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In article <1233@aucs.UUCP> peter@aucs.UUCP (Peter Steele) writes:
>Here's a dumb question that someone might have an answer to. I write a
>lot of documentation on my Mac. When I want a hyphen, I just press
>the minus key. When I want an em-dash (a long dash), I use option
>shift minus. The Mac keyboard also has a medium dash (option minus).
>When is this type of dash used in documentation as opposed to the
>short dash and the long dash?

First, dashes are not just long hyphens.  But let me quote Jan V. White
in "Graphic Design for the Electronic Age":

  Hyphens link words together, but must be used with care because
  interpretation can be affected by the inclusion (or lack) of a
  hyphen.  Follow the practice suggested by a good, up-to-date dictionary.

  There are two main kinds of dashes: the long em-dash and the short en-dash.
  ...  The em-dash is a full square of the type size.  One of its main uses
  is to signal sudden changes in tone.  Or it may be used instead of
  parentheses to set off a clause or phrase.
  ...  But, in general, use the em-dash sparingly, for it attracts
  attention to itself and can be disturbing.

  An en-dash is only one-half of the square of the type size and 
  resembles a hyphen.  It is used primarily to represent missing but
  implied items in a series ("2-4" means the numbers 2 through 4)
>
>And while we're on the subject...
>
>When I write user documentation, I often have things like
>
>   ...click on the button called "Okay".
>
>Note the period:                       ^
>Should this be outside the quotes as I have it, or should it go inside
>the quotes? What are the general rules for quoted words/phrases and
>punctuation in cases like this in technical documents?

Outside the quotes, unless the quotation itself is a complete sentence
ending with a period.  (e.g., "This is it." vs. This is "it".)
>
>And one final one: When an italicized phrase ends in a semicolon or colon
>and the text that follows is not italicized, should the colon or semicolon
>be italics or normal?

White describes underlining and italics together:

  If you use underlining instead of italics, it should be uninterrupted --
  the whole phrase whould be underlined, not just the individual words.
  But do not underline the final period or any other punctuation mark 
  that ends the phrase or sentence.

I take this to mean that italicizing the punctuation is OK.  Personally,
I don't italicize punctuation unless the preceding text obscures it (by
leaning over it too far).

>-- 
>Peter Steele, Microcomputer Applications Analyst


BTW, J.V. White is the author of numerous books on graphics, typesetting,
charts and graphs, etc.  Highly recommended reading.
-- 
Frank Kolnick,
consulting for, and therefore expressing opinions independent of, Computer X
UUCP: {allegra, linus, ihnp4}!utzoo!mnetor!frank