...I can think of several places where one might want to use a fixed width space in a paragraph that is otherwise justified and so has varying width spaces, circumstances where it would be inappropriate to open up an extra wide gap between two "words". A particular example would be following a numbered list in the following format, so that the start of the following text lines up properly, e.g.
Still, there is a need for a fixed width space with a width equal to the unjustified width of a normal space .
Perhaps you would like to elaborate where and when that is used. What problem does a fixed width space solve? Are those circumstances where it flows with the line, or are those uses limited to tables?
1. Text of item 1.
2. Text of item 2, which is in fact long enough to spread over on to more than one line and so if justified the spaces may be expanded.
3. Text of item 3.
In such a case it looks much better for the words "Text" to be aligned, and so for the spaces after the numbers to be fixed width.
Another case related to my own field of Biblical studies is in the name of Bible books like 1 Samuel, 2 Kings. The space between the number and the name needs to be fixed, not to expand in justified texts. Also in typeset biblical texts the space after a verse number needs to be fixed, and perhaps narrower than a regular space.
In each of these cases FIGURE SPACE may be appropriate. Are any of these alternative spaces non-breaking? That is also a requirement in my last two applications.
-- Peter Kirk [EMAIL PROTECTED] (personal) [EMAIL PROTECTED] (work) http://www.qaya.org/
