Compile Separators/New Page Padding Not Functioning As Expected

[praetorian75]

I’m sooooo close to getting the Compile settings to where I need them to be, but I’m stumped about two things that are continuing to happen, no matter what settings I change. I believe these two problems may be connected, which is why I’m posting it as a combined question instead of two separate questions.

First: though I was able to get the Section Layouts > [Section Name] > New Pages > Pad top of page with [x] blank lines setting set to the 6 I need (so that the text starts on the 7th), the Compiler doesn’t match the font style when doing so. Specifically, all (and I do mean all) styles have been set to Courier New 12 pt with exactly 25pt line height, no padding.

Yet, the compiled doc shows the padding lines as single-spaced. I’ve confirmed all four section layouts that I’m currently using are set the same way, and the text in all the folders/files affected are the same. In addition, on the Formatting tab of the Section Layouts window, Override text and notes formatting is set as well.

Second: After selecting Edit Format in the Compile Overview window, I’ve selected Separators > Default Separators and changed both Folders and Text Files to use a Page Break separator between sections. I then individually selected each of the items listed in the smaller Section Layouts list just below the Default Separators list, and checked Use default separators.

Therefore, all new sections, meaning folders (e.g. ‘Part One’) and Text Files (e.g. ‘Chapter One’) should, at least theoretically, start on a blank page. And, as per my first setting above, the text of each should start on the 7th line.

Instead, what I’m seeing is a blank line, a line with a carriage return (different character shown with Word’s Reveal Paragraph Marks, different formatting), then 5 more lines, then the text.

Again, I’ve confirmed that the default separators should be used for all section layouts, and each section layout is set to “exactly 25 pt” for line spacing.

What am I missing?

Thanks in advance!

[Julian_M1]

Hi,

I have recollections of a similar problem once upon a time, and I can’t offer a specific answer because you seem to have done sensible things. All I can do, FWIW is record here my own notes on key features of sections and separators etc. in the faint hope that might help… but at least someone hears you!

These are notes that helped me work out what I needed to do (sorry I can’t remember the details)

Separators
I would have expected these to be part of the layouts, and couldn’t work out where new page control was exercise at first.
See Manual 3.1.0 section 24.3.1 (key points reproduced below)

Separator before sections As referred to before, this is the simplest form of separation to work with. The orange chunk of text has been set to “Page break” as its separation type. We don’t see the effects of that here because it is the very first item to be compiled. This is an important exception to keep in mind for separators in general: they must be separating the item from something in order to insert a separator. The sections coloured in lavender also use a “before sections” setting, seen here between the first of them and the orange item. Blocks of contiguous items using the same layout are considered as such by settings. Only the first item in such a range will use the Separator before sections setting.

Separator between sections When the section type of the item preceding the current item is the same then this separator option will be used. We see the asterism symbol inserted between the two lavender chunks of text because they are of a like kind. If one of these chunks of text had been a different type of document (like the orange chunk), then the “– Before Section –” separator would have been used instead.