[scribus-dev] Paragraph Indentation Options in Scribus

[Gregory Pittman]

On 08/10/2011 02:49 AM, Aidas Žandaris wrote:
>
> Yes,  i talked about nameless (or named but modified) style for only one text paragraph, i.e. about exception in layout.
> Making layouts using styles is easy and we recommend it to students. But the the layout is not a technical thing with all strict formal rules.
> Making layout is an art, rather than a technical job. Complex layouts often need many very small and different exceptions.
> Suggestion to work only with styles is incorrect. And it discourages potential users of Scribus.
> Good layouts need a lot of small exceptions. But every time the exceptions are still different (in the same layout). If the exception is the same and they need oftentimes,
> your suggestion is right. We need to create (or import) another paragraph style. But if the exception found in one or two times, then the creation of a new style or import another style that is really bad advice. :)))
>

One might also argue that it is bad advice to have numerous minor 
variations  in indentation, paragraph spacing, and so on. This begins to 
become an unnecessary visual distraction that has nothing to do with the 
content, or good layout and design.

The suggestion to work with styles is not incorrect, it's a matter of 
working with the tool that you have in a way that it will allow. I can 
understand the desire to have Scribus do some things it can't or change 
the way it does them, but these limitations remain for now.

Right now we have a hierarchical structure to Paragraph and Character 
styles, such that a Paragraph style implies a particular Character 
style, with a certain font and the font's features. It might make more 
sense and greater utility to be able to apply a Paragraph style devoid 
of any specific connection to a Character style, and thus by 
mixing/matching Paragraph and Character styles you have many more 
possibilities without having to do so much fiddling with style settings.

This by itself would not address the specific issue you brought up, but 
it could lead to a loosening of the ways that indentations and so on can 
be easily adjusted. I think one would also like to make some isolated 
paragraph adjustments, and then later be able to quickly give that a 
name so it could be reused elsewhere.

Greg