How do I make superscripts stick in iWork Pages tables?

August 27, 2011 2:00 PM

iWork Pages is undoing my superscripts inside a table!

I'm trying to make a table that has superscripts in it.

I can enter 2.0 x 10³, but as soon as I click off the cell, it turns into "2.0 x 103". (Pretend I actually used the times symbol there, not an x.)

I've tried:
- Making the superscript with the keyboard shortcut.
- Making the superscript with Format > Text > Baseline > Superscript
- Entering 2.0 x 10³ outside the table and pasting it in.

With any method, it'll look right while the cursor is still in the cell, then revert to no-superscripts when I move the cursor out of the cell.

Any ideas?

posted by BrashTech to computers & internet (7 answers total)

What version of Pages are you using? I have Pages '09 v4.1 (923) and I had no trouble putting a superscript character in a table using Format > Font > Baseline > Superscript.
posted by bcwinters at 2:42 PM on August 27, 2011

If it's autocorrecting, you might be able to hit 'undo' or its equivalent shortcut to bring it back, as soon as it makes the undesired change.
posted by SpacemanStix at 2:59 PM on August 27, 2011

I'm also using Pages '09 v 4.1 (923).

Tried undo, SpacemanStix, and it didn't work, but thanks for the suggestion.

Grrr. I hope it's not some idiosyncratic thing.

I've just also tried creating a brand new table in the same document, same thing is happening. Also opened a new document, tried a table in that document. Tried quitting and restarting Pages.

Have not yet tried rebooting...
posted by BrashTech at 3:11 PM on August 27, 2011

After the restart- try a different font? see if it sticks...switch back to previous font.
posted by oldefortran at 3:13 PM on August 27, 2011

Interesting idea but no dice on font-changing.

However, I found a workaround: inserting a space between the number and its exponent.

So, 10 ³ works. Looks a little ugly, though.
posted by BrashTech at 3:30 PM on August 27, 2011

To make it slightly less ugly, you could change the font size of the space between the 10 and the 3 to something very small. 1, perhaps?
posted by SpacemanStix at 3:38 PM on August 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

I ended up selecting the space and superscript and minimizing the "Character" spacing in the Inspector Text tab. But reducing the font size of the space works too.

Thanks everyone for your help. (And if you do know how to fix this for realsies, let me know.)
posted by BrashTech at 4:09 PM on August 27, 2011