OK. I just set up a test (CS6) using Unicode 0159 “LATIN SMALL LETTER R WITH CARON” as it’s described, and it displays OK in both the normal text and in a running header variable, using any of Minion Pro, Myriad Pro and Times. Surely all you need to do is find a font with that letter in its repertoire for the text variable?
If it displays OK for you in the body of the book but not in the running header, then perhaps the original text is using a non-standard font and character set?
What happens if you use the same font for both body and running header?

Chris.

Could there be Text Wrap on some object in the original document? That would “push” text out of alignment.

Are you sure? On my version (CS6), the middle option on the TOC dialog box includes Paragraph Styles as well as an option for “New Paragraph Style…”
See [img]www.thompsontext.com/Dialog/TOC dialog.png[/img]

Edit: those IMG tags don’t work, but you get the idea.

Most professional translators will be able to handle an IDML file in the CAT (computer-aided translation) tool of their choice. Obviously you’ll end up with multiple InDesign files, one per language. You’ll get back an IDML file which will open nicely, but you’ll almost certainly need to adjust the text flows. A majority of languages run longer than English, by 20-25%.
1. Let them know any terms which you don’t want translated.
2. It’s worth checking through beforehand for “lazy” formatting of text wraps around objects: if the original designer has used soft or hard returns to wrap the text around an object, the differing lengths of the translations will mean it goes horribly wrong. Also in those cases, hard returns within a sentence can potentially lead to a wrong translation, because the CAT tool will segment the words by what it considers to be sentences/paragraphs. If you’re lucky, and the translator is on the ball, they’ll work out what’s going on with the two segments of the same sentence.
3. Look out for text embedded into linked graphics – that won’t be picked up for translation in an IDML file. You’ll need to work out the best way to deal with such text – float text boxes over in InDesign, retype the text in a file for the translator and redo the graphics for each language, or ask the translator to handle the graphics too, but bear in mind that translators aren’t graphic designers and may be unwilling or unable to work in Photoshop or illustrator.
4. Also worth tidying up (deleting) unused text boxes on the pasteboard, as the translator will still see these, translate them and charge for them.
5. One other thing – check that the repertoire of your fonts is sufficient for the translated languages, or else you’ll have to choose a new font.

Chris Thompson
(I’ve a foot in both camps – I’m a translator and Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, as well as working with InDesign, combining other people’s designs with other people’s translations)

In the Scribedoor panel, it’s Character – Direction – Default/LTR/RTL
In CS6 ME version, it’s a menu item in the flyout menu from the top right of the Character panel, Character Direction – Default/LTR/RTL
Can’t speak for World Tools.
But in all of them, it’s a character-level attribute.

If you have all text set to RTL, some of the ‘ambiguous’ characters like brackets may behave wrong if they are next to LTR segments like numbers. If you have all text set to Default, the para composer tries to work out if it’s a closing bracket (for example) on a RTL or LTR segment of text.

Only a theory.

Another theory: is ‘paragraph direction’ is also set to RTL?
If you have paragraph direction set to LTR, but right-aligned, the punctuation also goes wrong.

Chris.

Odd. Can’t replicate in CS6:
With text in 2 unconnected boxes, 1 and 2…
a) If I try it with plenty of room in box1, click the out port, then click box 2, the text from box 2 ends up on the end of the text in box 1, because box 1 had enough space left over for more text. If box 2’s text is too long for box 1, some of it fills up box 1 and then continues in box 2.
b) If I try it with overset text in box 1, click the red plus, click box 2 and the overset text becomes the first text in box 2 followed by what was originally in box 2.

Chris.

What version of ID, and what PDF export method/settings?
I’ve just exported some Times 8 pt from CS6 on OS X 10.6, using High Quality Print – Acrobat 8/9 (PDF 1.7) – turned off Optimize for Fast Web View and Create Tagged PDF.
The resulting PDF opened in Acrobat, where using Touch Up Text and Properties/Text showed the text was still 8 pt.
Chris.