Spaces disappearing between variables and snippets

[help_dude]

I have a Flare project that contains many variables and snippets. Often a space that I put - between two variables, or between a variable and a snippet, or between a variable/snippet and text - disappears, causing the generated target (chm or Word) to show two words together. I then go back into the source topic and see that the space I just put is gone. I even tried entering a space in notepad or text view to see if something was fishy with the code - still the same results. Strangely, this doesn't happen always for every snippet/variable occurrence. Does anyone have any idea why this could be? Is this a bug or something I'm doing wrong?

[LTinker68]

I seem to remember this being mentioned before, but I don't know if there was an easy solution. Instead of just hitting the space bar, try holding the SHIFT key down when you press the space bar. Instead of a normal space, it'll insert the code equivalent of a space. That might hold up better.

And make sure you submit a bug report about this. Report it at http://www.madcapsoftware.com/bugs/submit.aspx.

[KevinDAmery]

I have seen this before (it also happens if you have two variables back to back). Basically, it seems that if you have two pieces of code side by side Flare ignores the space between them. I can confirm that Lisa's suggestion about inserting a non-breaking space does work in these cases.

[doc_guy]

I can also confirm this. Both the bug and the recommended fix.

[help_dude]

I seem to remember this being mentioned before, but I don't know if there was an easy solution. Instead of just hitting the space bar, try holding the SHIFT key down when you press the space bar. Instead of a normal space, it'll insert the code equivalent of a space. That might hold up better.

And make sure you submit a bug report about this. Report it at http://www.madcapsoftware.com/bugs/submit.aspx.

Thanks for everyone's feedback on this! the SHIFT space bar works like a charm. I submitted a bug report on it.

[pdenchfield]

Great information, guys! Thanks! The SHIFT+SPACE workaround works great.

[stealth94rt]

So this problem/bug has been around since 2008 (and maybe before that). It's now almost the end of 2022 and it's still not fixed?! The non-breaking space is a workaround not a solution. Madcap - please fix it!

[Nita Beck]

So this problem/bug has been around since 2008 (and maybe before that). It's now almost the end of 2022 and it's still not fixed?! The non-breaking space is a workaround not a solution. Madcap - please fix it!

I hear your frustration, I really do. But these are peer-to-peer forums, and MadCap doesn't hang out here on a regular basis. (Whether they should is another matter.) To register your frustration with MadCap, you'll need to submit a bug report... I realize that others already have, for years, but this is a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease.

[paul_collins]

I've raised this bug at least twice. For me it mostly happens when copy-pasting in the XML editor or when snippetizing existing content (which is a really tough one to spot at the time it happens).

The most recent response back in March was "After looking further into the issue, I have found that this bug has been reported multiple times. There is a bug report #139505 for this behavior, which you are already attached to, that is currently in the "Pending Development" stage".

[ChoccieMuffin]

It's not just between variables and snippets, it's between two things that are formatted. For example I have lots of instances where I have "Click [Option] [Icon]", where [Option] is the name of a button, formatted with a span, and [Icon] is an image. In the Code Editor this looks like this:

click <span class="UI">Delete</span> <img src="../Images/Icon_Delete_X.png" class="Icon" />.

But sometimes (not always!) the space that I absolutely DEFINITELY insert between the first span and the image is removed. The bodge is to make sure I press Shift-Space for that space, so I get a non-breaking space (&#160; in Code Editor) between the span and the image, but it shouldn't be necessary. I think I feel another bug report coming on...

EDIT: Bug submitted, #S076078