Need some FM tips

[Stuart Rogers]

David Shaked (Wernick) wrote:
> Can I ask the list members for some tips on various FM techniques? I am
> using FM 7.2. Most of these questions (except #6) are about techniques that
> are easy to use in Word, and I haven't yet found an FM equivalent.
> 
> 
> 1. Navigation techniques. Are there quick ways, such as shortcut keys, to do
> the following:
> 
>    a. Display the book window?

Always open your book file first before opening its contained files. 
Then Alt+w 1 (digit one) opens the book window.

>    b. After following a cross reference (Alt+Ctrl+Click), go back to the
> cross reference?

I don't think that's possible.

>    c. Go back to the last place that I edited?

If you haven't repositioned your insertion point, just press the left 
then right arrow keys.

>    d. Go to a specified page number in a book, if it is not within the
> currently displayed *.fm file?

I don't think that's possible.  The navigation commands except for 
hyperlinks all apply only to the displayed file.  But you can switch to 
the book window and see what page numbers apply to which files (select a 
file, check the status bar) and switch to that file.  Then type Ctrl+g 
or double-click the page number on the status bar to open the Go To 
dialog box.

> 
> 
> 2. Is there a way to display the same document in two windows or in a split
> window?

You can launch a second instance of FM and open the same file in it.  I 
haven't played with that myself, but I think I'd make the second 
instance View Only so that I wouldn't have problems saving different 
versions over each other.  See the Help topic, Working in view-only 
documents and books.

> 
> 
> 3. What is the best way to create a TOC or index conforming to a predefined
> template? The method that I have used so far is the following:
> 
>    a. Copy the TOC and index templates to the document directory.
>    b. Rename the files according to the convention <bookname>TOC.fm and
> <bookname>IX.fm.
>    c. Open the *.book file and choose Add > TOC or Add > Standard Index. FM
> places the TOC and index in the above files and adds them to the book.
> 
>    Is that the right way?

That's a good way.  Or you can Add > Table of Contents and then import 
formats from the template TOC.  See the Help topics, Generating TOCs and 
other lists, and Formatting lists and indexes using templates.

> 
> 
> 4. On one computer, I accidentally moved my toolbar (the Quick Access Bar)
> to a floating position within the document window. How can I can move it
> back to the docked position at the top of the FM window? It refuses to dock.

One of the buttons at the top of the floating bar looks like a 
carpenter's square with a little curved arrow.  Click it.

> 
> 
> 5. If I shorten a document, I need to manually delete the blank pages at the
> end of the document. Shouldn't the pages disappear automatically?

In Format > Page Layout > Pagination, select either Delete Empty Pages 
or Make Page Count Even.  See the Help topic, Changing the pagination, 
and the topics it links to; there are interactions within books, and 
situations where pages aren't actually "empty."
> 
> 
> 6. Can I create a book of books? My idea is to create a "super-book" that I
> can use for global operations such as find/replace or import-formats
> throughout a documentation set. However, I must be careful not to
> inadvertently change the page and chapter numbering or corrupt any XRefs
> while doing this.

Others have answered this one for you.


HTH,

-- 
Stuart Rogers
Technical Communicator
Phoenix Geophysics Limited
Toronto, ON, Canada
+1 (416) 491-7340 x 325

srogers phoenix-geophysics com

"Developers explain How the Product Works.
Technical writers explain How to Work the Product."