Objects of this class hold all formatting properties pertaining to the block body. They can be used with formatting.blockStart() to start a block with the specified properties.

These constants define horizontal alignment of the block or its contents.

The BlockHorizontalAlignment enumeration has the following constants of type DOMString.

These constants define orientation of the block.

The BlockOrientation enumeration has the following constants of type int.

PI: blockabsend

This property can be used to control where the right edge of a block is measured from.

If 0 (the default) the indent is relative to its parent block.

If 1 the indent is relative to the right margin. This will be the right edge of a frame, a multicolumn block, or a table cell.

If 2 the indent follows the same rules as setting 1 in all cases except table cells. If the block is in a table cell, the indent will be relative to the cells padding not its edge.

Normally in a nested block its edges are measured from the inside of the parent cell's rules after also taking into account any cell padding.

Searching back through the hierarchy of parent tables and blocks, if one is found with more than a single column, or one had its number of columns specified explicity, then when absoluteStart = true the block will be measured from the border of that parents column edge. This will still be inside any rules of the parent cell but will ignore any of its cell padding. If no conforming parent table/block exists then absoluteStart = true will measure directly from the frame column boundary. From this right boundary, the current block's right margin will then be applied, along with block rules and padding etc in the normal way.

PI: blockabsstart

This property can be used to control where the left edge of a block is measured from.

If 0 (the default) the indent is relative to its parent block.

If 1 the indent is relative to the left margin. This will be the start edge of a frame, a multicolumn block, or a table cell.

If 2 the indent follows the same rules as setting 1 in all cases except table cells. If the block is in a table cell, the indent will be relative to the cells padding.

Normally in a nested block its edges are measured from the inside of the parent cell's rules after also taking into account any cell padding.

Searching back through the hierarchy of parent tables and blocks, if one is found with more than a single column, or one had its number of columns specified explicity, then when absoluteStart = true the block will be measured from the border of that parents column edge. This will still be inside any rules of the parent cell but will ignore any of its cell padding. If no conforming parent table/block exists then absoluteStart = true will measure directly from the frame column boundary. From this left boundary, the current block's left margin will then be applied, along with block rules and padding etc in the normal way.

PI: blockavoidclear

PI: blockavoidme

PI: blockavoidpreserve

PI: blockbgcolor

It is possible to assign a colour to the entire block, using backgroundColor. You must specify a colour with the command, this will then be applied to the block. You will only see the block background colour if regions have no colour assigned or where gutters occur in the block.

PI: blockbalbef

TODO

PI: blockbal

Turn column balancing on or off for this block.

PI: blockbreaktop

TODO

The individual columns of the block. If you specify the number of columns in numColumns, there will be just as many items available in this array.

If the number of columns is left unspecified, this array will grow as needed to accomodate the columns of the block, up to the maximum number of columns supported by APP (currently 200). In this case, the last column object from the array on which any properties are defined will be repeated for all the remaining columns required by the data in the block.

Paragraph property fallbacks for block contents.

Styling information for the regions inside this block.

Styling information for the rows of this block.

Styling information for block contents.

Default settings for tables in this block.

Default TeX property values for block contents.

PI: blockfnctrl

Specifies a footnote control stream for block footnotes.

When a footnote control stream specifying sidenotes is applied to a block, the columns of the block will behave like the columns in a frame.

This can be used in conjunction with fBlockColumn::reserve, which will reserve the relevant columns for the placement of sidenotes.

If a footnote reference is processed inside a block and that block does not have a footnote control stream, then the footnote control stream of the frame containing the block is applied. Similarly if a footnote is placed in a nested block which has no footnote control stream, then the parent block's footnote control stream is used, if it exists, else that of the frame.

PI: blockrulefc

Only relevant when used in conjunction with spanAvoid = true. If true, then table-columns on the left of frame-columns will return true for (?l) or [l] when specified as the conditions for cell rules/background colours. Works similarly for right hand edges and (?r) or [r].

