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Amanda Nance wrote:
<snip>
> 1. I have some bulleted text with the following characteristics:
> *11 pt. Garamond
> *line spacing: 11 pt.
> *space above: 0 pt.
> *space below: 6 pt.
>
> When I was experimenting, I changed the space above to 6 pt and kept
> everything else the same. When I placed the two examples on top of each
> other and held them up to the light, they were exactly the same. Why is
> this? I am using Frame 5.5.
</snip>
Unlike Word, FrameMaker doesn't add the space above/below settings of
adjacent paragraphs. Instead, it uses the _larger_ of the two.
This behavior is actually more flexible than the additive behavior, but it
takes some rethinking and getting used to. I recommend using _only_ space
above for all (or almost all) of your paragraph tags, leaving space below
set to 0; some people set space below to some standard "minimum" such as 4
or 6 pts.
Why use space above for everything instead of space below? Well, the most
significant deviations from your standard inter-paragraph spacing are
typically for your headings. Since headings require extra space before them,
your heading tags *must* have space above settings (unless you want to
define extra paragraph tags -- such as BodyLast -- specifically for use
before a heading). It's easiest just to continue using space above settings
for everything else.
Here's how this might work: Define your headings with 26 pts. above, Body
with 13 pts. above, and Bullet with 6 pts. above, all with 0 pts. below. If
a Bullet follows itself or Body, there is 6 pts. of space; if a Body follows
the last Bullet, there is 13 pts. If a Heading 2 (or whatever) follows the
last Bullet, then its space above (say, 26 pts.) governs. The space between
the Heading 2 and the next Body is the same as between two Body
paragraphs -- 13 pts.
HTH!
Richard
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Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Voyant Technologies, Inc.
richard -dot- combs -at- voyanttech -dot- com
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs -at- free-market -dot- net
303-777-0436
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