Hyphenate text

Use hyphenation to improve text alignment in a given area by reducing the amount of white (empty) space between the last word on a line and the right margin. If a word is too long to fit entirely on a single line, the word is hyphenated at the proper hyphenation point, which forces a line break as close to the right margin as possible. Hyphenation makes each line of text approximately the same length to give the text a more uniform layout. Designer uses a hyphenation dictionary, metrics such as line spacing and font size, as well as other linguistic information to determine where various words can be legally and optimally hyphenated.

You can hyphenate the text in text objects, in the caption area of objects such as text fields, decimal fields, and numeric fields, and in the value area of text field objects (default text and text the form filler enters). For example, you can indicate the number of letters to allow in a word before it can be hyphenated; hyphenate capitalized words, such as the first word of a sentence; hyphenate words that are all capital letters, such as acronyms; and add or remove all hyphenation from the form.

You can set default hyphenation options for all new forms or customize hyphenation settings for individuals forms.

Set hyphenation options in these areas:

Options dialog box (Formatting panel)
Use the options in this dialog box to specify default hyphenation settings for all new forms. Changing theses options does not affect the currently opened form.

Forms Properties dialog box (Formatting tab)
Use the options in this dialog box to specify hyphenation settings for the currently opened form only.

Paragraph palette (Hyphenation option)
Use this option to enable or disable hyphenation in individual objects.
Note: When you create a form, the Form Properties dialog box automatically inherits the default hyphenation settings for new forms from the Tools Options dialog box. To create a form that has different hyphenation settings or to change the default settings in an existing form, use the Form Properties dialog box. The settings in the Form Properties dialog box override the settings in the Options dialog box for the current form. When you change the hyphenation settings in the Forms Properties dialog box for the current form, the settings in the Options dialog box (for new forms) do not change.

Considerations for setting hyphenation

Keep the following points in mind regarding the various options you must select for objects that contain hyphenated text:

Hyphenate option in the Paragraph palette

Although the hyphenation you select in the Form Properties and Options dialog boxes apply to the entire form, you can use the Hyphenate option in the Paragraph palette to add or remove hyphenation in individual objects. Using the Hyphenate option, you can manually adjust text layout on an object-by-object basis.

The Hyphenate option is available in the Paragraph palette only when you select the Using the Allow Hyphenation in Text and Field Captions option or the Allow Hyphenation in Text Field Values option, or both on the Form Properties (Formatting tab) or the Options (Formatting panel) dialog boxes. The Hyphenate option displays a colored square when these two options are in a mixed state, where either Allow Hyphenation in Text and Field Captions or Allow Hyphenation in Text Field Values is deselected. That is, when you select the Hyphenate option for an object when these two options are in a mixed state, the check box displays a colored arrow, which changes to a colored square to remind you that one of the options is deselected.

When Hyphenate New Items is selected in the Options dialog box on the Formatting panel, the Hyphenate option is automatically selected with new objects added to a form.

Currently Editing palette menu

The commands in the Currently Editing palette menu (Edit Caption or Value, Edit Caption, or Edit Value) determine when the Hyphenate option is available in the Paragraph palette (does not apply to text objects). That is, the Allow Hyphenation in Text and Field Captions option and the Allow Hyphenation in Text Field Values option are applied according to the command you select. For example, if you select the Allow Hyphenation in Text and Field Captions option, you must also select either the Edit Caption or Value command or the Edit Caption command to make the Hyphenate option available.

Use these commands to select the area (caption, value, or both) to hyphenate in each object that contains hyphenated text. For example, to hyphenate the text in text objects and the captions in text field objects, select the Allow Hyphenation in Text and Field Captions option and either the Edit Caption and Value menu command or the Edit Caption command. Alternatively, to hyphenate the default or user input text in the value area of text objects, select the Allow Hyphenation in Text Field Values option and the Edit Value menu command. The default command for text fields, decimal fields, numeric fields, and signature fields is Edit Caption or Value.

Expand to Fit options

It is recommended that you select the Expand to Fit (Height) option for each object that contains hyphenated text. When a word is too long to fit entirely on a line, hyphenation forces a line break and divides the word over two lines. As a result, the object that contains the text needs to expand in height to accommodate additional lines when needed. However, you can also manually enlarge objects to the correct size where hyphenation can occur. Text objects expand in width (as needed) when you enter text, even if you do not select the Expand To Fit (Width) option.

