Generating Indexes

[Stuart Rogers]

On 28/03/2012 8:29 PM, Theresa de Valence wrote:
> Hi Framers,
>
> Frame 8, Acrobat X. The frame file will be distributed as a pdf; some
> copies will be printed.
>
> I’m having trouble figuring out how to create indexes. I’ve looked up
> lists of markers and indexes and I’m not sure what the difference is. In
> the Help System, I can see a picture illustrating sub-entries of
> indexes, but I can’t figure out what to change or how.

To create a subentry, type the main entry followed by a colon and the 
subentry text (no space after the colon).

If you do a lot of indexing, the best money you'd ever spend would be on 
buying IXGen from http://www.fsatools.com/


>
> Also, I am currently choosing to create Hypertext markers when the index
> is generated, but I’m not sure that’s wise. In the pdf of the Index, the
> active area for hypertext link is anywhere between the start of the
> author’s name and the first page reference. If there’s another page
> reference, it has a very small active area. Can I limit the active area
> for the hypertext marker to the page number area without Microtype tools?

It is wise to have hypertext links in a PDF that is used online (and 
unwise not to) because it's difficult to navigate by page number in a 
PDF (especially if there is front matter numbered in roman numerals that 
displace page "1" several pages into the file.  An index without 
hypertext links would annoy most users, I think.

FM 7 + Distiller 6 made the first active area extend from the left 
margin to the first page number, and the last active area extend from 
the page number to the right margin.  If your format has a tab that puts 
the last page number up against the right margin, then that active area 
will of course be small.  Intermediate active areas (when there's more 
than two page references) are the width of the page number plus 
following separators (usually comma, space).  I would be surprised if 
that behaviour changed in later versions (I have FM9 but haven't tested).

You could enlarge the active area by putting your right-aligned tab 
somewhat to the left of the right margin in the LevelnIX paragraph tags 
and by applying a character tag with a large spread percentage (try 25%) 
to the SeparatorsIX characters on the reference page (or by putting 
additional spaces after the comma).

HTH,

-- 
Stuart Rogers
Technical Communicator
Phoenix Geophysics Limited
3781 Victoria Park Avenue, Unit 3
Toronto, ON, Canada  M1W 3K5
+1 (416) 491-7340 x 325

http://www.phoenix-geophysics.com