Hi – I’ve noticed that when I replace a word space with a nonbreaking space (not a fixed-width one), it is instantly smaller than the word space it replaces. This is in text that is FLRR (flush left, ragged right) with no hyphenation.
Anybody know why?
I thought the nonbreaking space would mimic a regular word space, and be adjustable within limits of the justification settings. But they all are instantly smaller by a small but noticeable amount.
Makes me wonder if I should be using the fixed-width ones. Actually, when I read the description on Adobe’s help site, it’s hard to understand what they mean about what would cause the spaces to change size.
“The Nonbreaking Space varies in width depending on point size, the justification setting, and word space settings, whereas the Nonbreaking Space (Fixed Width) character maintains the same width regardless of context.”
Adobe help website:
https://help.adobe.com/en_US/indesign/cs/using/WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-6d98a.html#WS555DE01B-F8DA-4bbd-83BF-C85F09406DFF
the “regardless of context” is not true. If you track the text smaller, fixed spaces get tighter as well. But it does seem to preserve spacing when justified text squishes the normal word spaces. Still I’m not sure when “fixed-width” applies – perhaps only in respect to the justification adjustments?
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