6.6. Custom Formatting

6.6.1. Overview

One of the nice things about SDF is that system administrators can control the formatting of documents via templates. This has two major advantages:

document authors can focus on content
by default, documents have a consistent format.

However, there are occasions when authors need to override the default formatting conventions. Custom formatting is supported for documents, paragraphs and phrases.

6.6.2. Custom Document Formatting

Document formatting can be controlled by setting variables. The commonly used ones are given below.

Name	Type	Purpose
DOC_TOC	integer	table of contents level
DOC_LOF	boolean	build a list of figures
DOC_LOT	boolean	build a list of tables
DOC_IX	boolean	build an index
DOC_TWO_SIDES	boolean	build a two-sided document

For example, to create a two-sided document, add this line to your document:

  !define DOC_TWO_SIDES

6.6.3. Custom Paragraph Formatting

Paragraph formatting can be controlled by setting attributes. The commonly used ones are given below.

Name	Purpose
label	prefix label (e.g. Note:)
top	either Page (the default), Column, LPage or RPage
left	left margin indent (in points)
first	first line indent (in points)
right	right margin indent (in points)
justify	either Full, Left, Right or Center

For example, to start a paragraph at the top of a page:

 H3[top] Other Issues

To indent a paragraph 1 inch from both margins:

 [left='1in'; right='1in'] This paragraph will be indented from
 both margins by 1 inch.

The result is:

This paragraph will be indented from both margins by 1 inch.

6.6.4. Custom Phrase Formatting

Phrase formatting can be controlled by setting attributes. The commonly used ones are given below.

Name	Purpose
family	font family
size	font size
color	text colour
bold	enable bold
italics	enable italics
underline	enable underline
changed	enable change bars

For example, to change the size of a phrase to 11.5 points:

  I love {{N[size=11.5]custom formatting}}.

The result is:

I love custom formatting.

6.6.5. Applying Phrase Attributes to Paragraphs

Phrase attributes can also be used for paragraphs. For example, to add a change bar to a paragraph:

  [changed] This paragraph has a change bar.

The result is:

This paragraph has a change bar.

6.6.6. sdf Blocks

Attributes can be applied to a block of text by using the sdf filter. For example:

!block sdf; size='8pt'; bold; align='Center'
This paragraph has custom formatting:

* and so does this.
!endblock

The result is:

This paragraph has custom formatting:

and so does this.