Under-documented features... What fun!

[Stuart Rogers]

John Milligan wrote:

> 
> This is about displaying the book title (of a multi-file book) that
> should be captured from the front/title file, in every pagetop header
> in the remaining chapter files.  Can't get it to work, but I suspect
> it can.
> 
> 1) the "Title" file utilizes two variables (Doc Title and Doc Type)
> that provide the product name and the book title. They are uniquely
> para-formatted as "Cover" and "Cover2".
> 
> 2) I swapped the "definition" text in each variable with the actual
> info.  So the variable definition [Document Title] is now "Fabulous
> User Guide"
> 
> 3) Each succeeding chapter file has two header variables (not based
> on one of the "header/footer" variables) that contain the variable
> definitions from the "Title" file.  Moving from Master Page view to
> Body Page view, I see the "definition" placeholder text, but  no
> pick-up from the actual "re-definition" I applied to the variables in
> the "Title" file.

Variable definitions belong to the file that contains the variable. 
Changing the definition in one file has no effect on any other files, 
unless you use File > Import > Formats from the Title file, and select 
Variable Definitions as the formats to bring in.

> 
> 4) When I update the book, the in-file Variable Definition
> placeholder text reappears unaltered, and F-M doesn't swap in the
> replacement from the "Title" file.

Nope. Not supposed to.  See above.

> 
> 5) So, I replaced the chapter files' variable with
> "<$paratext[Cover]>", thinking that maybe F-M will load all the 
> pagetop variables with the para-formatted text, the actual text.

Nope. That would only work if you had a pgf tagged as Cover in the same 
file as the reference to it.

All you need to do in your body chapters is either import variable def's 
from the Title file as described above, or insert a cross reference of 
type <$paratext> that points to the Title file and the Cover or Cover2 
paragraphs.  A cross-reference is good because if the definitions 
change, you only need to change your Title file; however, it will become 
a hypertext link if you make a PDF with Generate Acrobat Data enabled.

HTH,


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

srogers phoenix-geophysics com

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