Non-breaking hypens in variable turn to "+" when updating variable

[jeff_gansberg]

Hi,

I've been using Frame forever, and I've had version 12 (12.0.4.445) for a long while.  When I first enter "\x15" in a variable, everything works correctly.  When I click Update in the variable dialog box, "\x15" is replaced by "\+" in the variable definition and, in the body text, the hyphen is there and it is non-breaking.  Everything looks good.

But, if I click Update a second time, the hyphen is replace by "+" in the body text.  No hyphen.  The variable definition still appears as "\+".  Why is it suddenly treating "\+" as a literal plus symbol in text and how do I make it stop?

Thanks,

--Jeff Gansberg

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Hi Jeff:

For what it's worth, I can replicate the issue on Fm 2015—so the answer isn't "upgrade".

As a work around, if I update a variable with \+ in it, retyping either the \ or the + and updating again takes care of it. Until I update again. Not fun, but at least there is a workaround.

I'd recommend reporting it to Adobe: Feature Request/Bug Report Form .

[jeff_gansberg]

Thank you Barb.  I have reported it as a bug, so I'll mark this as answered.

[Bob_Niland]

I wonder what the MIF looks like before and after the work-around.

[jeff_gansberg]

Thanks Bob.

The workaround Barb offered is actually a repair that puts the non-breaking hyphen back in place.  The problem reappears whenever you click Update twice, even after the repair.

Maybe I missed your point, but I don't see any difference after a mif wash.  This seems to be the tool going overboard for putting a "+" in the variable definition.

[Bob_Niland]

re: Maybe I missed your point, but I don't see any difference after a mif wash.

I didn't suggest a MIF wash. I was just wondering what the MIF looked like before and after FM12 or later trashed it.

Classically, the MIF for this special character is "\x15 " (with a trailing space).

A sample variable called NBH would look like this:

<VariableFormat
  <VariableName `NBH'>
  <VariableDef `\x15 '>
> # end of VariableFormat

For some special characters, a work-around is to use the equivalent Unicode in \u#### notation. I wonder if \u2011 would work (and be honored as an NBH by FM).