Nisus Writer Express - Manual (Page 91)

Creating Documents Formatting Documents 71
Control how paragraphs split and stick together
If you use Nisus Writer Express to put text on paper, you will probably want to make sure that the
printed version of your file looks good. Among the concerns are whether headings remain with the
paragraphs they introduce and other, similar issues.
Prevent widows and orphans
There is some disagreement as to the exact meaning of the word widow in a typesetting context:
• the last line or word of a paragraph appearing at the top of a page, with the remainder
appearing on the preceding page
• a single word or syllable (some say 7 characters or less) left alone at the bottom of a paragraph.
There is, however, general agreement about what constitutes an orphan:
• a heading or the first line of a paragraph or verse at the foot of a page.
1. Click your insertion point in the paragraph (or select a range of paragraphs).
2. Either…
▶ click Prevent widow/orphan in the Paragraph palette, or,
▶ choose Disallow Widows & Orphans from the Paragraph Layout Options submenu of the
Format menu.
☞
This only controls for the first definition of widow but also controls for orphans. This prevents them
from splitting to another page or column by themselves. The first or last line of a paragraph can still
appear on another page or column (away from the majority of the paragraph) so long as they have
company.
Keep selected paragraphs together
Use this set of commands to make sure that an entire paragraph appears on the same page or
column.
1. Click your insertion point in the paragraph (or select a range of paragraphs).
2. Either…
▶ click Keep ¶ together in the Paragraph palette, or,
▶ choose Keep Paragraph Together from the Paragraph Layout Options submenu of the
Format menu.
Keep one paragraph with the one that follows it
Use this set of commands to make sure that headings stay with the text that follows, or to
guarantee that a caption stays on the same page or column as the illustration to which it is
associated.
1. Click your insertion point in the paragraph (or select a range of paragraphs).
2. Either…
▶ click Keep with next ¶ in the Paragraph palette, or,
▶ choose Keep With Next Paragraph from the Paragraph Layout Options submenu of the
Format menu.
☞
This keeps the selected paragraph on the same page as the first line of the next paragraph. How that
first line is placed is determined by whether or not it is controlled by either (or both) Keep ¶ together
or Prevent widow/orphan.
You can use these commands to create styles that control the overall shape of your document.
When you do this you do not need to concern yourself each time you have a potential layout
problem. This procedure is explained in “Modify a style” beginning on page 86.