[Oberon] columnar formatting re: TAB

Thomas Frey frey at inf.ethz.ch
Tue Aug 20 00:11:29 CEST 2002


> After searching through many ETH Oberon Native modules to
> correct the directory "\d" display for Oberon's one large
> directory of files I am now wondering if the TAB char is
> working properly within Oberon?
> 
> If the TAB char is dependent upon the Scn.Fnt libraries it
> would seem that the whitespace being only one-half of a
> full char would have an adverse affect on the TAB char?
> 
> For proper columnar alignment the TAB should be equal in
> size to a full char, possibly the letter "A" or "H" (uppercase)?

The tab character is font dependant and, if directly printed, acts like
an alternative to the space character (with different spacings). 
Assuming you use the TextGadgets system editor, you can add
a style-control in front of the directory and place "real" TABs. 
The TAB character is then specially treated (as jump to the
next absoute TAB position to the right).
 
To insert the style-control manually:
1. Place the text cursor left of the first character of the directory.
2. Press CTRL-ENTER
3. Insert new TAB positions with Middle-Left interclick on the
    style-control. Tab Positions can be moved with middle click

The style-control will also enable text wrapping.
The visibility of the style-control(s) can be toggled with
TextDocs.Controls * (on the viewer)

--Thomas





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