Re: Xy Win/macros, etc.

[Leslie Bialler lb136@xxxxxxxx]

Yo Intl. wrote:
>
> >The idea is you can put format commands in a style. Here's how, in case
> >you don't know:
> >
> >At the top of the file, say, enter within the chevrons ≪SS1,ip=5,0≫.
> >Then, at the first instance of an indented paragraph enter ≪US1≫. The
> >style will remain in place until you change it. Within the chevrons you
> >can add indents, centering, typefaces, margins, and modes.
> >Leslie Bialler
>
> OK, fine, but what is the difference between that and making a couple
> of small files containing all your format commands, say f1, f2, f3 and them
> simply merging them into your job whenever needed?

For the normal XyWrite user, none whatsover. As a matter of fact, this
is essentially what I do. I have a file simply called styles. I merge it
into a file whenever I need it, and it contains all the possible styles
I might want for that project. The amount of time I expend vs. what you
do would be about the same. However, when you use XyWrite as a front end
for Quark Xpress, the story is a bit different. The SS/US system links
up with Quark tags seamlessly. The IP and FC and similar commands do
not.

On the other hand, your system has one advantage that benefits the
normal user (if there is such a thing).
Let us say my styles file contains this command for an H1 head (well
actually it does): ≪SS1,MD=BO,FC≫
All well and good. And with your system all stays well and good. But
look what happens here at the place where this particular H1 occurs:

Salinger's Catcher in the Rye and Its Critics.

You will then get this, unless you do some tweaking. I'm using  
to show what actually comes out bolded without that tweaking and 
, ditto.

Salinger's Catcher in the Rye and Its Critics.

I.e., "and Its Critics" comes out in normal mode! The reason why? You
can't mix styles and modes. Now, intuitively this would seem
unproblematic. Just create an SS/US couplet for italics. ≪SSIT,MD=IT≫.
Very clever, but _not_ clever enough. The problem here is that Quark,
less sophisticated about some things (I hope our list colleague Catlyn
is aboard today) than the "dinosaur" XyWrite, cannot read > 1 style per
paragraph! So the Quarksters have to tweak these individually when they
appear, which fortunately is seldom.

> As I said, I have been doing this even before XYwrite (with "dot commands"
> in WordStar), so I am sort of scratching my head... where is the beef?

It's coming, sir, there's a problem in the kitchen. There's been a
slight accident: Carlo the chef fondled Erin the waitress again, and
this time she laid him out nicely with a left hook and poured a kettle
of onion soup over him in addition. Can't really blame her, I guess.

--
Leslie Bialler
Columbia University Press
lb136@xxxxxxxx
> http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup