Using the field NUMWORDS in QuickParts Field

  • Thread starter Thread starter ecn1942
  • Start date Start date
E

ecn1942

I'm taking a class in short fiction and one of the requirements is that the
first page header include the story's word count. I tried inserting
QuickParts > Field > NUMWORDS which gave me almost what I wanted. Problem is
that the required number is NOT to include the story title and author's name
which appear on the first page. How do I insert a number that is equal to
NUMWORDS minus the word count for my title and name? I tried putting the
number to subtract in the document properties then inserting Field > Formula
=NUMWORDS-6 but that didn't work. Can this be done so I don't have to
change the heading every time I edit my document?
 
You got it almost right. The NUMWORDS has to be a field embedded
inside the Formula field. Click on the Formula field and press
Shift+F9 (or right-click it and choose Toggle Field Codes) to display
the code. Select the keyword NUMWORDS and press Ctrl+F9 to enclose it
in field braces. It should now look like this:

{ = {NUMWORDS} - 6 }

Press F9 to update the field and get the number you want.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.
 
Note too that the NUMWORDS field counts itself as another word after the first update ...
 
But not if it's in a header -- it only counts the main text.

Note too that the NUMWORDS field counts itself as another word after the first update ...

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]


Jay Freedman said:
You got it almost right. The NUMWORDS has to be a field embedded
inside the Formula field. Click on the Formula field and press
Shift+F9 (or right-click it and choose Toggle Field Codes) to display
the code. Select the keyword NUMWORDS and press Ctrl+F9 to enclose it
in field braces. It should now look like this:

{ = {NUMWORDS} - 6 }

Press F9 to update the field and get the number you want.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Then if the stuff to be excluded was in the first page header, it wouldn't
need excluding from the count?

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>


Jay Freedman said:
But not if it's in a header -- it only counts the main text.

Note too that the NUMWORDS field counts itself as another word after the
first update ...

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]


Jay Freedman said:
You got it almost right. The NUMWORDS has to be a field embedded
inside the Formula field. Click on the Formula field and press
Shift+F9 (or right-click it and choose Toggle Field Codes) to display
the code. Select the keyword NUMWORDS and press Ctrl+F9 to enclose it
in field braces. It should now look like this:

{ = {NUMWORDS} - 6 }

Press F9 to update the field and get the number you want.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:17:01 -0800, ecn1942

I'm taking a class in short fiction and one of the requirements is that
the
first page header include the story's word count. I tried inserting
QuickParts > Field > NUMWORDS which gave me almost what I wanted.
Problem is
that the required number is NOT to include the story title and author's
name
which appear on the first page. How do I insert a number that is equal
to
NUMWORDS minus the word count for my title and name? I tried putting
the
number to subtract in the document properties then inserting Field >
Formula
=NUMWORDS-6 but that didn't work. Can this be done so I don't have to
change the heading every time I edit my document?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Yes, that's correct. You could put the title and author's name in the
first page header along with the NUMWORDS field (by itself, not in a
formula field), and the count would be correct.

If the course instructor has such stringent requirements, though, this
strategy might be "against the rules". I never cease to be amazed at
the picayune garbage that's forced on students.

--
Jay

Then if the stuff to be excluded was in the first page header, it wouldn't
need excluding from the count?

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>


Jay Freedman said:
But not if it's in a header -- it only counts the main text.

Note too that the NUMWORDS field counts itself as another word after the
first update ...

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]



You got it almost right. The NUMWORDS has to be a field embedded
inside the Formula field. Click on the Formula field and press
Shift+F9 (or right-click it and choose Toggle Field Codes) to display
the code. Select the keyword NUMWORDS and press Ctrl+F9 to enclose it
in field braces. It should now look like this:

{ = {NUMWORDS} - 6 }

Press F9 to update the field and get the number you want.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:17:01 -0800, ecn1942

I'm taking a class in short fiction and one of the requirements is that
the
first page header include the story's word count. I tried inserting
QuickParts > Field > NUMWORDS which gave me almost what I wanted.
Problem is
that the required number is NOT to include the story title and author's
name
which appear on the first page. How do I insert a number that is equal
to
NUMWORDS minus the word count for my title and name? I tried putting
the
number to subtract in the document properties then inserting Field >
Formula
=NUMWORDS-6 but that didn't work. Can this be done so I don't have to
change the heading every time I edit my document?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
The NUMWORDS field also doesn't count text in footnotes, endnotes or shapes. The last of these gives the OP yet another option - put
the 'reserved' text into a textbox.

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]


Jay Freedman said:
Yes, that's correct. You could put the title and author's name in the
first page header along with the NUMWORDS field (by itself, not in a
formula field), and the count would be correct.

If the course instructor has such stringent requirements, though, this
strategy might be "against the rules". I never cease to be amazed at
the picayune garbage that's forced on students.

--
Jay

Then if the stuff to be excluded was in the first page header, it wouldn't
need excluding from the count?

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>


Jay Freedman said:
But not if it's in a header -- it only counts the main text.

On Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:53:00 +1100, "macropod"

Note too that the NUMWORDS field counts itself as another word after the
first update ...

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]



You got it almost right. The NUMWORDS has to be a field embedded
inside the Formula field. Click on the Formula field and press
Shift+F9 (or right-click it and choose Toggle Field Codes) to display
the code. Select the keyword NUMWORDS and press Ctrl+F9 to enclose it
in field braces. It should now look like this:

{ = {NUMWORDS} - 6 }

Press F9 to update the field and get the number you want.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:17:01 -0800, ecn1942

I'm taking a class in short fiction and one of the requirements is that
the
first page header include the story's word count. I tried inserting
QuickParts > Field > NUMWORDS which gave me almost what I wanted.
Problem is
that the required number is NOT to include the story title and author's
name
which appear on the first page. How do I insert a number that is equal
to
NUMWORDS minus the word count for my title and name? I tried putting
the
number to subtract in the document properties then inserting Field >
Formula
=NUMWORDS-6 but that didn't work. Can this be done so I don't have to
change the heading every time I edit my document?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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