a

Build 1501 on 14/Nov/2017  This topic last edited on: 24/Oct/2016, at 14:39

Description

This tag moves the paragraph (not the first one in its column) in vertical sense, downwards or upwards, or anchors text to a specified depth.

Parameters and typographical expressions

1.Value of shift. A decimal number of a measure type, or a typographical expression that results in such number. Positive values shift the current paragraph and all the following paragraphs downwards, negative values shift them upwards. Negative values are not allowed when second parameter is specified, and different than 0.

2.Type of advance requested: if 0 or not specified the first parameter is the usual offset, if 1, 2, or 3 the first parameter is an absolute vertical position to jump to. If 1 the vertical jump is done regardless of the current vertical position, if 2 the jump is done only if the current vertical position is above the specified value (ie the text above is shorter), if 3 the jump is done only if the current vertical position is below the specified value (ie the text above is longer). The specified vertical position does not apply to the baseline of line - but to the line above it, ie the leading (and extra leading) are added to it.

The absolute jump is not executed for a line that is the first in a frame. The absolute position variation of the >a...< command (second parameter different than 0) cannot be used inside a table.

No special typographical expressions are available, because of lack of a variable for the position of the paragraph. However, it is possible to use all the variables of measure type (see 'Examples').

Tag Effects

Effects are visible in the WYSIWYG pane of the Articles main tab or on a page on the Pages main tab. However, because this tag may change the way how the text lines are justified, its effect is indirectly visible in the source pane of the Articles or Pages main tab.

Type and scope

Should be inserted only at the beginning of the paragraph, after or before other tags, but before any printable character. Local for the paragraph where is inserted, therefore effects cease on the end of that paragraph. Cannot be globalized.

Click to toggle expandExamples

This is the first line.¶

>a 12mm<This is second line¶

 

The second line is moved downwards for 12 mm.

 

>a 6mm< move all the paragraphs starting of the current paragraph downwards for 6 mm, except if the paragraph is the first one in its column.
>a LD< move downwards all the paragraphs starting of the current paragraph for the value of current leading.
>a -LD< move upwards all the paragraphs starting of the current paragraph for the value of current leading.
>a 6cm,1< move the current paragraph to the depth of 6cm. If the above text reaches it, the anchor is NOT released.
>a 6cm,2< move the current paragraph to the depth of 6cm. If the above text reaches it, the anchor is released.

 

Note: this tag in an empty paragraph does not create any white space. However, if you combine it with any character type tag, such as >a 10pt<>h H< or similar, it will create a visible empty space.