphabetically beginning with the string equation, e.g.;

    EquationInsertEquationInsertSymbolEquationLinearFractionEquationShowHideRadicalDegree

    ... nearly 75 in all.

    You can also create your own Math AutoCorrect entries. Instructions are included in the Word Help on:

    Insert or edit an equation or expression

    Captions are handled in the same manner as captions for Tables or Figures using the Insert> Caption dialog. There is an option there for AutoCaption. See Word Help on:

    Use captions

    Like Captions, Cross-references are a feature of the program not specific to Equations. Again, Word help on:

    Create or update a cross-reference

    I'm sure others with more exposure will have suggestions to offer as well.

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