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Subject:Re: Overlines, continued From:Dave Neufeld <Dave_Neufeld -at- SPECTRUMSIGNAL -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 10 Mar 1999 18:02:44 -0800
> Lynda Straus Suggests to
> Insert a text box, then with your cursor positioned in the text box,
> select Insert/Symbol, select the normal text option, and click on the
> one symbol that looks (on my system, anyway) like it could work for an
> overline mark. Click on Insert as many times as you need for the length
> of the word to be overlined. Then select the box line color as None, so
> it will be invisible, and move the box over on top of the word.
>
The problem here is that the overline is not a character attribute and, in
MSWord95 at least, is not anchored to the overlined text. You can anchor it
to the paragraph, but not to the actual text. As a result, the overline is
just a graphic printed over the text. If you subsequently edit the overlined
text, or even any of the text preceding it, the graphic is no longer over
the text and you end up with a mysterious line hanging somewhere on the
page. This method creates a document with a dangerous and stealthy
maintenance problem. Please, be kind to animals, eat enough fibre, and
create maintainable documents. You'll respect yourself more when they come
back to haunt you...
This method also does not allow you to retain any overline attribute when
exporting the document to another file format for conversion to help files,
HTML, or other applications like Framemaker, PowerPoint, and so forth.
If you must have overlines, use the EQ field rather than this method. Maybe
someday, Microsoft will include a legitimate overline character attribute.
...buzzing in my ear... an accusing voice...
IS THIS MSWORD OVERLINE THREAD ON TOPIC??? SHOULDN'T IT BE RELEGATED TO THE
MSWORD LISTSERVS???
Yeah, I think it's on topic. REASON: There are implementation issues with
overlines that stretch beyond the scope of one mere application (and they're
all "mere"; I have yet to see one that isn't). The most important of which
is to create maintainable documents, no matter what application you use.
Have some more fun,
David Neufeld
=======================================================================
Technical Publications
Spectrum Signal Processing, Inc.
dave_neufeld -at- spectrumsignal -dot- com
http:\\www.spectrumsignal.com
"no matter where you go..... there you are." -- Buckaroo Banzai
