how to create a dotted line

[pierret18811376]

Hello,

On an empty line in Frame Maker, I would like to create a dotted line on
all the width of the column. How to do this ?

[K.Daube]

Create a paragraph format (e.g. named Dottie line) which has an auto-number just containing "\t" (without the quotes - that is, defining a TAB).And set a Right Tab at he far right (If the tagest frame is 18cm wide, set the tab position at 17.95cm), and set pagination to witching Text Column (just from the top of my head). Do not forget to define the required leader dots in the tab setting.

Then when You  have an empty paragraph and apply this format you get all the dots..

[pierret18811376]

I give you a screenshot of what I would like to do in a Frame Maker column (see red arrow) :

[QuintinSeegers]

As @K.Daube suggested, create a Paragraph Style with a tab stop as wide a the text frame:

(In this example, the text frame has a left margin of 2cm and is 16cm wide.)

When you apply the Paragraph Style, it will create a dotted line spanning the width of the text frame:

[pierret18811376]

I begin to do it, but I wonder how to know exactly the width of the column (see red arrows) in order to enter the good value ?

[K.Daube · Accepted solution]

Another method which copes with various column width uses a frame on the reference page:

• Set up a graphic frame (named for example DottedLine). Do not forget to put also a text line above it as label (the already present frames have).
  
• Set the frame height small and the width as wide as possible (e.g. full paper width).
• Set up a paragraph format - probably with a small font size - with no space above and below, but using a frame above (or below):
  
• The thickness of the dots depends on the line thickness (in the first method the thickness depends on the font size of the pargraph).

[QuintinSeegers]

To identify where to place the tab stop if using a Paragraph Style, the easiest is to check the dimentions of the text frame (assuming your text frames are all the same width):

1. Ctrl + right-click on the text frame.

2. From the pop-up menu, select Object Properties.

3. Under Dimentions, check the Width of the frame:

4. Set the Tab Stop to this position.

If your text frames aren't all the same size, @K.Daube suggestion with the frame on a reference page is a better option - we use it for a line below and above the page headers and footers, respectively. Using this option, you can create a dotted line that is the same as the page width. When used, it will span the width of the text frame.

[pierret18811376]

I gone in "object properties" to see the width.

I succeeded to do a dotted line like this (by entering the real width value) :

Now, I tried to move this dotted line towards the bottom (move only the dotted line) : I don't succeded it (it moves the dotted line towards the bottom but also the next paragraph). How to move only the dotted line ?

[QuintinSeegers]

Remember that the dotted line is a paragraph, so any content below it, will simply move down when you add anything above it.

Best to show Text Symbols (View menu > Text Symbols). This will show the Text Symbols and you'll probably see something like this:

In the above example, there are two blank lines below the dotted line, before the next paragraph. When you instert a blank line above the dotten line (to move the line down), it pushes any lines that follow down as well:

You would need to remove the additional blank lines above the second paragraph to move it back up again:

This should give you this result, with Text Symbols showing:

With the Text Symbols not showing:

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Hi Pierre:

Using either technique already mentioned (leader dots with a tab stop or a reference page frame), the line is going to move as you edit the text. That's normally the goal when you use a line as a division between sections.

If you want to add a line that you can move, and won't move until you move it, you can draw it with the line drawing tool in the Graphics toolbar (View > Toolbars > Graphics Toolbar.) The Graphics Toolbar also has formatting options, including dashes, color, choices, and line thickness.

This is how I added line above the footer, but on the master pages. 

~Barb

[pierret18811376]

Finally I prefer the technique of drawing a dotted line and move it towards the bottom.

But when I draw this line with the mouse, how to have a line perfectly horizontal by drawing it ? 

[Barb Binder]

Hi Pierre:

With the Shift key. Hold Shift before you begin to draw the line, and release Shift after you release the mouse when you finish. Timing is everything.

Alternatively, you can select the line and open Graphics > Object Properties > Dimensions. For a horizontal line, the height has to be 0.

~Barb

[pierret18811376]

Hi Barb,

I have succeeded to create an horizontal line by using Shift key. You are right : the most difficult is to hold/release Shift at the good moment !