Finding out the default font size used in HTML components
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Sent: Aug 04, 2010, 16:02:02
Subject: Changing font for a template
Question
When I come across an element with a font I do not like, I highlight the question, right click, click Text, then Font, then Default Font. It changes it to the correct font which I like.
Now if I click on this same text, right click, Text, Font, Edit Font, the highlighted option is Ariel 9.
I opened a text editor and used Ariel 9 and this is certainly not the default font in SuperMemo. Do you know what it is or how I can find out? It's silly that this isn't more easily done.
Answer
Important! The answer below assumes you are using SuperMemo 2008 and HTML components. If you are using older SuperMemos or plain text components, the answer will not apply.
ABC
- use Tools : Options : Fonts : Stylesheet to change fonts in many elements
- use Text : Font : Edit font to change the font in a portion of a single text
Short Answer
- use Tools : Options : Fonts : Stylesheet to modify the default font of the default stylesheet that will be used by default in HTML components
- use Text : Font : Edit font to modify fonts in portions of texts
- use filters (F6) to filter out fonts from the underlying HTML
- convert to plain text (Ctrl+Shift+F12) to start the formatting from scratch
- use Text : Style : New style to create a new stylesheet to be used in a subset of elements using a given template with a given style
Other options are of less use and may have no effect in HTML.
Long Answer
The complexity of font use in SuperMemo comes from the variety of components and text options. In particular, you need to understand HTML and stylesheets to fully understand the interaction of settings in SuperMemo, Internet Explorer, HTML and stylesheets. To simplify things, you can just use the options above without getting into the details.
If you want to globally change the font in HTML components use stylesheets or the default setting in Internet Explorer. If you want to change the font of a portion of a text in a single component, use Text : Font : Edit font. Many other font options are of little use as they link fonts with components. This is important for plain text components (incl. sound components and spelling components), but is overridden by stylesheets and HTML tags in HTML components.
Text : Default font works by removing the font link from the current component and setting that link to zero. This means that the component is associated with the default font used in the collection. This is useful in plain text components, however, it has no instant effect on HTML components as these use HTML and stylesheets to format fonts. The Default Font will only affect the template that forms the current HTML components. As all HTML components have their font set to zero by default, applying this option on HTML without an associated font will have no effect. The default font for topics and questions is defined in Tools : Options : Fonts : Question font. For HTML components it has effect only: (1) when creating a new component, and (2) use Question and Answer fonts in HTML is checked in Options, and (3) the setting is not overwritten by the applied stylesheet.
Text : Font : Edit font take the first font of the current selection. If this font is modified by the current stylesheet it may have no relation to the underlying HTML. However, the stylesheet font can be overrriden by a FONT tag in HTML code. SuperMemo will take that font as default and let you modify it and will apply it to the current selection. Unlike in plain text components, the font applied to HTML will not be linked to the component and the template. It will only modify the current selection.
Followup
I am sorry but I still you make it too complex. When I use Word, I just click font, change the size and I am done.
comment
Again, it is SuperMemos versatility that gives you that impression. If you use RTF components, you will feel like you used a (mini-)Word. If you use plain components, you will feel like you used a Notepad. By default you are likely to use HTML components that will give you the look of Internet Explorer and WYSIWYG editing that gets a bit more complex if you apply stylesheets or templates. In other words, SuperMemo gives you many options and formats that cause the confusion. However, for a pro user, this is a strength. Traditionally, SuperMemo is very hard at the beginning and gets easier as you continue your work with the program. In the end, you can even use OLE or binary components to hold all imaginable formats supported by your PC, and do your editing in your favorite applications. SuperMemo might try to simplify things by removing various formats, but this always meets with loud protest from users who have already created collections in less popular or older formats. For example, there was a plan to remove the RTF component already a decade ago, and the plain text component with code page support was to be scrapped as soon as SuperMemo supported rich formatting (i.e. 1996). Needless to say, the opposition was vocal enough to keep all those components until today.
Further reading
- component menu options: http://help.supermemo.org/wiki/Component_menu
- font options: http://help.supermemo.org/wiki/Fonts_tab_in_Options
- using fonts in SuperMemo: http://help.supermemo.org/wiki/Using_fonts
- using text components: http://help.supermemo.org/wiki/Using_text_components