Allow Multiple Lines option

(Applies to the value area of text objects only) Select this option on the Field tab of the Object palette for each text object to hyphenate the text in, in the value area of text field objects. This option enables the text to break onto more than one line where the height of the field permits.

Setting and removing hyphenation in forms

You can hyphenate the text in, and remove hyphenation from, text objects, the caption area of objects such as text fields, decimal fields, numeric fields, and signature fields, and the value area of text field objects (default text and text the form filler enters).

To set hyphenation for new forms
Use the Formatting panel in the Options dialog box. The numbers you enter and the options you select on the Formatting panel are used as default settings in the Form Properties dialog box on the Formatting tab.

To set hyphenation for individual forms
Use the Formatting tab in the Form Properties dialog box. The numbers you enter and the hyphenation options you select on the Formatting tab apply to the current form only. You can change the hyphenation settings for the current form to suit your needs. The default settings that initially appear in the Form Properties dialog box are inherited from the Formatting panel in the Options dialog box, which automatically apply to all new forms. If you change the default settings in the Form Properties dialog box, the new settings override the settings in the Options dialog box for the current form. The hyphenation options in the Options dialog box do not change.
Note: Before you set hyphenation for forms, it is recommended that you become familiar with the different options you need to select for objects that contain hyphenated text. (See Hyphenate text)

To remove hyphenation from forms
Use the You can remove hyphenation from the text in text objects, in the caption area of objects such as text fields, decimal fields, numeric fields, and signature fields, and in the value area of text field objects.

To set hyphenation for a new form

  1. Select Tools > Options.

  2. Click Formatting, enter the values, and select the options to apply to new forms:

    • In the Words With At Least <x> Letters box, enter the minimum number of letters that a word must contain to be hyphenated.

    • In the After First <x> Letters box, enter the minimum number of letters in a word that must appear on a line before the hyphen.

    • In the Before Last <x> Letters box, enter the minimum number of letters in a word that must appear on the next line, after the hyphen.

    • To hyphenate words that begin with a capital (uppercase) letter, such as the first word of a sentence, select Hyphenate Capitalized Words.

    • To hyphenate words that are all capital letters, such as acronyms, select Hyphenate Words in ALL CAPS.

    • To hyphenate the text in text objects, and in the caption area of objects such as text fields, decimal fields, numeric fields, and signature fields, select Allow Hyphenation in Text and Field Captions.

    • To hyphenate the text in the value area of text field objects (default text and text entered by the person filling the form), select Allow Hyphenation in Text Field Values.

    • Select Hyphenate New Items to hyphenate the text in new objects added to the form.

    For descriptions and example usage of the above options, see Formatting (Options dialog box).

  3. Click OK.

To set hyphenation for an individual form

  1. Select File > Form Properties.

  2. Click the Formatting tab, and enter the values and select the options to apply to the current form:

    • In the Words With At Least <x> Letters box, enter the minimum number of letters that a word must contain to be hyphenated.

    • In the After First <x> Letters box, enter the minimum number of letters in a word that must appear on a line before the hyphenation point.

    • In the Before Last <x> Letters box, enter the minimum number of letters in a word that must appear on the next line after the hyphenation point.

    • To hyphenate words that begin with a capital (uppercase) letter, such as the first word of a sentence, select Hyphenate Capitalized Words.

    • To hyphenate words that are all capital letters, such as acronyms, select Hyphenate Words in ALL CAPS.

    • To hyphenate the text in text objects, and in the caption area of objects such as text fields, decimal fields, numeric fields, and signature fields, select Allow Hyphenation in Text and Field Captions.

    • To hyphenate the text in the value area of text field objects (default text and text entered by the person filling the form), select Allow Hyphenation in Text Field Values.

    For descriptions and example usage of the above options, see Formatting (Form Properties dialog box).

  3. Click Hyphenate All Text.

    Click Edit > Undo Hyphenate All text to immediately undo hyphenation.

To remove hyphenation from a form

  1. Select File > Form Properties.

  2. Click the Formatting tab and do one of the following actions:

    • To remove hyphenation from the text in text objects and in the caption area of objects, deselect Allow Hyphenation in Text and Field Captions.

    • To remove hyphenation from the text in the value area of text field objects, deselect Allow Hyphenation in Text Field Values.

    • To remove all hyphenation, click Remove All Hyphenation.

  3. Click OK.

    To immediately restore all hyphenation, click Edit > Undo Remove All Hyphenation.”

// Ethnio survey code removed