RE: [xep-support] Tab Stops

Ken,

Thank you for your response. I don't have any particular layout
requirement; I am trying to support a group of some 200-1000 authors who
will be developing documentation all across the board. They currently
use MS Word to do this, and it is uncertain what any particular author
may want to do with Tabs, but it is a safe bet that collectively they
would use tab stops in every conceivable way that they can currently be
used from within MS Word.

The long and the short of it, is that if it cannot be supported the way
Word does, then we will probably have to introduce a change that
mandates using alternative constructs such as tables for columnar
layout, and maybe fixed spacing when using Tabs inline. The users will
not like this, and will not be likely to appreciate an explanation that
says 'the FO specification does not support it.'

However, before recommending such a change in business policy, I would
first like to confirm that there is definitely no technical solution to
this issue.

Anyone who reads this and sits on the XSL-FO committee, please take
notice: Tab stops are a much sought after feature. Perhaps there is a
fundamental reason (beyond 'it isn't part of the standard') that this
capability cannot be supported, if so it would be nice to know what that
reason is. Any help or insight will be appreciated.

Steve Owens
Integrity Integrators LLC
When Failure Is Not an Option
Phone: 888-624-0484
www.integrityintegrators.net
Pfizer PGRD Extension: 61767

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-xep-support@renderx.com
[mailto:owner-xep-support@renderx.com] On Behalf Of G. Ken Holman
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2007 10:59 AM
To: xep-support@renderx.com
Subject: Re: [xep-support] Tab Stops

At 2007-12-17 09:58 -0500, Owens, Stephen P wrote:
>I know that there is no notion of a tab stop in XSL-FO, but I was
>wondering if RenderX had some sort of extension to support tab stops
the
>way they work in word. For example if I have a tab character at say
>1.25 inches from the left, and tab stops are set at every half inch,
>then the character following the TAB should appear at 1.5 inches from
>the left.
>
>Is this possible or is there definitely no way to make this work with
>RenderX?

What is your layout requirement? I don't mean in terms of tabs, but
what is it about having a tab stop that gives you what you want?

For example, if all you are doing is a hanging indent and you need
content on the first line to line up, then the Word way of doing it
is with a tab but the XSL-FO way of doing it is with an
inline-container or side float or list construct.

Perhaps if you described your requirement in layout terms, then you
wouldn't be trying to shoehorn a non-layout construct into a layout
language.

It is not uncommon for new users of XSL-FO to latch on to familiar
concepts rather than view their requirement from a different
perspective.

I hope this helps.

. . . . . . . . . . . . Ken

--
Comprehensive in-depth XSLT2/XSL-FO1.1 classes: Austin TX,Jan-2008
World-wide corporate, govt. & user group XML, XSL and UBL training
RSS feeds:     publicly-available developer resources and training
G. Ken Holman                 mailto:gkholman@CraneSoftwrights.com
Crane Softwrights Ltd.          http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/f/
Box 266, Kars, Ontario CANADA K0A-2E0    +1(613)489-0999 (F:-0995)
Male Cancer Awareness Nov'07  http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/f/bc
Legal business disclaimers:  http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/legal
-------------------
(*) To unsubscribe, send a message with words 'unsubscribe xep-support'
in the body of the message to majordomo@renderx.com from the address
you are subscribed from.
(*) By using the Service, you expressly agree to these Terms of Service
http://www.renderx.com/terms-of-service.html
-------------------
(*) To unsubscribe, send a message with words 'unsubscribe xep-support'
in the body of the message to majordomo@renderx.com from the address
you are subscribed from.
(*) By using the Service, you expressly agree to these Terms of Service http://www.renderx.com/terms-of-service.html