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A
Anonymous
March 28, 2013
Question

How to format index entries

  • March 28, 2013
  • 1 reply
  • 4240 views

I have been working on a large FM9 document with an index. Many of the index entries are quite long and appear on a large range of pages. Currently I have the page numbers tabbed to the right of the column with a dot leader. On wrapping to the next line, following page numbers are (unsurprisingly) ranged to the left margin.

Ideally, I would prefer wrapped text (of a long entry) to range to the left, but wrapped page number to range to the right. I have been trying various things in the IX reference page, including defining IndexIX as right-aligned (no joy), and definging Level1IX and Level2IX as run-in heads (also no joy).

Is it even possible to achieve what I want, or am I banging my head on a brick wall?

many thanks,

Ruth

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1 reply

Arnis Gubins
Arnis Gubins
Inspiring
March 28, 2013

To get all of the entries to have the text wrap a bit before the right margin and have the numbers tab out to the margin, in the Paragrpah designer for the various Level IX tags, on the Advanced tab, set the Word Spacing Minimum value to be substantially more than the Maximum value. This will force the content to wrap well before the right margin. The exact point depends upon the ratio of the min to max. Start at 150% and work up or down from there as the location is also a function of the typeface and font size. Use larger increments such as 25%.

Example

BEFORE

AFTER

A
Anonymous
April 2, 2013

Thanks Arnis - that's an interesting idea and one I never would have thought of trying. Unfortunately it only shifts the problem to a different selection of the index entries. The entire index comprises 14 pages of closely spaced 3-column entries so there is lots of scope for headings that are too long or have too many associated page numbers.

Before:

After:

Van Kurtz
Van Kurtz
Inspiring
April 2, 2013

Make sure you have applied Arnis' suggestion for each and every index level.

You could try going even further. In the paragraph designer, I set the Minimum to 175% and the Maximum to 225%, for example, while keeping the Optimum at 100%. If that doesn't work, then try 275% and 325%, and then 375% and 425%, etc.

If you still cannot get what you want, then you can avoid the problem altogether by NOT requiring the page numbers to be right aligned. I right align the entries only in the TOC but not in the Index. Typically indexes have narrow columns and require too much effort to make the page numbers right align.

Van

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