If you want to use this but still need to detect for a real left column, then use an explicit test of (x=1). Detecting for a real right hand columns requires you to know the number of columns in advance and use (x=5) for a 5 column table for instance.

PI: blockgutl

As well as being able to add gutters between the columns in the block, you can add gutters outside columns and inside block rules. There are two properties for this, use gutterLeft to add a left gutter and gutterRight to add a right gutter to the block. For each of these commands, you can either specify a fixed width (e.g. block.gutterLeft = '20mm') or specify that you want a relative width (e.g. block.gutterLeft = '1*').

PI: blockgutr

As well as being able to add gutters between the columns in the block, you can add gutters outside columns and inside block rules. There are two properties for this, use gutterLeft to add a left gutter and gutterRight to add a right gutter to the block. For each of these commands, you can either specify a fixed width (e.g. block.gutterLeft = '20mm') or specify that you want a relative width (e.g. block.gutterLeft = '1*').

PI: blockfmth

Specifies block format criteria.

PI: blockfmthprogression

This effects the alignment of the block within it's parent column and is useful in Arabic systems or any other language which reads from right to left. If horizontalProgression is 1, the system will transpose left and right settings of the horizontalAlign property. This will only affect blocks which are smaller than the parent column. See also progression.

PI: blockignorefillers

By default when using frame fillers, any vertical space where text could be vertically justified is potential area to be filled. This includes space at the bottom of regions that are not the deepest within their row.

Using ignoreFillers = true will restrict the fillers and stop this space at the bottom of regions from being filled.

PI: blockindent

The block indentation.

PI: blockindentend

The block indentation.

PI: blockindentstart

The block indentation.

PI: blockindenttab

The block indentation tab stop.

PI: blockindenttab2

The second block indentation tab stop.

PI: blockkeeptogether

Specifies that the contents of the block is kept together, using the priorities in the same way other block keeps work

This is a column based keep and ensures that the block is kept within the same parent column, be it either a frame column, a slim table column or a block column.

PI: blockkeep

This can be used to keep the end of a block with the item following it, with the priority behaving in a similar way to paragraph keeps. How much of the block is kept with the next item, depends on widows and orphans and any row keeps etc. All that this ensures is that the very last thing within the block is kept.

This is a column based keep and ensures that the item is kept within the same parent column, be it either a frame column, a slim table column or a block column.

You cannot keep from the end of a multi-column balance to the next item, because by definition they will be in different columns.

PI: blockkeepp

Specifies that the start of this block is kept with the previous item, using the priorities in the same way that paragraph keeps work How much of the block this keeps is dependant on whether any row keeps are also in use etc.

This is a column based keep and ensures that the item is kept within the same parent column, be it either a frame column, a slim table column or a block column.

You cannot keep with the end of a multi-column balance from the next item, because by definition they will be in different columns.

PI: blockma

Margin width around the block.

PI: blockmt

It is possible to add margins to the outside of the block, in this way you can adjust the block position relative to the text surrounding it. With all the block margin commands you need to add a value (height or width) for the margin you require e.g. block.marginBottom = '20mm' would add a 20mm margin under the block.

PI: blockmbp

Priority for bottom margin.

PI: blockmct

Margin at the top of each column.

PI: blockmctp

Priority for column top margin.

PI: blockdroptop

This allows you to specify a top drop which will occur whenever a block is at the top of a column. The definition of column top is the same used for paragraph column top margins. This means the top of a frame column, the top of a cell when the parent table is of overflow type 3 or <?tbsimcol> has been used, or following a "break across columns". Note that this top drop is in addition to either marginTop or marginColumnTop and occurs mid-block as well as at the top of a block. This in particular gives you control over where headers occur in relation to the top of a column.

PI: blockorientm

If true, the values for marginTop, marginLeft, marginBottom and marginRight will be adjusted so they follow the orientation of the block.

