Final Writer: table of contents and chapter numbering?

Via gaming I've become very interested in the Amiga range of computers that I completely missed out of back in the day. They were way ahead of their time and more capable of running "regular" software than they have been getting credit for, maybe because they were used so much for gaming. I think that the Amiga could have been used (by me) for school and office work, giving it a lot of added value to PC's and game consoles.

So I'm exploring things like word processors. AFAIC one of the most, if not the single most, important piece(s) of software for any computer back then and now.

The best known and highly recommended word processor is Final Writer. But for the life of me I cannot find out how to number chapters and how to insert a table of contents. You can create a section called "Table of Contents" via the menu: "Section --> Create --> Table of Contents". But no table of contents appears, even though I have a section called "Main" that contains text and a title formatted w/ the style "Section name". And I cannot find out how to insert an numbered list or automatically numbered chapters. Is that even possible w/ Final Writer 97?

Anybody know how to create numbered chapters and a table of contents? Like MS-Word or LaTeX does? Or does anybody know if another word processor can, like Wordworth or Amigawriter?

Nobody?

[orphan264]

I have Final Copy and WordPerfect for the Amiga, never tried Final Writer.

I am guessing that WordPerfect for the Amiga could do what you need, though most Amigans shun this "embedded code" style word processor - it clearly wasn't a graphical WYSIWYG program. However, it did nearly everything the same version PC software could do at the time.

I still have WordPerfect and the manual, I can consult them for confirmation if you think that is a solution you could use.

[fryguy]

Final Writer was indeed really good, i'm afraid i can't help you with those things though.

Originally Posted by orphan264

I have Final Copy and WordPerfect for the Amiga, never tried Final Writer.

I am guessing that WordPerfect for the Amiga could do what you need, though most Amigans shun this "embedded code" style word processor - it clearly wasn't a graphical WYSIWYG program. However, it did nearly everything the same version PC software could do at the time.

I still have WordPerfect and the manual, I can consult them for confirmation if you think that is a solution you could use.

Thanks for your reply (same goes for @Fryguy). The only version of Final Copy that I could find is Final Copy II r1 (from 1992). That version does not even support tables out of the box and neither can I find a way to insert a Table of Contents. Maybe it's me but I don't think that Final copy can that.

Indeed, working with Word Perfect 5.1 is a punishment, that much I can remember from way back when.

Guess there's no WYSIWYG word processor for the Amiga that supports advanced features like automatic chapter numbering and an automatically updated table of contents.

Or can this be done using Arexx in said word processors? I don't know what exactly Arexx is...

[amiga1260]

On aminet you can download a macro to create Chapters:

http://aminet.net/package/text/fwrit/FinalChapters

Originally Posted by amiga1260

On aminet you can download a macro to create Chapters:

http://aminet.net/package/text/fwrit/FinalChapters

Thanks man!

[malko]

Didn't check but have a look here, maybe the manual is included...

[davideo]

If not there is one on Josh's site under applications

@Malko: Those CD-roms did not contain the manual of Final Writer, but it did contain TeX. That last "document preparation system" is a classic for scientists/mathematicians. I read that it can be difficult to install, maybe it can be run from the CD. Thanks for the link!

@davideo: Yes! There it is, the Final Writer manual. Indeed, Final Writer should be able to generate a ToC automatically, I guess I did it wrong. Have to study it some more.

Well, there you have it. I should have bought an Amiga when I studied at the university. Cheaper than a PC, and much more user friendly for creating reports. And it saves you a gaming console. Amiga had a GUI maths formulae application for importing formulae into (Final Writer) reports.

Now I'm gonna look for chemistry software. But back in the day that even didn't exist for DOS or Mac I believe... You had to use a drawing program for al those 5- and 6-rings. And for graphical work the Amiga was king. Already found some (link)