Generated PDF file TOC entry stops being hypersensitive after text has superscripted text

[karih98388314]

If TOC entry text has superscripted text, any text in PDF file starting from that text is not hypersensitive. Also if TOC Reference Page format specification has font setting like
  <$paratext> <DefPageFont><$pagenum>

then the page number will not be hypersensitive. I use FM 2019 with latest patch 5. I checked some older PDF files and seems like this behaviour has been there for ever.

[Bob_Niland · Accepted solution]

This sounds like a standard FM limitation, in that hypertext regions are delmited by either the whole paragraph, or by character format bounds. There's lots of back traffic here with more details. Here's one.

The modern (post FM8) solution is to avoid Character Formats in source text that feeds generated file content, such as TOC & IX. For many common sub- and superscript characters, use a font that populates the native Unicode sub/sup characters.

A harsher way of dealing with it is to delete the superscript or subscript Character Format from the Character Catalog in the generated files. The 'scripted chars will then appear as normal in-lines. This hack will often not work for legacy codepage fonts tho, where the glyph is entirely different without the format applied.

[karih98388314]

Thanks, using Unicode + char with superscript and removing chacter formats seems to make things work.

[Bob_Niland]

Glad that resolved for you. When only a modest number of non-keyboard characters are needed, but particularly if any are not populated in your core font, consider using my Unicode-as-variable approach.