PI: blockml

It is possible to add margins to the outside of the block, in this way you can adjust the block position relative to the text surrounding it. With all the block margin commands you need to add a value (height or width) for the margin you require e.g. block.marginLeft = '20mm' would add a 20mm margin left of the block.

PI: blockmr

It is possible to add margins to the outside of the block, in this way you can adjust the block position relative to the text surrounding it. With all the block margin commands you need to add a value (height or width) for the margin you require e.g. block.marginRight = '20mm' would add a 20mm margin right of the block.

PI: blockmt

It is possible to add margins to the outside of the block, in this way you can adjust the block position relative to the text surrounding it. With all the block margin commands you need to add a value (height or width) for the margin you require e.g. block.marginTop = '20mm' would add a 20mm margin above the block.

PI: blockmtmodea

By default blocks following a break across will use a column top margin. Setting this to true will cause the block to use normal top margins in this situation instead.

PI: blockmtmodet

By default blocks following a table will use a column top margin. Setting this to true will cause the block to use normal top margins in this situation instead.

PI: blockmtp

Priority for top margin.

PI: blockmtspan

Setting this to true, will cause block top or column top margins specified after a span, to themselves span as well.

PI: blockmustfit

If true, specifies that this table must fit and so it will overlap with a warning if it doesn't.

An expected use would be for a rotated block within a parent table column, to ensure that the rotated content will fit, even if the parent column is too narrow.

A name can be given to the block in order to make it easier to determine which block is being started and ended using the blockStart() and blockEnd() routines and to determine which block object is being formatted.

PI: blocknoskipshow

When block headers and footers are being skipped (using mode 2), then by default any changes to the showstring counters are also skipped/ignored.

With noSkipCounters = true then the showstring counters are not-skipped but flow through to the main body of the block.

PI: blocknumcols

Using numColumns you can explicitly state the number of columns within the block, and regions will wrap onto new rows automatically. The final number of columns in the block is determined from numColumns as follows:

If you set numColumns to explicitly define a number of columns then any blocks nested within this block, will use its column edges if absoluteStart or absoluteEnd are true.

Blocks flow content from one column to the next and so cannot be prescanned to count the number of columns. The number of columns must be specified explicitly.

PI: blockobeyfitb

Allows the block depth to take into account the fParagraph.fitDescenders property of the last paragraph within the block.

PI: blockorient

This property is used to rotate a block 90 degrees counter clockwise. This is a particularly useful function if the block is too wide for the frame. Using orientation you can rotate a block so that it is presented in a landscape view that fits the dimensions of the frame.

PI: blockpadb

Amount of padding at the bottom of the block.

PI: blockpadl

Amount of padding left of the block.

PI: blockpadr

Amount of padding right of the block.

PI: blockpadt

Amount of padding at the top of the block.

PI: blockposreset

PI: blockprogression

This effects the progression direction of the columns within the block. The columns normally flow left to right, but setting progression = 1 the columns will flow from right to left instead. This means that both the data and the column definition will start in the column on the right.

N.B. This does not mean that the text within the cells will flow from right to left; to achieve that as well, the paragraph needs to be told to work right to left too, which is done using currentParagraph.direction = 1. When using a block, it's as simple as setting block.defaultParagraph.direction = block.progression = 1.

PI: blockreshow

When a block overflows a page and headers and footers etc. are inserted then by default the showstring counters flow through from the main body of the block. If resetCounters is non-zero, then when 3B2 re-inserts the header, the showstring counters are put back to the values that they had when the header was first encountered and stored. The header is then formatted and then the counters are restored to the value they had ready for the rest of the body of the block.

N.B. This includes restoring the value of the show string counters for the current page number. So within the header the page number being displayed will be the page on which the header was defined.

When using column and frame references there is a potential clash with any block headers and particularly when using resetCounters = 1. The column and frame references are inserted within the context of the header, so will pick up the header's show string counters, will modify those counters for the duration of the header, and then those changes will be discarded for the main body of the block and any text afterwards. To add more flexibility in this situation, from version 8.10s, resetCounters can also take the value 2. When setting resetCounters = 2, the header is still formatted within its original context and counters, but the frame and column references get given the counters from the main body of the block, and any changes they make are then carried over into the main body of the block after the header finishes.

