How do I enter fractions say 8 1/2 where the 1/2 becomes smaller asyou would do in Word

Report · Sep 15, 2011

How do I enter fractions say 8 1/2 where the 1/2 becomes smaller as you would do in Word.Currently I use size 12 for main number and size 10 for the fraction.

Any suggestions? I am using Framemaker 9.

thanks

Joe

Report · Sep 15, 2011

We do fractions as Variables. This works with any roman font. We do use the fraction slash (\xa4, auto-converted to §) from the Symbol set.

Pre-requisite: make sure these Character Formats are defined:
"Superscript" - as is except for

Superscript and

Pair Kern

"Subscript" - as is except for

Subscript and

Pair Kern

"Symbol" - as is except Font [Symbol] and

Pair Kern

Typical Variables

Name: fraction.500.one.half

Definition: <Superscript>1<Default ¶ Font><Symbol>§<Default ¶ Font><Subscript>2<Default ¶ Font>

Name: fraction.781.twenty_five.thirty_second

Definition: <Superscript>25<Default ¶ Font><Symbol>§<Default ¶ Font><Subscript>32<Default ¶ Font>

Doing it this way you aren't restricted to the pre-defined fractions in your fonts, or compelled to use a separate math/symbol font with a larger selection of fracs.

You also avoid adjacent text being at risk of being rendered as super/sub. The frac is a single object, easily cut, copied and pasted without literal side effects.

Including the decimal equivalent causes the pull-down menu list to self-sort.

Report · Sep 15, 2011

Joe,

the three fractions ¼, ½, ¾ are available in all fonts as they are part of the traditional standard Windows character set. You enter them by holding Alt+0188, 0189, 0190. What font are you using? Many modern fonts have a number of additional fractions or specially designed digits for nominator and denominantor digits, like ⁶⁵⁴⁄₇₈₉ — no need to use superscript or subscript!

Word has an auto-replacement feature that replaces 1/2 with ½ – and oops, I have a tool running that does this for me in every application (Typinator for Mac OS).

- Michael

Report · Sep 15, 2011

Many thanks

Michael,

Nothing happens when I hold alt 0188 etc in Framemaker.

itried several times.

I am using Roman New Times and need fractions like

1/2 , 5/8, 3/8 , 1/8

regards

Joe

Report · Sep 15, 2011

Joe,

You have to type the digits on the numbers block. It is the same method you would use to enter Alt+0151 to create an em-dash.

I have not heard of Roman New Times, but Times New Roman as shipped with Windows 7 contains several ready-made fractions, see my screen shot of the charmap.exe tool (German version):

- Michael

Report · Sep 16, 2011

Many thanks Michael. It works with numeric key pad. But I still can NOT get the

table with other fractions in Framemaker. I see it in word but not in

Framemaker.

I need 5/8, 7/8 etc. Is there a table in Framemaker you can access to get teh

remainder?

many thanks

Joe

Entrac Petroleum Ltd

9 St. Leonards Road

Ealing

London W13 8PN

UK

Fax: 00 44 207 504 8772

Report · Sep 16, 2011

Joe,

If you don’t want to use the charmap.exe supplied by Windows, you can use some addition to FrameMaker 9 which I find a little bit awkward.

File > Utilities > Character Palette gives you something which looks like some careless Unix port:

If you scroll down to line 215x you see the other fractions available. Personally I use PopChar/Win from Ergonis which is much more useful, see http://www.ergonis.com/products/popcharwin/

- Michael