June 24 2009 • 4:21 AM

Get Your Footnote Number Back

Here’s a dilemma: What if you accidentally delete a footnote number at the bottom of your text column? You know, those numbers down there are just text and there’s nothing stopping you from pressing Delete/Backspace to remove it. Of course, you can just type the footnote number back in, but then that footnote doesn’t get renumbered automatically when you add or remove a footnote before it.

Fortunately, there’s a reasonably easy solution: Instead of typing the number yourself, place the text cursor at the beginning of the line and choose Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Footnote Number. This only works when the text cursor is in a footnote text area (not up with your body text), and this special character will update properly.

2 Responses discussing this post. Add yours below.

  1. June 24th, 2009 • 6:25 am • Link

    Is there a way to get footnotes to automatically update throughout each chapter when using the book feature of InDesign. So far this has stumped me.

  2. Dwayne
    June 25th, 2009 • 6:11 pm • Link

    Good tip. Usually I immediately hit Apple Z (undo). If it’s too late, I just cut the text, delete the footnote reference, and then reinsert it.

    But this is a good shortcut. Thanks :)

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