Re: [docbook-apps] Line breaks in para: literallayout unsuitable

[Dan Gilleland <dagilleland@shaw.ca>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Frans Englich" <frans.englich@telia.com>
To: <docbook-apps@lists.oasis-open.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 01, 2004 2:22 PM
Subject: Re: [docbook-apps] Line breaks in para: literallayout unsuitable


> <snip>
>
> My need for line break is not of presentation or as formatting need, but
> indeed a way to structure and logically arrange the content. Isn't
line-break
> a quite well established method in writing for signaling a small change in
> context?(as opposed in large when a pragraph is used)
> If that is the case, some <foo/> element would be preferred, in front of
the
> more bulky literallyout, which also is error prone to its formatting in
the
> source(which is the point..).
>
> Sorry for the late reply.
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Frans

Ok, your need for the line-break is to show a small change in context. From
what you say, it appears to be in the same spirit at the purpose provided by
the <sbr/> tag in DocBook. Unfortunately, <sbr/> can only occur within an
<arg>, <cmdsynopsis>, <group>, and <rhs>. At first you might think that you
could place the following in the middle of your paragraph to achieve your
effect (since <cmdsynopsis> can occur inside a <para>):
<cmdsynopsis><sbr/></cmdsynopsis>
Unfortunately, <cmdsynopsis> is formatted as a displayed block  :(


Probably the "easiest" way to get around all of this would be to make a
small change to the DTD (if that's feasible). All you would have to do is
modify the DTD to allow an <sbr/> as a child of the <para> (or whatever tag
you need). The stylesheet should make the simple line-break you want in your
final presentation & all will be well.

Maybe you can make a case for such an amendment for a future revision of
DocBook (I doubt it would have much negative implications if it were
included, since <sbr/> is an element without children.)

As to where/how to make the amendment to the DTD for right now, maybe
someone else can chime in...

- Dan



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