(Newbie) Structured FM Question: Notes, Tips, etc.

[Lynne A. Price]

At 05:00 PM 4/19/2006, Lin Surasky wrote:
>We have a fabulous unstructured template that has 4 different table
>formats our writers use to insert alerts (Notes, Tips, Important facts,
>and Warnings). All of the table formats are single-row, two-column
>layouts, but each table format (named zNote, zTip, etc.) is unique in
>two ways: the color of the column rule and the paragraph tag used in the
>first column of the table, which corresponds to the type of alert (note,
>tip, etc.)....
>
>What's the best way to implement this and still get the same end result?
>Should I not be using tables? The closest I can get is inserting a table
>with the same paragraph format assigned to both table cells, which I
>don't want. How do you specify one paragraph format for one column and a
>different format for the second column?

Lin,
   You can either use one cell element type with a context rule to 
distinguish the two columns, or you can use different cell types. With the 
first approach, use something like:


Element (Table): Note
   General rule: AlertBody
   Initial table format
     1. In all contexts.
           Table format: zNote

Element (Table Body): AlertBody
   General rule: AlertRow

Element (Table Row): AlertRow
   General rule: AlertCell, AlertCell

Element (Table Cell): AlertCell
  General rule: <TEXT> | Graphic
  Text format rules
    1. If context is: {first}
         Use paragraph format: FirstColumn
       Else, if context is: {last}
         Use paragraph format: SecondColumn

There are numerous possible variations here. Do all 4 table types use the 
same two paragraph formats? If not you can have 8 clauses in the context 
rule, with specifications such as

     {first} < * < Note
     {first} < * < Tips

etc. Or you can use a subrule:

   1. If context is: {first}
         1.1 If context is: * < Note
                 Use paragraph format: NoteFirst
             Else, if context is: * < Tips
                 Use paragraph format: TipsFirst

and so on.

Also, the default paragraph format for all cells in the table body is that 
defined for the first column in the table format. If that's acceptable, the 
EDD need only specify the paragraph format for the second column.

The second approach I mentioned, uses two different element types for the 
two columns. One such variation of the above is to change the definition of 
AlertRow:

Element (Table Row): AlertRow
   General rule: GraphicCell, TextCell
   Initial structure pattern: GraphicCell, TextCell

Element (Table Cell): GraphicCell
   General rule: Graphic
   Text format rules
     1. In all contexts.
         Use paragraph format: FirstColumn

Element (Table Cell): TextCell
   General rule: <TEXT>
   Text format rules
     1. In all contexts.
         Use paragraph format: SecondColumn

Note the initial structure pattern. Without it, when you create a new 
table, FrameMaker will use the first cell element mentioned in the general 
rule for all cells in the row. Thus, you would get two GraphicCell elements.

         --Lynne



       Else, if context is: {last}
         Use paragraph format: SecondColumn




Lynne A. Price
Text Structure Consulting, Inc.
Specializing in structured FrameMaker consulting, application development, 
and training
lprice at txstruct.com            http://www.txstruct.com
voice/fax: (510) 583-1505      cell phone: (510) 421-2284