How to add image numbers in Google Docs

Question

I have a document in Google Docs which has a lot of images numbered sequentially. Every time I add a new image in the middle of the document I have to renumber all the image numbers along the document along with its references. How could I renumber the following images automatically, like we can do in LibreOffice using variables?

Laughable

Answer 1

so far it is not possible. You could take a look at Google Apps Scripts to create a macro that does that: https://developers.google.com/apps-script/

I've just finished creating a Google Docs Add-on (https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3641454?hl=en) that can number images and tables. It is going through the process of certification by Google and I hope to publish it soon :)

Regards

Acadian

Did your add-on ever make it through? I'd be interested in this as well. – Ambient

seems to be here: Captionizer by Filipe Werneck chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/captionizer/… – Angwantibo

@Angwantibo link broken – Harriott

And I can't find the way of numbering images - help – Harriott

Updated link: workspace.google.com/marketplace/app/captionizer/190342451111 – Angwantibo

The app is blocked by Google, apparently because it accessed sensitive information. – Whipping

Answer 2

You can use Crossref. The way it works is that you higlight the text referring to a figure, which can be anything e.g. "Figure n" as the add on will replace it.

You then use Ctrl + K to make this into a link to a non existent bookmark such as "#figur_heights" where you can put any text you like after the "#figur_..." Do that for all the figures in the document and when you refer to a figure use an identical non existent bookmark, except it starts as "#fig_..." e.g. "#fig_heights". In this way it can number the figures consecutively and use matching numbers for the in text references.

Finally you then need to go to Add ons > Crossref > Update and it will go through and update all the text for those bookmarks to the sequentially numbered Figure 1, Figure 2 etc. You need to do that whenever you change the order of the figures in your document, add a new reference etc, anything that will change the way the figures are numbered.

Dupont

I have not been able to make it work, it just init and makes nothing – Josselyn

Did you create the text for the figures and link them to the nonexistent bookmarks? – Dupont

There are some bugs with Crossref. Figures in a simple test were numbered out of order. If you are trying to reference multiple figures, e.g. (Figures 1, 2), it will print the "figure" text for each, and you will get "Figure 1, Figure 2." There is no fix for this right now. I have a group paper in Docs in its final stages with 20 figures and regret not just getting people on board with overleaf. – Lionfish