Section 9.7. Cross-Referencing Figures

9.7. Cross-Referencing Figures

Figures those photos, drawings, and other graphicshelp convey information that would be hard to describe in text. They help break up that vast sea of words as they illustrate your point. In academic papers, magazine articles, and business documents, figures usually have numbers to make it easier to refer to them (Figure 9-21).

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Tip: For details on how to add captions and figure numbers to your graphics, see Section 11.7.

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To create a cross-reference to a figure, you use the Cross-reference dialog box, as described in the previous section. However, since figures have a figure number and a caption as well as a location in your document, you have a few more options when creating the cross-reference, so the process is a bit more complicated.

First, of course, you need some text to introduce the figure, like The guillotine, as shown in . Remember to type only the words that come before the cross-reference, not the cross-reference itself, and then choose Insert Links Cross-reference to open the Cross-reference dialog box. From the "Reference type drop-down menu, choose Figure. The text box below lists the figures in your document. Select the one you want to reference, and then, from the "Insert reference to" drop-down menu, choose the text that describes the reference to the figure.

Figure 9-21. Use figures, photos, and other artwork as an opportunity to provide more details for your readers. With captions and an image, you can explain complex subjects in a very small amount of space.

Captions have three parts : a label, (like the word "Figure"), a number, and the caption text. Your cross-reference can include any one of those items, or all three. It can also show the page number and state whether the figure is above or below the reference in the text (Figure 9-22). For example, if you turn on all of these options, you may end up with something like this: The guillotine as shown in Figure 1 on page 1 above .

Figure 9-22. To insert a cross-reference for a figure, choose Figure as the reference type. Use the "Insert reference to" dropdown menu to select the text that appears in the reference.

9.7.1. Making a Table of Figures

In addition to keeping track of figures and their captions, Word can create a table that lists the figures, shows their captions, and shows the page numbers. Inserting a table of figures is similar to inserting a table of contents. Go to References Captions Insert Table of Figures (Alt+S, G) to open the Table of Figures box (Figure 9-23). Use the Formats drop-down menu to choose a style for your Table of Figures. Word can take its style cue from your template, or you can use one of several predesigned styles from the menu.

Figure 9-23. The Table of Figures box gives you a preview of the printed table on the left. On the right you see a Web preview. Check the box below to use hyperlinks on the Web page instead of page numbers. Use the other tools such as the "Show page numbers" and "Right align page numbers" box to format your table.