Wanted: dashed line for FM table ruling

[Craig Ede]

I think the problem would be how to automatically size the anchored frame for the vast variety of cells, straddled and otherwise.

 

My own take on the use of dashed lines from a visual perception aspect is that they will just create a visual buzz that makes it more difficult to see the data. However, lineless tables when tables are wide and type is small can make it confusing to see what lines up with what. The horizontal stripes in light tones would seem to be a rational approach in those cases. Nonetheless, I don't get to decide on this one.

 

Craig

 

From: Barbara Ash [mailto:barbara at urgoal.com] 
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2013 9:46 AM
To: 'Stuart Rogers'; craigede at hotmail.com
Cc: 'Framer's List'
Subject: RE: Wanted: dashed line for FM table ruling

 

You could fake it. Remove the table ruling around the cell in question, and make cell margins zero. Insert an anchored frame into the cell, with anchor at insertion point. Apply a dashed line style to the anchored frame.

 

From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Stuart Rogers
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2013 07:25 AM
To: craigede at hotmail.com
Cc: 'Framer's List'
Subject: Re: Wanted: dashed line for FM table ruling

 

On 2013-Jul-31 6:08 PM, Craig Ede wrote:

Framers,

 

Is there any way to get an actual broken line rule pattern in FrameMaker tables?

 

My human factors guys insist that I do a certain table with dashed rulings. I know about the Edit button in Custom Ruling and Shading and that it allows editing of the width and "tone" of the rulings by choosing Edit Ruling Style. The Pen Patterns percentages of 3, 10, 30, etc. %, are not what is wanted, since these percentages just affect how gray the line is and not how "dashed" it is. I know that FrameMaker's screen representations of the tones look like broken lines, but they aren't. ["All is illusion"]. In the PDF the percentage just results in a lighter tone of gray.

 

Does anyone know if broken line rules are even possible?

 

 


Rick Quatro has answered your questions.  If it's any help, Sally Bigwood (trainer and consultant specializing in presenting numeric information) and Melissa Spore (instructional designer with a special interest in document design) have this to say in their book, Presenting Numbers, Tables, and Charts (Oxford U. Press):

"The eye does not need grid lines to follow the layout of a table. The arrangement of columns and rows create their own order for the reader... The best tables organize contents for the reader's convenience through simplicity of layout, clarity of wording, and attention to page design... The layout should be simple, replacing grid lines with white space."

Best regards,

-- 
Stuart Rogers
Technical Communicator
Phoenix Geophysics Limited
3781 Victoria Park Avenue, Unit 3
Toronto, ON, Canada  M1W 3K5
+1 (416) 491-7340 x 325
 
http://www.phoenix-geophysics.com
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