Openoffice: why is a paragraph numbering style sometimes greyed out (unchangeable)?

Question

In OpenOffice Writer 3.2, I try to change the numbering style used for Heading 2, but in the Outline & Numbering tab of the Paragraph Style dialog box, the Numbering Style option is greyed out. I have no clue why, and OpenOffice doesn't give any hints why this is so either, nor in the dialog box, nor in the associated help page.

So, how do I change the Numbering Style associated with Heading 2?

(I am pretty fluent in using Word's styles and numbering, but I have to say that OpenOffice's implementation of numbering styles isn't very intuitive to me).

Solution

Reason is that your paragraph style (in this case Heading 2) is linked to a certain Level (probably Level 2) in the Outline Numbering. To break up this link, select Tools>Outline Numbering... . In the Numbering tab, select the Level which is linked to paragraph style Heading 2 (probably Level 2). Remove the link by selecting "(none)", which is the first option, for the Paragraph Style.

I found this out because I wanted to get the opposite, i.e. connecting my Heading 3 Paragraph Style to Level 3 in the Outline Numbering.

Hope this helps,

Wouter

Comments

[Rabarberski]

Thanks, that worked indeed. But I have to say I can't wrap my head around the numbering-styles implementation of OpenOffice. Perhaps because I am brainwashed by Word (and FrameMaker), but still I think OO's approach s*cks and is not very user friendly.

[codeinthehole]

It's very non-intuitive .. I spent hours battling with it.