Avoid Short End Lines module

Avoid Short End Lines is a lightweight event script that automatically fixes short words at the end of a multi-line paragraph. You can define how many characters must be kept together and whether any paragraph styles should be excluded from the rule. For more advanced copy-fitting rules, including text overset and unbalanced columns or pages, see the Typefitter plug-in for Adobe InDesign and Adobe InDesign Server.

Configure Avoid Short End Lines in a workflow

Avoid Short End Lines is defined in a table in the InDesign template and is implemented by an Event Script. You can find the table on an Avoid Short End Lines master page in the template. If your template does not have the configuration table, see Add a Configuration Table.

Your workflow should be configured to run this script at the SpillEnd event.

Fill in the table

In the white box, enter the number of characters that should be kept together at the end of a paragraph. The default value is 12.

You can use the table below that in two ways: to exclude styles, or include styles. 

• If the majority of paragraph styles should be included in the scope, while a few should be ignored, the first line in the table should be “Exclude” (case-insensitive) followed by a list of paragraph styles to be excluded from the scope.
• If the majority of paragraph styles should be excluded from the scope, while a few should be included, the first line in the table should be “Include” (case-insensitive) followed by a list of paragraph styles to be included in the scope.
• If you want to include all styles in your template, use Exclude and enter the name of a nonexistent style in the table.

Add a Configuration Table

1. Download AvoidShortEndLinesTable.idms.
2. Create a new master page in your InDesign template. Name it ‘Avoid Short End Lines’ with whatever prefix your template uses (Z, X, or XC usually).
3. Choose File → Place and select the AvoidShortEndLinesTable.idms you downloaded previously.
4. Place the snippet on the ‘Avoid Short End Lines’ master page. An ‘Avoid Short End Lines’ layer will be created.