Re: [xsl] How white space affects text-indents

["G. Ken Holman" <gkholman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 2012-04-06 14:07 -0700, Karl Stubsjoen wrote:
> I'm trying to understand and solve an issue I am having with
> text-indent and start-indent properties in FO.  This is a solution for
> a rounded bullet using fo:inline elements.  I'm assuming that if I
> start-indent 1em, and text-indent -1em that I will end up with a
> perfect hanging indent as long as I add the correct amount of space
> for my known and fixed size bullet character.

Why not simply use <list-block>?  That has the semantics you need to 
align the text on the right.  Looking at your example, I cannot think 
of a compelling reason not to use <list-block>.

> So I have 2 blocks where the first block content is collapsed and the
> 2nd is indented (the source that is).  They produce 2 different
> results where the 2nd block result is desirable.

When I use Antenna House with your example, both paragraphs appear 
near identical (though not quite) and neither one lines up with the 
red line you've drawn.  I rely on that tool's conformance.  Which 
tool are you using?

> So which is the most correct

<fo:list-block space-after="6pt" keep-with-next.within-column="always">
 <fo:list-item provisional-distance-between-starts="1em">
  <fo:list-item-label end-indent="label-end()">
   <fo:block start-indent="1em"><fo:inline 
font-family="ZapfDingbats" font-size=".30em" baseline-shift=".65em" letter-

spacing="1em">?</fo:inline></fo:block>
  </fo:list-item-label>
  <fo:list-item-body start-indent="body-start()">
    <fo:block>This is a third block using the list-block 
construct!  This is a third block using the list-block construct!

This is a third block using the list-block construct!  </fo:block>
  </fo:list-item-body>
 </fo:list-item>
</fo:list-block>

When I flow the above in your example, the body text lines up with 
your red line.

> and can't I achieve the same result by setting
> white-space-treatment (and similar) properties to my fo:inlines and
> containing fo:blocks?

I have been known to guarantee such a distance by flowing an 
inline-container of a fixed width at the start of the block and put 
the bullet information in there.  But that isn't the appropriate way.

I hope this helps.

. . . . . . . . . . Ken

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