Wordprocessing Numbering, Levels & Lists
Defining an Overall Numbering Scheme
The core definition of a numbering or leveling scheme is defining in an <w:abstractNum> element within the root <w:numbering> element of the numbering part (numbering.xml).
<w:abstractNum w:abstractNumId="0">
<w:nsid w:val="099A081C"/>
<w:multiLevelType w:val="multilevel"/>
<w:lvl w:ilvl="0">
<w:start w:val="1"/>
<w:numFit w:val="upperRoman"/>
<w:pStyle w:val="Heading1"/>
<w:lvlText w:val="%1."/>
<w:lvlJc w:val="start"/>
<w:pPr>
<w:ind w:start="0" w:firstLine="0"/>
</w:pPr>
</w:lvl>
<w:lvl w:ilvl="1">
<w:start w:val="1"/>
<w:numFit w:val="upperLetter"/>
<w:pStyle w:val="Heading2"/>
<w:lvlText w:val="%2."/>
<w:lvlJc w:val="start"/>
<w:pPr>
<w:ind w:start="720" w:firstLine="0"/>
</w:pPr>
</w:lvl>
<w:lvl w:ilvl="2">
<w:start w:val="1"/>
<w:numFit w:val="decimal"/>
<w:pStyle w:val="Heading3"/>
<w:lvlText w:val="%3."/>
<w:lvlJc w:val="start"/>
<w:pPr>
<w:ind w:start="1440" w:firstLine="0"/>
</w:pPr>
</w:lvl>
. . .
</w:abstractNum>
The above XML defines a leveling scheme with multiple levels (w:lvl) and an outline-like appearance as shown in the example below.
Word 2007 Example:
| abstractNum Numbering Scheme for Outline |
Reference: ECMA-376, 3rd Edition (June, 2011), Fundamentals and Markup Language Reference § 17.9.1.
Attributes:
There is just one attribute:
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| abstractNumID | Specifies a unique number which will be used as the identifier for the numbering definition. The value is referenced by numbering instances (num) via the num's abstractNumId child element. <w:abstractNum w:abstractNumId=" 0 "> . . . </w:abstractNum> <w:num w:numId="1"> <w:abstractNumId w:val=" 0 "/> </w:num> |
Elements:
Below are the child elements, except for <w:tmpl> (related to where the definition can be displayed in the user interface), and nsid (related to tracking numbering definitions when documents are repurposed and changed).
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| lvl | Specifies the properties of a particular level within the overall numbering definition. Note that a lvl can appear as part of the abstract definition (when placed within the <w:abstractNum>), or as an exception to the abstract definition (when placed within an <w:lvlOverride> of a <w:num> instance). See Defining a Particular Level. Reference: ECMA-376, 3rd Edition (June, 2011), Fundamentals and Markup Language Reference § 17.9.7. |
| multiLevelType | Specifies the type of numbering defined--single level, multi-level, etc.: <w:multiLevelType w:val="multilevel"/>. This is only used by the word processing application to determine user interface behaviors and does not limit the list in any way. So, for example, a list marked as singleLevel will not be prevented from using levels 2 through 9. It has just one attribute val with the following possible values: * singleLevel - specifies a format with only on level * multiLevel - specifies a list of multiple levels, each of the same kind (bullets or level text) * hybridMultiLevel - specifies a list of multiple levels, each of a potentially different kind (bullets or level text) Reference: ECMA-376, 3rd Edition (June, 2011), Fundamentals and Markup Language Reference § 17.9.13. |
| name | Specifies a name for the abstract numbering definition. It is used to provide a user-friendly alias for a definition: <w:name w:val="Example Name"/> Reference: ECMA-376, 3rd Edition (June, 2011), Fundamentals and Markup Language Reference § 17.9.14. |
| numStyleLink | Specifies that the abstract numbering definition does not contain the actual numbering properties, but instead references the properties to be used by pointing to a numbering style in the styles part. A sample from a numbering part is below: <w:abstractNum w:abstractNumId="0"> <w:nsid w:val="099A081C"/> <w:multiLevelType w:val="multilevel"/> <w:numStyleLink w:val=" TestNumberingStyle "/> </w:abstractNum> The corresponding style appears in the styles part as shown below: <w:style w:type="numbering" w:styleId=" TestNumberingStyle "> . . . </w:style> Reference: ECMA-376, 3rd Edition (June, 2011), Fundamentals and Markup Language Reference § 17.9.22. |
| styleLink | Specifies that the abstract numbering definition is the base numbering definition for the referenced numbering style in the styles part. (Since styling for the various levels of a numbering definition is specified in the abstract numbering definition via the pPr element, these styles can form the base for a numbering style in the styles part.) <w:numbering> . . . <w:abstractNum w:abstractNumId="5"> . . . <w:styleLink w:val=" ExampleNumberingStyle "/> . . . </w:abstractNum> </w:numbering> The referencing style appears in the styles part as shown below: <w:styles> <w:style w:type="numbering" w:styleId=" ExampleNumberingStyle "> <w:name w:val="ExampleNumberingStyle"/> . . . <w:pPr> <w:numPr> <w:numId w:val="6"/> </w:numPr> </w:pPr> </w:style> </w:styles> There is a single attribute val. Reference: ECMA-376, 3rd Edition (June, 2011), Fundamentals and Markup Language Reference § 17.9.28. |
Related HTML/CSS property:
There is no directly comparable HTML counterpart.