Comments on: How do I create fractions in InDesign? http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/ Training, Print & Electronic Publishing Consultancy, Technical Writing/Editing, Public Speaking Wed, 09 May 2012 13:02:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Cari Jansen http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-2479 Cari Jansen Sun, 22 May 2011 06:38:07 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-2479 @Jodi you're welcome. Glad this post was helpful. -- Cari @Jodi you’re welcome. Glad this post was helpful. — Cari

]]> By: Jodi http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-2478 Jodi Sat, 21 May 2011 20:33:27 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-2478 Thank you for this! I would never have figured out how to do the GREP find/change to fix my fractions, but following your directions this worked perfectly! (I used Minion Pro.) Thank you for this! I would never have figured out how to do the GREP find/change to fix my fractions, but following your directions this worked perfectly! (I used Minion Pro.)

]]> By: Cari Jansen http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-1255 Cari Jansen Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:12:03 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-1255 @Matt I'm trying to remember why I added that for option 2 :-) it's been 2 years since I wrote that post. I think it had to do with some OpenType fonts being limited in their fraction support. E.g. there are quite a few that when Fractions is enabled would not change 12/24 into a fraction. I might edit that post to make things a little clearer. The Find/Change inte last case you describe would work very much like option 4, but instead apply the num/den char styles :-) @Matt I’m trying to remember why I added that for option 2 :-) it’s been 2 years since I wrote that post. I think it had to do with some OpenType fonts being limited in their fraction support. E.g. there are quite a few that when Fractions is enabled would not change 12/24 into a fraction. I might edit that post to make things a little clearer. The Find/Change inte last case you describe would work very much like option 4, but instead apply the num/den char styles :-)

]]> By: Matt Mayerchak http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-1235 Matt Mayerchak Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:25:40 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-1235 Actually, in Option #2 above, if your typeface has the fractions built in, changing the setting for super/subscript in the preferences will not have any effect. OpenType fractions are not composed by super/subscripting, but by using the special numerator/denominator glyphs from the OpenType font set. This may not be true for all fonts, but it is the case for the ones I've seen. Applying Opentype Fractions is all you need to do if it's a basic fraction like 7/8; but for anything beyond the x/2, x/4, x/8 fractions, such as 11/32, you need to apply a "numerator" character style and a "denominator" character style. Actually, in Option #2 above, if your typeface has the fractions built in, changing the setting for super/subscript in the preferences will not have any effect. OpenType fractions are not composed by super/subscripting, but by using the special numerator/denominator glyphs from the OpenType font set. This may not be true for all fonts, but it is the case for the ones I’ve seen.

Applying Opentype Fractions is all you need to do if it’s a basic fraction like 7/8; but for anything beyond the x/2, x/4, x/8 fractions, such as 11/32, you need to apply a “numerator” character style and a “denominator” character style.

]]> By: MM http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-590 MM Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:08:21 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-590 Never mind - I knew as soon as I asked I would stumble upon the answer. I was using the GID/CID code instead of the unicode. Now it works beautifully! Never mind – I knew as soon as I asked I would stumble upon the answer. I was using the GID/CID code instead of the unicode. Now it works beautifully!

]]> By: Cari Jansen http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-388 Cari Jansen Sat, 02 May 2009 23:18:59 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-388 Hi Johan, To set fractions or rather equations at more advanced level, you'd probably be best off investing in a plug-in for InDesign that supports the setting of equations. <a href="http://www.mathmagic.com/product/pro.html" rel="nofollow">[Math+Magic]</a> from InfoLogic is a commonly referenced application that works well with InDesign. Another application that works with InDesign is <a href="http://www.dessci.com/en/support/mathtype/workswith/indesign.htm" rel="nofollow">MathType</a> from Design Science. To decide which one works best for you and suits your particular needs, I'd suggest you trial both applications. InfoLogic also contains a <a href="http://www.mathmagic.com/download/marketing/MMFeatureComp.pdf" rel="nofollow">comparison document</a> comparing its MathMagic application with MathType. Cheers, Cari Hi Johan,

To set fractions or rather equations at more advanced level, you’d probably be best off investing in a plug-in for InDesign that supports the setting of equations.

[Math+Magic] from InfoLogic is a commonly referenced application that works well with InDesign. Another application that works with InDesign is MathType from Design Science.

To decide which one works best for you and suits your particular needs, I’d suggest you trial both applications.
InfoLogic also contains a comparison document comparing its MathMagic application with MathType.

Cheers,

Cari

]]> By: Cari Jansen http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-384 Cari Jansen Fri, 01 May 2009 12:41:55 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-384 I made the exact same mistake when first using this feature :-) I made the exact same mistake when first using this feature :-)

]]> By: Abhinandan http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-378 Abhinandan Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:45:22 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-378 Hi, I am new to Indesign and was wondering if someone can help. I import a lot of text from MS Word and at many places the language set is English US. I want to find and change it to English UK. I know I can just search and change it from the find change menu, but how can I add the same to my FindChangeList.txt file? Please help Hi, I am new to Indesign and was wondering if someone can help. I import a lot of text from MS Word and at many places the language set is English US. I want to find and change it to English UK. I know I can just search and change it from the find change menu, but how can I add the same to my FindChangeList.txt file? Please help

]]> By: thunter http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-351 thunter Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:25:16 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-351 Never mind - I knew as soon as I asked I would stumble upon the answer. I was using the GID/CID code instead of the unicode. Now it works beautifully! Never mind – I knew as soon as I asked I would stumble upon the answer. I was using the GID/CID code instead of the unicode. Now it works beautifully!

