Clarification of table title problem. (long, nerdy response)

[Combs, Richard]

Rick Quatro wrote:  

> Hi Richard,
> 
> I think you are misdiagnosing the problem. Try this:

Yeah, Rhea and Fred R. were also kind enough to point out (off-list)
that I missed the point. Sigh. ;-) 

But I've played a little with some brand-new docs created from the
(default) FM portrait template, and I don't think FM's behavior is a
bug. 

The default TableTitle pgf is centered. The default Format A table is
left-aligned, the default Format B is centered, and both have titles. If
you want to play along, make sure View > Borders is on so that you can
see the frame containing the table title. 

1) In a brand-new portrait doc, click Insert > Table and select Format
A. You get a left-aligned 5-col table, not as wide as the column, with a
centered title. The title frame starts at the left margin and ends at
the right edge of the table; IOW, it's the width of the table. 

2) Now click Insert > Table and select Format B. You get a similar
table, but it's centered in the column. The title frame this time spans
the column (the pgf is still centered, so that isn't obvious if you have
Borders turned off). Of course, the table and title are both centered in
the column, so the title appears to be aligned with the table. But it
can extend beyond the table (by equal amounts left and right). 

3)  In Table Designer, apply a 1" right indent to the Format B table,
moving the center-point of the table left 1/2". Now, its title frame
ends 1" in from the right margin, so it remains centered above the
table, but still extends beyond it by equal amounts. 

4) Still on the Format B table, apply a 1" left indent so that it has
equal left and right indents and is again centered in the column. The
title frame once again spans the entire column. 

5) In Paragraph Designer, update all TableTitle pgfs to align left.
Here's what happens: 

a) The Format A table's title frame changes from table-width to column
width. 

b) The Format B table's title frame changes from column-width to ...
well, on the left, it aligns with the left edge of the table; on the
right, it extends to the right margin. 

This sort of makes sense, although it seems weird at first blush. A
centered object's position in relation to what it's aligned with is
variable (dependent on its width); any other alignment setting involves
a fixed position in relation to the column/frame/page. The designers of
FM had to decide what should align with what when centered and
non-centered tables and titles interact, and they seem to have decided: 

A) If table is fixed in relation to column, and title is fixed -- align
both to column. 

B) If table is fixed, and title is centered -- align title to table. 

C) If table is centered, and title is fixed -- align title to table on
left, column on right. 

D) If table and title are both centered -- align both to column. 

There's a case to be made for doing A and C differently, but I don't
think the actual behavior is ill-thought-out or buggy. In fact, any
alternative is bound to make some people unhappy, too. 

The only change I'd make would be to always apply the table's left and
right indents (if any) to the title frame. This would "fix" what I think
is the dumb behavior at steps 3 & 4 above, where the title of a centered
table responded to unequal left and right indents, but ignored equal
ones. I suspect that was a design choice, however, not a bug. 

The other change that might make everyone happy, but would be much more
difficult for the FM engineers: give us the ability to select the title
frame and modify its size, position (relative to its "anchor" on the
table), and other properties like other text frames. 

IMNSHO, FWIW, YMMV
Richard


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Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
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rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-777-0436
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