Modifying Quark's Make Fractions script with superscripts

The image at the following address shows what we have so far, and what we would like to get:

http://my.execpc.com/~hripka/Fractions.jpg

I am using Quark 6.5.

What I can’t figure out is how to designate a different character for the slash. The script calls for ASCII character 47 which looks like ( / ). We would prefer a slash that looks like the character that you get when you enter option shift 1 ( ⁄ ).

Also, when a measurement is a mix of a whole number and a fraction we would like the script to delete the hyphen that separates them without deleting hyphens throughout the document. It can’t be “delete hyphens whenever there is number-hyphen-number” because elsewhere in the copy we say “3-4 minutes” and we don’t want those hyphens deleted. Because of layout styles, substituting another character is not an option.

While researching bulletin boards on this subject, I read much discussion about using a superscript functionality for the numerator, but using the percentage method for the denominator. An advantage to this method would be scripting something that commands a hyphen to be deleted when it precedes a superscript number.

Because this script will need to be tweaked project by project to work with the font selected, the ability to easily adjust percentages, tracking and baseline shifting to make a personalized script would be very important.

Thank you for any attention you may provide on this matter, and for any resources/direction you may be able to provide.

–Herbert Ripka
Greendale, WI

The character that you are looking for is ASCII character 218. I have not looked at the script that you are modifying, but if I were you I would look into building a preferences file and a way to choose preferences. A good way to do so might be to add in to it a button to an error dialog if there is no selection, then bring up a choose from list with a list of preferences that have been saved. I haven’t done any scripting for Quark 6 since I dont have a copy of it at home, but am working on a similar script for InDesign.