Section / Column formatting issues

Question

I am attempting to use a section with three columns inside to center some text on a page.  The center column is fixed pixel width while the two outer columns have no width assigned.  I can achieve what I am looking for only if I set a border for the section.  I don't want any border, however.  If I set no border with the section, the center column doesn't stay centered and the formatting is all off.

I need some help in figuring out what is wrong and how I can resolve this issue so I can have a three column setup to center fixed width text on my page without having to keep borders on the section.  If it helps, I'm using the Documentation Theme.

Thanks.

Erik Spigle · Answer

I wound up submitting a support ticket and they were able to replicate the issue.  They gave me a couple possible workarounds that I'll have to try involving using HTML inside a page.  It was acknowledged as a minor bug, so I can hope it might be fixed in a future update.

K Kelly · Answer

in 4.x, when you insert the column macro, you can select that macro and edit it in order to add the pixel width for the one that you want to control and then add the center macro with the text you want to center justify (if that is your intent). If you are doing that and only the border solution works, I recommend you input a support ticket if you don't get any other possibilities.

Erik Spigle · Answer

Something like that will work in our test 3.5.13 install, but not in 4.2.7.  I just tested it both places and it seems to just be an issues with 4.2.7 on my end.  Here is what I changed the above to look like (just for more filler text in the middle):

{section}
{column}
{column}
{column:width=1000px}
{center}
{loremipsum}
{center}
{column}
{column}
{column}
{section}

It doesn't matter if I put text in the two outside columns or not--I get the same results.  My end goal is to have them empty, though.  I'm willing to try any other tests.