Reverse sorting a numbered list

[Zhe...@officeformac.com]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)

I have a long list of references that I want to put in reverse order. The text is formatted as a numbered list. I've tried converting the text to a table--the numbers disappear. I've tried highlighting the numbers and clicking Sort--doesn't work.

Surely there's a simple way I can turn this list "inside out." Please help!

Thanks.

[CyberTaz]

On 6/15/09 3:55 PM, in article
jemcgimpsey-02CA...@news.microsoft.com, "JE McGimpsey"
<jemcg...@mvps.org> wrote:

> In article <59b76...@webcrossing.caR9absDaxw>,

> One way:
>
> 1) Copy the numbered text.
> 2) Choose Edit/Paste Special, select "Unformatted Text"
> 3) Choose Table/Sort, Field 1, Text, Descending

John's suggestion is even quicker & avoids getting into Excel, but it will
leave the numbers as text in reverse order. Convert the list to a table,
select & remove the column of numbers, then convert the single column table
back to text & reapply your numbering.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

[JE McGimpsey]

In article <59b76...@webcrossing.caR9absDaxw>,
Zhe...@officeformac.com wrote:

One way:

[JE McGimpsey]

Note - in order for text sorting to work, the number format must have
the number of digits constant, so:

1
2
3
...
10
11

won't work, but

01
02
03
...
10
11

will.

In article <jemcgimpsey-02CA...@news.microsoft.com>,

[CyberTaz]

You can't sort using the numbers because they're applied as formatting, not
as literal content. However, you were on the right track going the Table
route � you just didn't go quite far enough.

First, turn the Numbering off, then convert the list to a Table again.

Use Table> Insert> Column to the Right (or Left), then enter the numbers 1-n
(or alpha characters) into the new cells.

Sort the list in Descending order based on the new column which you can then
select & use Table> Delete> Columns to remove.

If it's a very long list you may do better copying it to Excel where you can
more readily number the records, then paste back into Word.

HTH |:>)

Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

On 6/15/09 2:37 PM, in article 59b76...@webcrossing.caR9absDaxw,

[CyberTaz]

The first option will work OK, you just have to select Number instead of
Text from the Type: list, right? :-)

Regards |:>)

Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

On 6/15/09 4:00 PM, in article
jemcgimpsey-EF43...@news.microsoft.com, "JE McGimpsey"

[JE McGimpsey]

In article <C65C2B2D.4EB7E%onlygen...@com.cast.net>,
CyberTaz <onlygen...@com.cast.net> wrote:

> The first option will work OK, you just have to select Number instead of
> Text from the Type: list, right? :-)

Depends - If the numbering is

1)
2)

or

1 -

2 -

it won't.

[CyberTaz]

On 6/15/09 7:44 PM, in article
jemcgimpsey-2000...@news.microsoft.com, "JE McGimpsey"
<jemcg...@mvps.org> wrote:

But it will if you hit Sort's Options button & specify the ) or - as the
separator character :-)

Regards |::>)
Bob J.

[JE McGimpsey]

In article <C65CE5D1.4EACC%onlygen...@com.cast.net>,
CyberTaz <onlygen...@com.cast.net> wrote:

> But it will if you hit Sort's Options button & specify the ) or - as the
> separator character :-)

True!