Automatic Numbers and Cross-references across Files in Word 6

[George Schober <gschober -at- CINCOM -dot- COM>]

I write software documentation in Word 6.0c, and save each chapter as a =
separate file.  I often cross reference section numbers, for example, a =
sentence in Chapter 2 might say, "See Section 1.2.3 for more =
information."

Until recently I manually numbered each section.  To create the =
cross-reference I highlighted the section number in the source chapter =
and made it a bookmark.  In the target chapter I used the Insert File =
command (which creates an INCLUDETEXT field), used the bookmark for the =
range, and linked the files.  If I changed the order of sections in the =
source chapter I didn't need to keep track of each place I'd referenced =
each section, because Word automatically updated the reference fields.

I've recently begun using the automatic heading numbering feature =
(primarily because I'm also creating help files from the manuals, and =
don't want the section numbers included as text in the help files), but =
can't figure out how to create cross-references (or whether I even can). =
 I tried this:

Create a cross-reference to the section number within the source =
document
Format it as hidden text
Create a bookmark from the (hidden) cross-reference
Use the bookmark in the range box of the Insert File command

That doesn't work, though, because the insert file command can't find =
the hidden text and produces an error.

I spent a frustrating hour last week trying to get help from Microsoft, =
but I couldn't make the support people understand what I wanted (I had =
the feeling I knew more about Word than they did--their Word support =
used to be much better).

NOTE ON TERMINOLOGY:  "Section" means sections of my document (1.1, =
1.1.1, 1.1.2...) NOT sections in the Word document.

I'm not having problems with cross-referencing section numbers within a =
single file (using the Cross-reference command from the Insert menu); my =
problem is finding a range for the Insert File command.

I'd appreciate any answers.

George Schober

Technical Writer and Translator
gschober -at- cincom -dot- com