Under-documented features... [-STOP THE DISCUSSION-]

[Stuart Rogers]

John Milligan wrote:

> 
> But let me be allowed to debunk the notion of using cross-references
> to do the same thing. If they all turn into clickable links, as was
> noted by several, why would I want to do that? 

Because they only become clickable links in a PDF with Acrobat data 
enabled; there are lots of other deliverables from FrameMaker that 
aren't interactive PDF, and x-ref's do just fine for those other 
purposes.  You didn't tell us what your final output was, so we gave you 
the info we could that might help.


And about importing
> the variables and/or master pages from the title chapter... file by
> file, that charming chore gets tedious really quick.  (Not to mention
> that if your variables are slightly off...  Well. even more work.)

You don't have to do it file by file. Open your Book file and your Title 
chapter, and in your Book window select all the other chapter files. 
Then import (variable) formats to all of them in one swell foop.

Pilot error is a problem in any application...

> 
> So, in closing allow me to introduce what I call the "super"
> variable.  I initially create a variable named "book_title" with a
> placeholder description "[booktitle]".  I place it in the title
> chapter, but the dialog box gives me a special option -- "apply this
> across a book". This master variable becomes the key to all other
> instances of this variable throughout a book.  I then populate the
> rest of my book files with the variable entitled "book-title", and
> when I compile my book --- VOILA! -- all the chapter variables look
> to the master variable in the title chapter. And... when I change the
> definition to the actual, real title and recompile the book?  It's a
> thing of beauty.  Ha, and they said it couldn't be done!
> 
> With all the interoperability between autonumbering and variables
> already existing in FrameMaker, I don't see why something like this
> couldn't be done.  Oh well.

I believe other list members mentioned one or more of the various 
plug-ins that are available for this sort of thing; Bookvars from 
Leximation, for example:  http://www.leximation.com/tools/info/bookvars.php

FM was designed to be extensible, and developers have taken good 
advantage of that.  There are hundreds of plug-ins and Framescripts out 
there that cover just about any need you might have.

> 
> Anyway, I am really not here to argue, but to propose.  For those of
> us still missing the indexing dialog box from PageMaker, and still
> groaning over its miserly counterpart in FrameMaker, I dedicate this
> letter.
> 

Have a look at the indexing plug-ins that are available.  I use IXGen, 
and I think it's fabulous (and it's not limited to just index markers). 
  There are others that a little googling will turn up for you.

Best regards,

-- 
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."