Setting a Style: SS command

The SS (Set Style or Save Style) command saves the formatting settings under a name you specify. Once you define a style, you use the US (Use Style) command at any point after the SS command where you want the style to take effect.

The SS command establishes the name of the style and the formatting commands associated with that style. In addition to the formatting commands you explicitly specify in the style, the SS command will save the values of other format settings in place in the document at the point where the style is set. Thus, when you use the style, the format settings you specified in the SS command will be recalled along with the other active format settings in effect at the point where the SS style was defined and inserted in the document.

If you do not want the named style to include the format settings in place in the document, you can define a style that saves just the commands you explicitly specify. To do this, type SS followed by a space, then the name of the style, then a semi-colon and then the formatting commands you wish to specify. When you use the style, the formatting commands typed after the semi-colon will be recalled and other formatting commands will retain the settings already in effect at the point that the US command is inserted.

In addition to giving you the ability to establish standard styles, the SS command also lets you save text that you want inserted at the point that you issue the US command. Text should be inserted after the semi-colon.

The definition of a style can be viewed and edited in Show Codes View.

To set up a style definition which will recall the format settings in effect at the point that the SS command is inserted in the document:

1	Move the cursor to the top of the document, or to any point before the place you plan to apply the style.

2	Press F9 to access the action line.

3	Type SS name,ab=n,ab=n,ab=n where name is the name you assign to the style, ab=n is a series of one or more formatting commands separated by commas.

4	Press F10 to execute the command.

For example, the command ss heading,fc,sz=20pt,md=bo and the command ss text,fl,sz=10pt,md=nm define styles named "heading" and "text." Remember that all other format settings in effect when you issue the SS command are also saved. The US (Use Style) command will select the designated style.

Saving Explicit Formatting Commands

To save only the format settings you specify in the SS (Set Style) style command and not the other settings that are in effect at the command location, the formatting commands are entered after the semi-colon in double angled brackets. For example, to create a style named "bold" that changes the type style to bold:

1	Move the cursor to the top of the document, or to any point before the place you plan to apply the style.

2	Press F9 to access the action line.

3	Type SS bold;«mdbo» To type the double angled brackets that signify the beginning and end of a command in Nota Bene, press Ctrl with the single angled brackets keys.

4	Press F10 to enter the command.

When you issue the US command (US bold), only the saved formatting command MD BO will be applied.