Breaking underscore in FM

[Debbie34984295jih4]

Our developers have highlighted that content in our documentation with subscripts (for example - for the term tSTAB_DB - where "STAB_DB" is subscript) containing underscores is breaking across two lines.

For example "tstab_db" breaks at the underscore and appears on 2 lines as if a carriage return were present (when copied with formatting and pasted).

Also, these terms are not searchable in a PDF. Searches for complete terms are inconsistent. You can search on "tstab" but not for "tstab_db". 

How should this content be entered into FM so that this does not happen when accessing the content in a PDF?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Not sure about the subscript part, but have you added your underscore term to the custom hyphenation rules/dictionary?

[frameexpert]

Choose Format > Document > Text Options and make sure there is not an underscore in the Allow Line Breaks After field.

[Debbie34984295jih4]

Good suggestion - unfortunately, that did not did the trick - the item on the left is from the PDF - when copied (with formatting) and pasted elsewhere - the term breaks at the first underscore: 

[Debbie34984295jih4]

This is for an underscore - not a hyphen - the term is entered as "t" body text - then "stab" and underscore and then "db" - everything after the t is entered as subscript using Character Designer - 

[frameexpert]

Can you post a screenshot of your Format > Document > Text Options dialog box?

[Debbie34984295jih4]

Sure - 

[frameexpert]

I am using FrameMaker 2022 17.0.5 and it doesn't break for me.

[Debbie34984295jih4]

Curious - just for verification - how was tMRD_DFE_Tap entered? I initially thought that FM was picking up something from the original source in the copy/paste process - have attempted a number of methods - so far nothing works - using FM2022 17.0.3

[frameexpert]

I just typed it into FrameMaker.

[Debbie34984295jih4]

Same here (actually I have tried just about everything) - however, when my dev team copies and pastes from a PDF generated from FrameMaker the result is an unwanted break - as noted in the screenshot above - This issue used to be intermittent - it has gradually gotten worse. The only work around has been to locate the term where it does not break and paste that into other locations. So, the question is - what causes this issue? 

I will upload that latest patches - and continue to play detective - 

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Does making the PDF have any impact on the process? There are still two different PDF engines in FM2022 - print to AdobePDF printer instance (older) and the Publish route (which also includes Save As PDF) (newer). I don't think you mentioned HOW you were making the PDF.

[Debbie34984295jih4]

Thanks - FYI _ I ran the latest patches - and that did not do the trick - 

And... good question - I am currently used the "Save as PDF" route - 

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

If the print to AdobePDF doesn't produce any different results, then maybe it's got something to do with fonts? (just grasping at straws there)

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Maybe you need to apply the patches?

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

Save the offending doc as MIF and open in a text editor...

How is the character represented in MIF?

If intermittent, can you find an instance where it works as expected?

Can you search/replace one with the other?

[Debbie34984295jih4]

Thanks - no sure what I am looking for - here's the result for "t" underscore -"stab_db" in MIF - this is an example of one that breaks as described:

<Para
<Unique 1697581>
<PgfTag `table-body-center'>
<Pgf
<PgfNextTag `'>
> # end of Pgf
<ParaLine
<String `t'>
<Font
<FTag `'>
<FPosition FSubscript>
<FLocked No>
> # end of Font
<String `STAB_DB'>
> # end of ParaLine
> # end of Para

-------------

[frameexpert]

What application is the dev team pasting the text into? You can prevent the break in FrameMaker but that doesn't control how the target application handles line breaks.

[Debbie34984295jih4]

Target applications - All text editors - Word, NotePad, etc.., as well as JIRA and dev resources - literally evry application we use. 

[frameexpert]

As far as I know, there is no non-breaking underscore character that would prevent line breaks in every application.

[frameexpert]

I found this thread. Apparently, others have the same issue.

https://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewtopic.php?t=28815

[Debbie34984295jih4]

Thanks - I found this, as well - and am glad that I am not the only one. The only fix I have found so far - is to find an instance where it does work and then copy that instance throughout the document. Tedious - Time consuming - but, for some reason it works. I would really like to know why/how - Thanks for your time and patience. Very much appreciated.

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

Compare it to the MIF of an instance that works as expected. I'm pretty sure you'll be able to detect a difference in the MIF code. 

After that, you may find clues as to how the formatting needs to be applied going forward.

One thought...if you apply the subscript without a character tag, does copy/paste from the PDF succeed or fail?

[Debbie34984295jih4]

Good question - but, nothing obvious jumps out - here's the MIF result for an instance that works, as expected:

<Para
<Unique 1697668>
<PgfTag `table-body-center'>
<Pgf
<PgfNextTag `'>
> # end of Pgf
<PgfReferenced Yes>
<ParaLine
<Font
<FTag `'>
<FChangeBar Yes>
<FLocked No>
> # end of Font
<String `t'>
<Font
<FTag `'>
<FPosition FSubscript>
<FLocked No>
> # end of Font
<String `BCOM_Vref'>
> # end of ParaLine
> # end of Para

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

You do have some diffs there between "working" and "not working"