Added num[,slot] option from version 8.11q, which only applies if num is non-zero. slot is allowed to take a value from 1-5 which has two corresponding effects:

The point of these options is to allow the header to pick up the counters it had when it was originally defined so that it formats as expected; but also to allow the header to make changes within the body of the block - ie to increment a count for each header displayed. The expected use is that for any counter changes that the header needs to make for the body of the block, the following actions will be done:

Added num[,slot][,f] option from version 11.m050, which only applies if num is non-zero. This allows any footnote counters to be carried through the header, even if all the rest of the counters are being recalled from their value when the header was defined. This applies to standard counters: "fklmn" If you're going to place a footnote inside a repeated header, this prevents the footnote counter from resetting each time it's encountered, and works in combination with combining identical footnotes if the header is likely to appear multiple times on a single page.

PI: blockbotr

When a block flows over from one page to the next, or one column to the next, by default the bottom rule around the whole block is not included where the block broke. When true, this property forces the bottom rules to be displayed.

PI: blocktopr

When a block flows over from one page to the next, or one column to the next, by default the top rule around the whole block is not re-inserted where the block broke. When true, this property forces the top rules to be displayed.

PI: blockrules

This property is used to specify block rules. It is similar to fBlockRegion::rules (block region rules), except that the flags are the rules or corners to use and not conditions. Previously, in Version One Tables, adding block rules meant having to specify a block style paragraph lump.

PI: blocksimcol

Blocks default to simulateColumns = 2 unless numColumns is set explicitly, at which point they use simulateColumns = 1 instead. The basic principle is that if the block is being used to define columns, then they will be treated as such.

Setting simulateColumns = 1 allows normal non-slim tables to also simulate column tops at the top of each cell and when breaking and hence also allows fParagraph::topDrop to be used.

When specifying simulateColumns = 2 it works in the same way as simulateColumns = 1 but only applies to cells that are themselves at the top of a frame column. See marginColumnTop and marginDropTop for definition of what is at the top of a frame column and note that the use of simulateColumns allows this definition to cascade down a series of nested blocks.

PI: blockskipegut

By default for new blocks, no column gutter is allowed after the right hand column, and if you want a gutter there set the gutterRight property, and similarly the gutterLeft property on the left.

The skipEndGutter property can be used to override this and has a default value of true for new blocks. Even when skipEndGutter = false a gutter is only after the right hand column if the gutter is specified explicitly, and was not implied by repeating the fBlockColumn::gutter properties. (i.e. in a three column block, if you want a gutter on the right hand column, you must set 3 separate columns[].gutter properties and not just one, with repeat.

PI: blockacrossmode

Avoid mode for frame gutters. This command is only relevant when used in conjunction with spanColumns. If spanAvoidis true then Arbortext APP will try and fit the block columns within the frame columns whilst avoiding the frame gutters. Only if this is infeasible will Arbortext APP ignore this command and break across the frame columns in the normal manner, irrespective of the frame gutters.

PI: blockacross

Allows the block to break across columns within the frame. If true, the block will break across columns and if false it won't. if spanColumnsNum is unspecified, then the block will default to breaking across all the columns in the frame.

When specified within a block that is nested within a parent slim table of overflow = 3 or within a parent multi column block, this will span across the parents columns.

If the columns being spanned are also being balanced this will delineate the balance regions.

If nested within a block that is being balanced, even if it's not the direct parent, this will cause the existing content to be balanced first. This essentially causes a new row within the block that is being balanced.

In the same way as fParagraph::spanColumns, content following a block that breaks across columns, will have the column top margin applied instead of the normal top margin.

PI: blockacross

If spanColumns is true, the block will break across columns and if false it won't. The value of spanColumnsNum specifies how many columns to break across; if uspecified, then the block will default to breaking across all the columns in the frame.