]]> By: thunter http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-350 thunter Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:07:11 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-350 Cari, I am trying to change text to a glyph, & I thought the fractions.txt file above would be exactly what I needed - especially the last line, changing a slash to a glyph fraction slash. But in my changeTo, it is not reading the backslash-u as the glyph unicode - it is actually inserting backslash-u and the unicode number. I've also tried using the {glyphID:##} in the change properties, as per your InDesign Magazine article (dog-eared copy lives on my desk). Does that only apply if your findType is glyph? I've tried it with findType set to text (since that's what I'm searching for) and to glyph (since that's what I'm changing to!). If I can just get this to work, it will save me so much time. Thanks for your help! Cari,

I am trying to change text to a glyph, & I thought the fractions.txt file above would be exactly what I needed – especially the last line, changing a slash to a glyph fraction slash. But in my changeTo, it is not reading the backslash-u as the glyph unicode – it is actually inserting backslash-u and the unicode number.

I’ve also tried using the {glyphID:##} in the change properties, as per your InDesign Magazine article (dog-eared copy lives on my desk). Does that only apply if your findType is glyph? I’ve tried it with findType set to text (since that’s what I’m searching for) and to glyph (since that’s what I’m changing to!).

If I can just get this to work, it will save me so much time. Thanks for your help!

]]> By: Johan http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-338 Johan Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:43:08 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-338 Hi, I like this article, but i was wondering. Is it possible to make fractions like people did on school? So no slashes, but with a horizontale division? Thx in advance Johan Hi,

I like this article, but i was wondering. Is it possible to make fractions like people did on school?
So no slashes, but with a horizontale division?

Thx in advance

Johan

]]> By: Cari Jansen http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-278 Cari Jansen Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:32:06 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-278 Hi Dan, Thanks heap for the extensive follow-up! Excellent :) Hi Dan, Thanks heap for the extensive follow-up! Excellent :)

]]> By: Dan Rodney http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-277 Dan Rodney Sun, 11 Jan 2009 06:49:14 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-277 Taco241... The free version of my Proper Fraction script has a default size that may work for certain fonts and sizes, but can't be perfect for everyone. That's why it can be changed! In the free script this can be edited by opening the script in a text editor (such as the ExtendToolkit included with the Creative Suite) and editing a value near the top. I commented the script fairly well so you should be able to find it. Of course the Pro version of my script has a nice Preferences window to edit this value. There are other things my Pro script offers such as the ability to search a whole document and convert all fractions. It can use OpenType formatting or it can use horizontal/vertical scale if not using OpenType fonts. If it must fake a fraction for non OpenType fonts it can apply a slight stroke to thicken up the numbers to match the weight of full size characters. Another benefit of my Pro script is that it can apply custom kerning to the number before and after the slash. For people that need to make a lot of fractions, I honestly haven't seen a solution that offers as much flexibility with the ease of my Pro script. It does cost $75 so I know it's not for everyone, but that is not much for all the time it can save someone that deals with lot of fractions. On another note, be careful when trying to Grep search fractions. You may also format dates accidently because they look a lot like fractions (think 1/11/2009). I know this because I had to program my Pro script to avoid formatting dates! Best wishes everyone! Dan Taco241… The free version of my Proper Fraction script has a default size that may work for certain fonts and sizes, but can’t be perfect for everyone. That’s why it can be changed! In the free script this can be edited by opening the script in a text editor (such as the ExtendToolkit included with the Creative Suite) and editing a value near the top. I commented the script fairly well so you should be able to find it.

Of course the Pro version of my script has a nice Preferences window to edit this value. There are other things my Pro script offers such as the ability to search a whole document and convert all fractions. It can use OpenType formatting or it can use horizontal/vertical scale if not using OpenType fonts. If it must fake a fraction for non OpenType fonts it can apply a slight stroke to thicken up the numbers to match the weight of full size characters. Another benefit of my Pro script is that it can apply custom kerning to the number before and after the slash. For people that need to make a lot of fractions, I honestly haven’t seen a solution that offers as much flexibility with the ease of my Pro script. It does cost $75 so I know it’s not for everyone, but that is not much for all the time it can save someone that deals with lot of fractions.

On another note, be careful when trying to Grep search fractions. You may also format dates accidently because they look a lot like fractions (think 1/11/2009). I know this because I had to program my Pro script to avoid formatting dates!

Best wishes everyone! Dan

]]> By: Taco241 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-265 Taco241 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:39:49 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-265 As an Art Director in the magazine industry, I do not like the ProperFraction script by Rodney. Although it does work, and I have used it, the fractions are not nearly as legible as they should be. They are simply too small and unbalanced for copy at or below 9 point size. I find importing fractions typed in Microsoft Word the better option. As an Art Director in the magazine industry, I do not like the ProperFraction script by Rodney. Although it does work, and I have used it, the fractions are not nearly as legible as they should be. They are simply too small and unbalanced for copy at or below 9 point size.

I find importing fractions typed in Microsoft Word the better option.

]]> By: Boris http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/tip075/#comment-175 Boris Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:33:16 +0000 http://carijansen.com/2008/08/25/indesign_fractions/#comment-175 Cari Jansen, hello! Try this script: http://adobeindesign.ru/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/find_change_by_lists.zip This script works with several lists of Find/Change Cari Jansen, hello!

Try this script:
http://adobeindesign.ru/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/find_change_by_lists.zip

This script works with several lists of Find/Change

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