This page explains the numbers in the first column. Where they come from, how they change by themselves, and which lines have no number at all. Worth reading once, because the numbers are what you and a colleague use to talk about the show — “we are at 3.2” has to mean the same thing to both of you.
The numbers follow the structure
| Where the line sits | Number |
|---|---|
| Top level | 1, 2, 3 |
| Inside a group | 3.1, 3.2 |
| Inside a sub-group | 3.1.1 |
Move a line, add one, delete one, and the whole list renumbers itself immediately. You never type a number, and you cannot: the column is not editable.
Sorting is numeric, not alphabetical
Each part of the number is compared as a number, so the order is
1 → 1.1 → 1.2 → 1.10 → 2 → 10.
Anything that is not a plain number falls back to text, so a 3a still sorts sensibly next to 3.
Lines without a number
Three kinds of line have no number, and each for the same reason: they are not a step in the running order.
| Line | Why it has no number |
|---|---|
| The archive folder and everything in it | It never plays. A number would suggest it takes a turn. |
| A go-to cue | It is a reference to another line, not a step of its own. It does not shift the numbering around it either. |
| A part set to Continue the list’s numbering | Its number would sit between two numbers that already follow each other. |
What the number is not
The number changes whenever the list changes shape. Links between playouts and go-to cues point at the cue itself, not at its number, so moving a block around never breaks a jump or a link.
If you need something that stays put no matter what, use the title. That is yours and the program never touches it.