PI: blockspanframe

Allows the block to break across all columns within the frame. If true, the block will break across all columns and if false it won't.

Unlike spanColumns, this will always result in the block spanning the full frame column. If width is not set, and widthFlex is true, the block fill resize to fill the frame column.

PI: blockspanparents

True if the block will span its parents.

PI: blockspread

If a width is specified for the block, and the sum of all the columns and gutters etc. falls short of this width, then if spreadColumns is true the columns will all be expanded in proportion to their widths to make up the shortfall.

Note: this is the last stage in calculating column widths, and if there are any relative widths specified for either the columns or gutters, they will have swallowed up all remaining space.

PI: blockvjabs

This works in exactly the same way as fParagraph::vjAbsolute and ensures that any block vertical margins specified are absolute limits to how much stretch can be applied.

PI: blockvjforce

This property specifies always 'Force Vertical Justification'. Vertical justification lets you pad out the text in a block to fill the full column depth.

PI: blockvjmgut

Space between rows of the table.

PI: blockvjpgut

Priority for space between rows of the table.

PI: blockvjforcelimit

If there is less than the specified height left at the bottom of the column, then vjLimit will cause the whole block to VJ.

PI: blockvjmbot

Space below the table, which is ignored if the table is the last thing in the column.

PI: blockvjpbot

Priority for space below the table, which is ignored if the table is the last thing in the column.

PI: blockvjmctop

Space above the table when the table is the first thing in a column.

PI: blockvjpctop

Priority for space above the table when the table is the first thing in a column.

PI: blockvjmrow

Space below the text in the row, which effectively makes each cell deeper. This will mean that if the text is vertically centred, flushed to bottom or VJ'ed itself, then it will use this extra space.

PI: blockvjmrowb

Space below the text in each cell, but above any bottom cell rules. The text will not expand into this space, as it does with vjMarginRow.

PI: blockvjprowb

Priority for Space below the text in each cell, but above any bottom cell rules. The text will not expand into this space, as it does with vjMarginRowPriority.

PI: blockvjprow

Priority for space below the text in the row, which effectively makes each cell deeper. This will mean that if the text is vertically centred, flushed to bottom or VJ'ed itself, then it will use this extra space.

PI: blockvjmrowt

Space below any top rules in a cell, but above the text. The text will not ignore this space when vertically centring, VJ'ing etc.

PI: blockvjprowt

Priority for space below any top rules in a cell, but above the text. The text will not ignore this space when vertically centring, VJ'ing etc.

PI: blockvjmrbot

Space between the last row of the table and the table bottom rules.

PI: blockvjprbot

Priority for space between the last row of the table and the table bottom rules.

PI: blockvjmrctop

Space between the table top rule and the first row when the table is the first thing in a column.

PI: blockvjprctop

Priority for space between the table top rule and the first row when the table is the first thing in a column.

PI: blockvjmrtop

Space between the table top rule and the first row when the table is not the first thing in a column.

PI: blockvjprtop

Priority for space between the table top rule and the first row when the table is not the first thing in a column.

PI: blockvjmtop

Space above the table when the table is not the first thing in a column.

PI: blockvjptop

Priority for space above the table when the table is not the first thing in a column.

PI: blockwidth

If you do not enter a width for the block, Arbortext APP will work it out by calculating the columns, gutters and rules within it. This may give unpredictable results, therefore it is advisable to specify a width.

PI: blockwidthflex

By default blocks that aren't given an explicit width, will fill the width of their parent container. And their width will vary when they flow to a new parent container of a different width. i.e. a block flowing from a portrait page to a landscape page will adjust its width accordingly.

When adjusting the width of the block, all columns and gutters within the block will be adjusted so they retain the same proportions. This all applies to nested blocks too. Setting widthFlex = false allows this behaviour to be turned off and the block will stick with the width that it started with.

Creates a new, empty block object.

Return the object corresponding to the given serialized representation.

Create a serializable representation of this object.