Figure Numbering Problem

Howard Rauch techtransfer at sbcglobal.net
Wed Feb 14 20:18:38 PST 2007


I am having a problem numbering figures in service manuals developed by my client. The manuals are range from 3- to 40 pages. My job is to revise the client's existing manuals to account for annual updates and design changes for each of my client's products. We are both using FrameMaker 7.0 on a PC platform and a Windows XP operating system..
 
Figures are automatically numbered using a Figure tag for which the automatic numbering format X:Figure <n+> (developed by the client). Most are smaller in-column figures with a ruling line around the figure frame. In previous versions of the manuals, the client had placed the figure numbers outside the frame, but now they have asked me to move them inside the frame, so I set up a text box inside the graphics frame and tag the text as Figure. What happens is that many times, figure numbers will repeat themselves. For example, I may have three or four consecutive figures numbered as Figure 4, followed by Figure 5 and two figures numbered as Figure 6. All text is part of the same flow. The only way I have found to correct it is to override the automatic numbering with a specific figure number, which of course defeats the purpose of auto numbering.

The manual I am currently working on has 30 figures. I created the last 6 or 7 and inserted the text box for the figure. When I tagged the text the numbers for each figure was identical. I also noticed in making cross-references that the figure numbers in the tag list were not in sequence. Example Figure 9 appeared before Figure 8.
 
The only items automatically numbered in the manuals are page numbers in a footer on the underlying page and the figure numbers. Is it necessary to set up the automatic numbering format as X:Figure <n+>< =0>?
 
Howard Rauch

 
Technology Transfer, Inc.
"Linking Creators and Users of Technology"
933 North 18th Street
Manitowoc WI 54220
Office: 920-682-1528
Cell: 920-629-0080


More information about the framers mailing list