The natural breaking of blocks of lines may result in an unpleasant appearance. Widows are the lines at the end of a block overflowing to the start of a page. Orphans are the lines at the start of a block overflowing at the end of a page. Figure 9-1 illustrates the lines of that are widows and the lines that are orphans created when a block breaks over the edge of a column or page. Figure 9-1. Widows and orphans of a block Breaking happens to the next logical reference area -
a column break if there are multiple columns in the page, -
a page break if at the end of the last column. The entire block is moved to the next reference area if neither condition can be satisfied. -
Widows and orphans are not tested until there are widow lines to be accommodated. -
The entire block is moved when there are not enough orphan lines remaining after accommodating the minimum number of widow lines. Figure 9-2 illustrates the setting of different values. Figure 9-2. An illustration of widows and orphans Note the following regarding the three examples of the six-line block wrapping. -
In each test the values of widows and orphans ("W=" and "O=") are different to illustrate the behavior for a six-line long block that wraps at the end of each column. -
In Test 1, the widows specification is which is less than or equal to the actual one widow line in the block. -
The block is left untouched and shows what would result when widows and orphans are not defined. -
Remember that when not specified, the values are defined as " 2 ", not " ". -
In Test 2, the widows specification is 4 which is greater than what would be only one widow line in the block as in Test 1. -
In Test 3, the widows specification is 4 which is greater than what would be only one widow line in the block as in Test 1. -
Three orphan lines are first moved to the next column to satisfy the widow count, reducing the orphan count to two, as in Test 2. -
The remaining orphan count of 2 does not, however, satisfy the specified orphan count of 4, so all remaining orphans are then moved to the next column as well. |