Is there a way to number list items in reverse order in Pages '09?

Question

I want to create an ordered list in Pages '09 with decreasing numbers, like:

4. Most Recent Item, 2010.
3. Another Item, 2009.
2. An Old Item, 2008.
1. Oldest Item, 2007.

But it looks like there is no option to do this, but prefix items with numbers manually myself.

Does anyone know how to do this automatically with Pages '09?

Answer 1

Nope, you can only tell Pages to start at a number, and it will add +1 to that number. Pages ’09 doesn’t have the option to perform a reverse numbered list.

However, a “workaround” exists by using an old school table.

1. Click on the table icon on the toolbar to create a table.
2. Resize the table to your preferred size (Inspector > Table > Table: for better control on the cell’s size).
3. You will need two columns, the first column will be for the “numbers” and the second one will be the item itself.
4. Type the highest number in the 1st column/first row and the next number in the first column, second row. (see image)
5. Drag the little white dot downwards and the sequence will be automatically completed.
6. Modify the table properties in the inspector to remove the borders.
7. Silently grin because nobody will know this is a table… you can make evil sounds too.

If you need more rows later, you can add them, modify the first two items in the “sequence” and re-drag to regenerate the new sequence, for the same price.

Additional Info

This “automcomplete the secuence” magic also works for other datatypes, for example: Letters (try a, b, … drag).

8. Don’t forget to profit!