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Subject:Re: Automatic Hypenation in Documents From:"D. Margulis" <ampersandvirgule -at- WORLDNET -dot- ATT -dot- NET> Date:Fri, 12 Jun 1998 21:06:48 -0400
Wilhelm, Kimberly A. wrote:
>
> I'm in need of some expert opinions on the subject of automatic
> hypenation in documents. We are currently working on a proposal that is
> page limited. We are using a 2-column format in Word 97, and there is
> some discussion about whether we should turn on automatic hypenation so
> we can squeeze more words on a page (I know, this is slimy). This
> results in more text on a page, but every couple of lines ends in a
> hypen, which I personally find annoying. Is an issue like this strictly
> a matter of personal preference, or are there any rules regarding
> hypenation? What do you do in situations like this? All help is
> appreciated!
>
>
Kim,
There are indeed rules, although they may not apply in the case of a
proposal.
Hyphenation should be turned on by default in text (but not in headings)
and manually disabled for individual words or lines where it is awkward.
Hyphenation is always preferable to letterspacing or over-limit word
spacing as a way to make justified text fit. If you are setting ragged
right (sorry, that's what we used to call flush left), then you may
choose to turn hyphenation off, depending on the degree of rag you are
looking for. This is an aesthetic decision a designer makes.
In a two-column layout with justified text, turning hyphenation off is
likely to lead to a lot of badly spaced lines. (Of course this depends
on the type size, something else you can adjust to increase the number
of words on the page, n'est-ce pas?)
However, turning hyphenation on in narrow columns also increases the
likelihood of ladders--four or more lines in a row that end with
hyphens. Most programs allow you to establish a maximum number of
consecutive hyphens. (I hope Word does, but I don't have it running at
the moment and I don't use it enough to remember.) Set this at three
unless you have a customer or boss who explicitly tells you to set it at
a lower number. This is standard commercial practice, and only rarely
will it lead to a problem that requires manual tweaking.
