Character Styles more broken (Pages '09 4.3 & High Sierra)

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Level 1

14 points

Character Styles more broken (Pages '09 4.3 & High Sierra)

Pages '09 v4.3:

For over a year, going back at least to Mavericks, text with the character style at the top of the list of styles (below "None") loses its style if you increase its size (select all, command-+) more than one size. The text would change size but lost its style. Text styles listed below the first style worked ok.

Solution was to select single word, change size, create as new char. style, delete orig. style replacing with new style. This was tolerable.

Now in HS, I notice that I cannot copy or create new char styles at all. I have tried multiple ways. Even where the option to create new is not greyed out, nothing happens. Menu: Format>Copy Character Style is greyed out.

This appears to terminate Pages '09' usefulness for me if I can not create any new character styles.

Anyone else with this? Anyone figured out a fix?

Mac mini, macOS High Sierra (10.13.1), Pages '09 v 4.3(1048)

Posted on Dec 12, 2017 2:57 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 12, 2017 3:14 PM in response to Frank Parks

I am trying to follow what you are saying.

Are you referring to the Emphasis character style?

I am using Pages '09 v4.3 on macOS Sierra 10.12.6

I am able to change text, up its size with the keyboard command, click the red arrow > Redefine style from selection.

So works for me.

Peter

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Answer 2

Frank Parks Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 12, 2017 3:24 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

Feedback from 10.12 is not germane.

This issue came later than 10.12. I just noticed it today. I move up to 10.13 less than a month ago.

There is no ability to create new char styles at all that I can find. I will report back if I find a fix. Will also be looking to replace my word processor from what I have read about the dead end for 32-bit apps. Sad to see Pages '09 go.

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Answer 3

Dec 12, 2017 3:29 PM in response to Frank Parks

Frank Parks wrote:

Pages '09 v4.3:

For over a year, going back at least to Mavericks, text with the character style at the top of the list of styles (below "None") loses its style if you incr…

Peter

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Answer 4

Frank Parks Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 12, 2017 3:34 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

Re: Emphasis style

I never use Emphasis style. I have a custom list of styles that I have used for years for chord/lyric song charts. An example of the my Char Styles list: None, Chord char, Heading char, Lyric char, etc.

The first style in the list has been buggy for several yrs (wondering if you have it in 10.12?) Not specific to Chord char but to the first style in the list (alpha order) depending on population of styles.

Example of bugginess: Select all text with 1st char style, command-+ to increase size, works for one size change, then with second bump, all selected text enlarges but loses its char style assignment.

This is the pre-10.13 bug which was tolerable.

Latest issue in 10.13 is no longer tolerable.

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Answer 5

Dec 12, 2017 3:45 PM in response to Frank Parks

I hedged my bets on what you were saying.

Look at my example.

I created a new Character Style ABC character style so that it goes to the top of the list.

The only quirk I could see was that it didn't always update to the changed style red arrow. It stayed black but selecting it still let me update the style.

I have now changed its size, color, font, anything, several times and it updates, even the red arrow works now.

I have been intending to create a suicide High Sierra start up drive, but haven't found the time to waste.

I don't simply update when Apple rings the bell. I look at reasons first, then and only then if there are any, I'll test it on an external drive. Even Sierra is still running on an external Firewire drive. My internal drive is on the Golden Snow Leopard.

Peter

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Answer 6

Frank Parks Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 12, 2017 3:54 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

I am absolutely sure of the existence of the first-char-style-change-size-on-select-all bug as it occurred over yrs of use with recent (pre-10.14) OS's and was very consistent. Always and only the first char style in the list.

However, it is moot now that High Sierra seems to have blown char styles up completely. On my Mac, if you delete the char styles, you can not create a new one.

I plan to try to reboot to Lion to see what Pages does there.

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Answer 7

Dec 12, 2017 5:09 PM in response to Frank Parks

The problem with being at the centre of the universe, if you have never been anywhere else, is that you think that is all there is.

..and we can't both be at the centre of the universe.

I showed you the progressive screen snaps of me creating and using a Character Style that is at the top of the Character Style list and bar the odd hiccup you can see that it is working on my Mac using Pages '09.

By logical deduction what does that tell you?

I always test to resolve problems and think them through. The only thing I have yet to do is test this under High Sierra. I suspect that it is not quite what you say any more than it has been going back to Maverick. So there is something else that you haven't told me.

Peter

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Answer 8

Frank Parks Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 12, 2017 8:15 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

PeterBreis0807::The only thing I have yet to do is test this under High Sierra.

Oh, so how is your pedantic moralizing contributing to this thread about how 10.13 broke Pages '09 char styles?

It was a mistake for me to include the context about Pages in Mavericks; I no longer use Mavericks; this issue was tolerable but it has sent you on a quest to prove my comparative lack of superlative deduction and testing. Peter, give it a rest. It is not constructive or helpful.

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Answer 9

Frank Parks Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 12, 2017 8:20 PM in response to Frank Parks

Let me add:

Please ignore the replies about Mavericks which has steered this thread off topic.

I wrote to report the problem I am experiencing with Pages '09 on OS X 10.13.1 and would welcome any comments from other High Sierra users. Have your char styles broken so that you can not create new styles?

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Answer 10

Dec 12, 2017 9:06 PM in response to Frank Parks

You may be right that it is broken in High Sierra, but you were equally convinced that it was broken in Mavericks and Sierra, which is not true. That does not invoke confidence in your conclusions.

You could demonstrate the problem and any tests you have done to determine the cause.

That would be helpful. It is exactly what Apple will want of you if you make this a bug report.

Peter

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