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I'm looking for a stable, user-friendly and flexible way to add marginal numbers / "recitals" to word processing documents. With "marginal numbers" i mean numbers appearing on the page margin, similar to line numbers, but not assigned to each line of a paragraph. Instead, each paragraph should receive a consecutive number on its own. Ideally, with a print layout that differentiates between "left" and "right" pages, the margin number should be placed on the outer margin.
Up to now, i found different solutions, each with pros and cons:
"blind table" solution: put the complete text into the inner column of a two-column table, giving each paragraph its own row, so a margin number can be placed in the outer column of each paragraph. Pros: most users know how to handle tables; placing the margin number isn't too complex. Cons: not very flexible, changing between "left" and "right" pages has to be done manually (is there a concept of inner / outer columns)? No way to insert the margin number automatically? How to handle header lines?
"numbering" solution: use the numbering functionality and use negative indenting so the number would be placed on the page margin. Pros: very easy to implement, elegant solution by defining a paragraph style with numbering, very easy to use (just apply the paragraph style). Cons: numbers can't be placed on the "outer" margin, they will appear on the left margin in any case.
"frame" solution: add a frame to each paragraph that can be placed anywhere on the page. Pros: Flexibility, frame can be placed on the "outer" margin. Cons: quite complex, usability (needs a macro to insert the frame), needs user interaction for every paragraph.
All those solutions should work with the major word processing applications. Are there more / other / better solutions? Is there a "best practice" to follow?
tohuwawohu
Posted 2012-05-22T07:43:46.680
Reputation: 8 627
2I could tell you how to do that in LaTeX... ;-) – DevSolar – 2012-05-22T07:47:50.753
I would be very glad if i could use LaTeX for this! But alas, i need a "office-based" solution... – tohuwawohu – 2012-05-22T07:58:29.017
With line numbering you dont have to number it line by line, its up to you to number by 5 lines (the number will show at line number 5) or 10 (the number will show at line number 10), etc. – Dima – 2012-05-24T11:36:09.397
@Dima: Thank your for your comment, but i fear line numbering doesn't fit my needs. Even if i would restrict the line numbers to each first line of a paragraph, it would count the lines. With paragraph numbering, i need to "count paragraphs". I need to assign "1" to the first paragraph, "2" to the second and so on. I think i can't reach this goal with line numbers. – tohuwawohu – 2012-05-24T13:08:49.313
1The Numbering (bullet) solution is your best bet, you'll have to try to make a macro that changes the RTL text direction on odd pages, only for the bullet and not for the text if that is possible at all... Personally, I wouldn't bother trying to do this in Office. With something more powerful like InDesign I might give it a try, though I'd far rather make a custom application and implement it using WPF, XAML and the Fixed document (XPS) tools. – Louis Somers – 2012-05-25T23:30:54.727
1Is it acceptable for the output of word, writer, etc to be passed to another program for further processing? – Jeremy W – 2012-05-29T03:24:45.673
@JeremyW: yes, this would be acceptable in general, but i would prefer a solution that allows for handling the marginals during editing the main document. The marginals would be useful for cross references, e.g. – tohuwawohu – 2012-05-29T04:43:11.423