# Search bizarreness in MS Word



## HareBrain (Jul 31, 2021)

In my current WIP, I'm working on ch6, so when I open the document I do a "find" for the number 6 to go there. But as well as the chapter number and one occurrence of "6" in the text, it also pulls up the footers for pages 6 and 69 (but not 16, 26 etc). It doesn't do this for any other number. Nor does it happen with 6 in my previous WIP, of which the current one was originally a copy (to preserve formatting). It happens in both Word 2003 and Word 2010. It's not something I need to solve, but I'm idly curious as to what might be going on. Does anyone have any idea?


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## Kerrybuchanan (Jul 31, 2021)

No idea why it does that, but wouldn't it be easier to put your chapter numbers as headings (using styles)? Then you can display headings in a panel at the side of the page and move effortlessly around within the novel without needing to search:


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## Venusian Broon (Jul 31, 2021)

Kerrybuchanan said:


> No idea why it does that, but wouldn't it be easier to put your chapter numbers as headings (using styles)? Then you can display headings in a panel at the side of the page and move effortlessly around within the novel without needing to search:
> 
> View attachment 80547



Every time @HareBrain  sends me a manuscript to beta I put all the chapter titles into header format as I read, so that I can navigate it easier    

As to the original question, I don't know. I have come across odd bugs in all M$ programs that are difficult to explain.


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## Ursa major (Jul 31, 2021)

I assume that's the Navigation Pane, Kerry (which I also use).

I also assume it's called that in whatever (Mac-based) version of Word you're using (one I don't recognise, and, in any case, my various _Windows_ versions of Word only go up to "2013").



One feature I've taken advantage of concerns the display of text. Text that can't be seen (because it's coloured white) in the main document -- such as the numbers of sections (I use Heading 2 for section breaks -- they're numbered I, II, III, etc. -- but all but the first section in a chapter is also marked by a visible "#") -- are displayed as normal in the Navigation Pane.


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## HareBrain (Jul 31, 2021)

Kerrybuchanan said:


> wouldn't it be easier to put your chapter numbers as headings (using styles)?


Life is about effort!!

Not just my own, but @Venusian Broon's too.


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