Re: Character Tag Instructions Correct?

["Jeremy H. Griffith" <jeremy@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 7 Jun 2002 14:04:53 -0400, "Chris Seal" <cseal@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>10. When all characters in a paragraph are tagged with, say, Emphasis, and
>then they all have Default ¶ Font applied, the characters do not change
>their appearance, but the Character Designer shows a blank Character Tag but
>the Angle is confirmed as Italic.
>
>Conclusion:
>1. Default ¶ Font does not always work as expected in removing a previously
>applied c-tag.
>2. Absence of a Character Tag in the Character Designer does not mean any
>previosuly applied c-tag has been removed.
>
>Comments?

When you apply a char format to an entire para, you have a different
situation than when you apply it only to part.  You have effectively
created an override to the *para* format default font settings, which
you can confirm by looking at those settings in the Para Designer.
That is why the *para* format acquires an asterisk in the status bar.

The result of that is that now, the Default P Font *is* the format
as modified by the char format.  So applying it *correctly* removes
the tag but leaves the properties.  This is very counter-intuitive,
but terribly logical.  

If you then apply a different tag to part of the para, see it change, 
then apply Default P Font, it changes back (to the new default)... 
but Frame, confused, leaves the old tag in the Char Designer window 
until you change the selection.  Now, *that* is a bug...

This "feature" can result in other nasties.  Suppose you apply a Link
char format to a para, but do not want its autonumber to be part of
the link?  If you apply the format to all the text, the autonum will
change too, unless it has a contradicting char format assigned to it;
if it has Default P Font assigned, it changes with the rest of the
para.  The workaround is to add a space at the end of the para, and
*not* format that space with the char format in the first place.
Then the Default P Font will be unchanged, and the autonum will be
as you wish.  Does your head hurt yet?

FWIW, Word has a similar problem, but there if you do not format
the para mark itself, which requires that you make it visible, you 
*can* format all the text without changing the ground under your feet.  
A bit more reasonable, IMHO...

-- Jeremy H. Griffith, at Omni Systems Inc.
  (jeremy@omsys.com)  http://www.omsys.com/

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