Conference vaxuum::document_ft

303.0. "Spacing After Headers" by AUTHOR::R_MCGOWAN () Fri Apr 24 1987 15:58

     In DSRPLUS output, more space was placed  after  header  lines  and  a
     paragraph than between paragraphs.  This is also true for many typeset
     books.

     In my opinion, a little extra space after a header line  makes  for  a
     more  visually smoother flowing look.  The <p> tag, however, (which we
     are to use now after headers) gives the same amount of space  after  a
     header  as  between paragraphs.  This reminds me of typewritten rather
     than typeset formatting.

     I think all doc types would look better if the  headers  were  not  as
     close  to  the  text as they are.  This just happens to be my opinion.
     However, is there any possibility of getting a special spacing tag  to
     put  after headers or to have header lines automatically skip space as
     they did in DSRPLUS?

    
    The <p> tag following header levels does *not* give a paragraph
    space, though in many instances the space is the same value. In
    DSRPLUS, the spacing was needed because all the text was the same
    size. When you have fonts of different sizes and you use different
    fonts entirely for headings than for text, the differentiation is
    clearer without adding extra space.
    
    The spacing following headings is purely a design issue.
    
    

    Thanks, I hadn't been aware that the value of the <p> tag changed
    in some designs when it followed a header.