Redefine Character Format - Font/Size

[cbdunn70]

This question was asked back in early '09 ("aught 9" as smarmy old-timers will likely say one day) . It seems there was a workaround back then. I'm wondering if advances in years and software versions have yielded another method.

I want to do exactly as the OP... updated para styles (Body) to a smaller font size. I want the emphasis and similar character formats to now match my new [smaller] Body para format size. Is there a way to do this without adding a new character format and doing a find/replce between old and new formats?

I'm in FrameMaker 11.0.1

~ Chris Dunn

Original Posting:

Redefine character format

Mar 30, 2009 12:14 AM

Hello,

I need to change a character format which is currently Courier 10pt to adapt the font size of the underlying paragraph format, e.g. Courier 12pt for body text and Courier 10pt for table text, Courier 9 pt in footnotes and so on.

When I update the character format with Size set to as-is, existing instances stay at 10pt, which is only consequent as the text was 10pt before. Is there a way to change the format to use the paragraph default font size for all existing instances with less effort than applying formats again to all instances? Using FM 8.0p277 on Windows XP.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
joH

Replies

A reader posted an answer that didn't appear on adobeforums.com so far but on the usenet version.

Ron wrote,

> You could create a new format with a different name, then apply the new format to all instances of the old one with search/replace.

It works perfectly and solved the problem. Thanks very much, Ron.

[Arnis_Gubins · Accepted solution]

Sounds like the size was explicily set in the character tag instead of AsIs. In that case, you'll shoot yourself in the foot by changing the paratag sizes.

If you've already changed your paragraph tags and see that this has happened, then you've got some cleaning up to do.

What will work is, In one instance of the tagged content, explicitly change the size in the Character Designer to what is required, then click Update All. Then update that character tag definition again to be AsIs for the font size (and most other attributes) and remove overrides. The tagged content should now change if you change the paratag font sizes.

Repeat for other character tags.

However, if you haven't done anyhting yet, then in the Character Designer simply change all relevant character tags to have a size of AsIs and update all to remove overrides. Nothing should visually change at this point. Then, when you change the paratag font size, the character tags will now change size accordingly.