Non-breaking spaces

[exaltedwombat]

I see that a Non-breaking Space now shows up in Code View (but not in the Search/Replace fields - though it can be pasted there and is recognised) as a sort of broken underline character. Is there any way to type them in directly? Like in Dreamweaver it's Shift-Ctrl-Space.

On a connected topic, when working on websites or eBooks I often like to replace the last two or three spaces in a paragraph with non-breaking ones, to avoid ugly widows. It seems this should be open to automation. Any ideas?

[Turtle91]

in CSS:

body {widows:0}

or

p {widows:0}

Set the value to whatever number you want to allow.

The same goes for Orphans:

body {orphans:0}

[exaltedwombat]

Thanks @Turtle91. If only more eBook readers recognised that css command (and the no page-break one) our life would be much easier!

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat

I see that a Non-breaking Space now shows up in Code View (but not in the Search/Replace fields - though it can be pasted there and is recognised) as a sort of broken underline character. Is there any way to type them in directly? Like in Dreamweaver it's Shift-Ctrl-Space.

No. Sigil itself provides no way to type it directly. But the Insert Special Characters dialog will add them just fine (and they will stay, provided you don't have an entry in the Preserve Entities list to convert them all to entities).

You can also create your own no-break-space Clip with the Clip Editor and use the keyboard shortcut for that Clip to insert one anywhere you like (including the F&R fields).

[DiapDealer]

I was going to say that you could also use the \x{0000} syntax in the F&R fields for finding unicode codepoints. The one for the non-breaking space would be \x{00a0} or (\x00a0 or just \xa0), but it appears we've introduced some sort of bug into F&R where \xa0 only matches non-breaking space characters in multiples of two??? It used to work fine, so I'll have to look into it. Inserting an nbsp character into the F&R fields with a Clip's keyboard shortcut works just fine in the meantime, though.

[exaltedwombat]

OK, thanks.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

but it appears we've introduced some sort of bug into F&R where \xa0 only matches non-breaking space characters in multiples of two??? It used to work fine, so I'll have to look into it.

Actually, I might be an idiot. The \x{0000} syntax matches single nbsp code points just fine for me now.

But something weird was going on.

[odamizu]

I may be misunderstanding the issue, but FWIW, on Mac, typing Option-Space in Code View results in a nbsp (with the broken underline). Typing Option-Space in F&R inputs a nbsp (but does not show the broken underline). When I run the search, it finds the nbsp's in Code View just fine.

[DiapDealer]

Window and Linux don't have an Option key.

We're typically stuck with using the Alt/Gr key with a 4-digit code (typed on the numpad-only) to type special characters that aren't on our keyboards. Some software (like Word) have created simpler shortcuts, but they don't work outside of that particular program.

[odamizu]

Bummer. I thought if Mac had a keyboard shortcut, Windows would, too.

[DiapDealer]

Well there is. It's just not very convenient or all that easy to remember.

On Windows, you need to make sure the numlock is on, then you have to hold the Alt key down while you type 2 5 5 (on the number pad). Then release the Alt key.

For whatever reason, the only one I can use/remember with any consistency is Alt+0151. That's the one for the emdash. Even then, I often forget to check if the numlock is on (or I'm on a computer where the keyboard doesn't even have a number pad).

[odamizu]

Hmmm ... that doesn't seem much like a shortcut

[BetterRed]

Windows users: Special Characters any time, any where - try AHK ==> Insert Any Special Character with a Single Keystroke, and/or the Insert Symbol feature of the Transtools' tray utility

BR

[Tex2002ans]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

in CSS:

body {widows:0}

or

p {widows:0}

widows/orphans of 0 is invalid. It has to be 1 or higher.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

in CSS:

body {widows:0}

or

p {widows:0}

Set the value to whatever number you want to allow.

The same goes for Orphans:

body {orphans:0}

Minor nit. 0 is not a valid value to widows and orphans since 0 is not a positive integer. Use 1 instead.

On a more practical note, some renderers treat the 0 as a invalid value and revert to their default 2 or 3.