Spacing before headings

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Rob Davis
Posts: 146
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:45 am

Spacing before headings

Unread post by Rob Davis »

HI
I'm publishing pdf documents (many are just "printed" versions of Help. but some also just stand-alone .pdfs.) These sometimes include ToCs or topics from Help source files too.
I am using a Style repository, and a custom skin that I have used previously.
On output, I am seeing problems with spacing between the end of a previous topic and the heading of a new topic - see the example below.
Please suggest where I should look to solve this!!
Thanks
Rob
Gerold Krommer
Posts: 113
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 12:09 pm

Re: Spacing before headings

Unread post by Gerold Krommer »

Hi Ron,

I do not see a 'sample below' but chances are the problem is in the PDF template that is used for generating the output OR
try another PDF printer reference driver.

Hope this helps,

/Gerold
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Rob Davis
Posts: 146
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:45 am

Re: Spacing before headings

Unread post by Rob Davis »

Thanks
I remember vaguely being told something about the printer driver previously (like years ago).
The reply is a bit too techie for me - can you give me a little direction on what to look for/where to make the change? Please?
:-)
Rob
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Tim Green
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Re: Spacing before headings

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Rob,
On output, I am seeing problems with spacing between the end of a previous topic and the heading of a new topic
What is needed here is knowledge of what can create space between topics. Your styles in your project can't affect this in PDF because only the plain text of your topic headings is used in the PDF. All the main topic header formatting is defined in the PDF template. Only the formatting of the content of the topic is defined by your styles.

There are basically two possible factors: 1) Empty paragraphs at the end of the previous topic and 2) Spacing definitions in the definitions for the topic headings in the Topics section of your PDF template.

If you are getting variable spacing between your topics then it will be the empty paragraphs at the end of previous topics. You can solve that easily by turning on the display of paragraph marks in View > Program Options > Editor. Then you can see empty paragraphs easily and get rid of them. I would recommend always leaving this on, because it makes formatting your topics much easier. This issue can also cause unexpected empty pages if you have your PDF template set to start topics on a new page: If the empty paragraphs are in a position where a new page is needed, the new page will consist of those empty a paragraphs and the next topic after that will begin on another new page. 8)

Spacing caused by your topic heading definitions will be even, because they will add the same amount of space before every heading. It is caused by the space defined above the heading text object on the corresponding level in the Topics section of the template. See Designing a Template > Topics Section in the Manual Designer help for full instructions on this.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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