Cross-reference formatting, Part 2

[Alan Litchfield]

Hmm, always a wrinkle ;)

At this point one wishes that FM had an Actions function a la Photoshop.

As I understand it the application of styles used is sequential, so one style
is used until it is replaced by another, until the end of the cross reference
when it returns the paragraph default. That should mean that you should be
able to use the Default setting building block, then the small caps style
building block, then default again.

But if they are conflicting as you say then maybe this is a bug?

Other than that I suppose you could use Find/Replace to apply the character
format to found text. Could get real boring real fast though. Or a Framescript
to automate it, but are there instances you do not want in small caps?

I can see why the text is replaced when updating is performed. That is correct
behaviour. Personally I prefer not to have links updated automatically, but
then I am a FM Luddite I guess and am used to having to update manually.

Alan

Jenny Greenleaf wrote:
> Thanks, Alan. I looked at that approach, but I can't apply the character
> format in the cross-reference definition, because other words in the cross
> reference are not set in small caps. There is another character format applied
> to the x-ref...maybe they are clashing?  The references are like this:
>
> Chapter 7, Use SmallCap Thing
>
> In this case, I only want the word SmallCap in small caps....it's a product
> name. The client is really into it.
>
> I have a Character Style that defines small caps. The words that are set in
> small caps are set up as variables, using the SmallCaps style. When I create
> the chapter titles/headings, I simply inserted the correctly formatted
> variable.
>
> The variable is formatted as <T Title>ProductName<Default Para Font>.
>
> What I don't understand is why they are in the proper format when I insert
> them, and then change when I generate TOC/Index.
>
> For now, I've fixed them by hand and turned off automatic updating. That's
> going to bite me, at some point, so I'd like to resolve it.
>
> Jenny
>
>
> On Jan 28, 2010, at 1:52 PM, Alan Litchfield wrote:
>
>> You need to create a Character Style that defines Small Caps, then in the
>> cross reference definition apply it there. From Help it says:
>>
>> "Including character formats in cross-references
>>
>> "All formats in the document’s Character Catalog appear at the end of the
>> Building Blocks scroll list. You insert them as you do other building
>> blocks.
>>
>> "If you don’t insert a character format in a cross-reference format,
>> FrameMaker uses the font at the insertion point when a cross-reference is
>> inserted with that format. If you change the character format for the
>> cross-reference, the change applies only to the cross-reference, not to the
>> text following it in the paragraph.
>>
>> "Don’t use a character tag that includes angle brackets (< >)."
>>
>> Cheers
>> Alan
>>
>>
>> Jenny Greenleaf wrote:
>>> OK, maybe I'm not crazy.  I'm completely missing something, or maybe this
>>> is a
>>> Frame 9 bug.
>>>
>>> I have several cross-references in my document that reference paragraphs
>>> (e.g., chapter titles, headings). These paragraphs contain variables that
>>> are
>>> set in small caps.
>>>
>>> When I apply the cross-reference, it's fine. Everything is formatted
>>> correctly.
>>>
>>> When I generate/update the book, the words that are supposed to be in small
>>> caps are no longer in small caps.
>>>
>>> I find the references that are supposed to have small caps and re-apply the
>>> cross-reference. All is fine....until I generate the book again. I can
>>> watch
>>> the font change as soon as I click the generate icon. Right in front of my
>>> eyes.
>>>
>>> Ideas? Any way to make this stop? It's terribly annoying, especially during
>>> the endgame. My deadline is tomorrow.
>>>
>>> Jenny
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>> You are currently subscribed to Framers as alan at alphabyte.co.nz.
>>>
>>> Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com.
>>>
>>> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
>>> framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com
>>> or visit
>>> http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/alan%40alphabyte.co.nz
>>>
>>> Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit
>>> http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Alan Litchfield MBus (Hons), MNZCS
>> AlphaByte
>> PO Box 1941, 1140, Auckland, New Zealand
>> http://www.alphabyte.co.nz
>> http://www.alphabyte.co.nz/beatrice
>>
>
>


-- 
Alan Litchfield MBus (Hons), MNZCS
AlphaByte
PO Box 1941, 1140, Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.alphabyte.co.nz
http://www.alphabyte.co.nz/beatrice