Autonumber challenge: Table 10.a, Table 10.b and Figure 10.a

Tue Sep 18 09:40:39 PDT 2007

I have a challenge with autonumbering, and can't recall the solution. (Ran into this unusual numbering style some years ago.) I am trying to get a complex autonumbering sequence to work in unstructured FM7.2 on Windows.

I'm assisting a customer with a template that requires the following numbered paragraphs to occur w/in one document:

Step 10: How to rinse the sink
<body text>
Step 20: How to dry the sink
<text>
Table 20.a
<table>
Table 20.b
<table>
Figure 20.a
<Figure>
Step 30: How to fill the sink
<body text>
Figure 30.a
<Figure>

In other words, both Table Title and Figure Title have to inherit their primary number from the "Step". The problem is how to maintain a separate number stream for Tables and Figures that will let them number sequentially, and not be affected by one another.

Here are my para number definitions:
Step = S:Step <n+>0: 
Table = S:Table <n>0.<a+>
Figure = S:Figure <n>0.<a+>

When mixing Figures and Tables I get results like these:
Step 10:  
Figure 10.a   
Figure 10.b    
Figure 10.c    
Table 10.d 
Step 20:

... The "Table" needs to number at "Table 10.a" 

I thought of using <$chapnum> for the primary <n+> in the "Step" para, but <$chapnum> will not number sequentially w/in the same document. Using the following definitions works for one "Step 10:" but there is no way to have "Step 20:" number sequentially:
Step = S:Step <$chapnum>0: 
Table = F:Figure <$chapnum>0.<a+>
Figure = T:Table <$chapnum>0.<a+>

These definitions produce the following results:
Step 10:  
Figure 10.a   
Figure 10.b    
Figure 10.c    
Table 10.a
Step 10:

FYI -- this document does not require or use a conventional numbered chapter heading.

Can anyone out there think of an autonumbering pattern in FrameMaker (7.2) that will work for the sequence I describe at the beginning of my email? Any and all advice welcomed.

Maxwell Hoffmann/ENLASO
(805) 807-0853