How to make the variable textboxes on the homepage “Forced Both Aligned”?

[dublove]

Variables cannot be changed with the text using a text box.
Can't use brace alignment?

In general, we will stretch the variable text box to stop the text content from being too long.

But sometimes, I want to use the forced both alignment feature, and the auto brace feature.

It's strange.
The variable textboxes on the homepage don't use “Align at both ends”.
Nor can you use the frame's “Height and Width Autochange”.

.
It's not an unusual need. I get it all the time.
For example, I want Pinyin to automatically scatter align the Chinese characters on the previous line

[Eugene Tyson]

If you're using the Auto Size of text frame - ensure that No Line Break is selected.

See if that helps.

[dublove]

That's not what I'm talking about.

[Eugene Tyson]

reply removed as I see the file attached

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I didn't see your .idml file - I'll check it out now

[Eugene Tyson]

Apologies - after looking at your file I can see the issue

When using Variables - each Variable behaves like a single character - it doesnt' behave like a word.

So when you Auto Size a Text Frame it doesn't calculate the width of the word but the Character regardless of how many letters - it doesn't recognise this part. 

  

An alternative is to use Cross References instead of variables

 

When the text changes you'll be prompted to update the cross references

And then the text frame will automatically resize. 

I've attached a working file 

Hope it helps

[dublove]

Sorry, I haven't found the minimum width to be useful, it only protects a minimum value, like two words wide, but if it's 3 words, the text box doesn't automatically stretch again, and the words are crammed together again.

Cross-referencing is also a thought, I just haven't had a wonderful use for it for a while.

My two wishes seem to contradict each other.
But having the homepage variable textboxes autostretch is theoretically non-contradictory.
It's just that Adobe doesn't provide this feature.

It's just as confusing to me as why cell styles for tables don't include a minimum row height.

[Eugene Tyson]

I explained the variable width already.

Tables do have min height for rows.

You can set as exactly or at least. 

When set to at least it will be a minimum. 

For your current situation the cross references are the only thing I can think of. 

There is a plug-in called power headers but it's at a cost and might do what you want.