Structured Books

[Oran Petersen]

Following the recent thread on structured books, a quick, (or not so quick) review of some functions and quirks might help. 
1. A book must have an EDD, same as a file, for structure to work. It must reflect the content file in the book.
2. A book is just pointers to content, like hyperlinks, and does not itself hold content.
3. Therefore a book "structure" reflects the Highest Level Elements (HLE), including attributes, if any, for each structured file in the book. You cannot edit attributes in a book. Change the file and then update the book to see the change in the book structure.
4. Unstructured files in the book display a "BOOK COMPONENT" element in the structured book. This is a Frame system value that can be changed only by removing or structuring the files. Generated files often have this issue because they do not have structure when created.
5. If you do not have a "Valid Highest Level" element in your book EDD, with a general rule that supports all of the HLE's in the content files, you get the "No Name" element because Frame does not know what you want. (If you have a book EDD you can change No Name to the Book HLE.
6. You can import an EDD into a book same as a content file. Make sure you have only the very top item in the book selected when you do this, or you import the book EDD into content files as well, which you will not like.
7. If you select a file in the book and import an EDD into it, you also import this EDD into the book. To avoid this, create a junk book for this operation and delete it when done, or alternatively you can re-import the book EDD into the book (item 6) to fix it after the fact.
8. If you do not import an EDD into the book, it takes on the EDD of the first file in the book. Some template masters include all of the book EDD elements in the EDD for this first file. I do not do this because it junks up the EDD for what is usually the title page.
9. To get a successful update of a book structure, you must TURN OFF every check box in the Update dialog box. If you do not, you will not update the HLE attributes and other metadata in the book structure, which causes mass confusion. (voice of experience)
10. If you have a No Name book, you can fix it by importing the Book EDD. I use "Book" as the HLE for the Book. Then select No Name and change it to "Book" from the element catalog. If the Book element is "Valid Highest Level" it will be valid.
11. A book update will not fix a No Name. You must change it once as in Item 10. Then it will stick.
Hope this helps.
Oran Petersen