[Framers] Importing a single variable. WAS: Preventing 2-word product name from line breaks

[Roger Shuttleworth]

This discussion seems to have morphed into one about importing variable 
definitions in a situation where your work environment doesn't allow you 
to install plugins. Here's my two pennorth:

Monique Semp said:
"Yes, but that presupposes that you want *all* the variables from the 
sourcefile. But in my case, I have different variables in different 
FrameMakertemplates (for frontmatter, ToC, chapters), with only some 
variables, suchas the doc's part number, in all the templates. So by 
using BookVars, I caneasily change/add only the desired variable, to all 
files in the book,without affecting any other variables."

There is a way to import a single variable into your doc. This method 
may be familiar to those as long in the tooth as I am, but new to the 
younger generation. I append an answer that was given by Framers years 
ago, with my acknowledgments to the original author, whoever he/she was.

Importing a single variable into a template

Create a small text file with the variable and save it with a .mif 
extension. If you then open that file in FrameMaker, it will appear to 
be a regular blank FrameMaker document, but you'll know for sure that 
the only thing it actually contains is the one variable definition you 
want to import.

There are two ways that you can use the variable created in the .mif 
file: Use that .mif file the same as you would any file from which you 
are importing formats; or from the File menu, choose Import > File, and 
then select the Copy into the document radio button.

If you need to change the variable definition, edit the text file. See 
the following example for more information.

Example:

<MIFFile 6.00>
<VariableFormats
<VariableFormat
<VariableName `CompanyName'>
<VariableDef `Your definition here'>>
# end of VariableFormat >
# end of VariableFormats

Note that the opening quote symbol for the variable name and its 
definition is actually the left slanting character below the tilde on 
your keyboard. The closing quote is a straight single quote/apostrophe. 
Note also that if you want to include more variables, you just need the 
whole group of four lines for each variable. For example, if you added a 
CompanyShortName variable, the MIF snippet file might look like this:

<MIFFile 6.00>
<VariableFormats
<VariableFormat
<VariableName `CompanyName'>
<VariableDef `The Fish Dance Slapstick Ballet Company, Ltd.'>>
# end of VariableFormat
<VariableFormat
<VariableName `CompanyShortName'>
<VariableDef `Fish Dance'>>
# end of VariableFormat>
# end of VariableFormats

Caveats:
I'm not sure whether you would need to change "MIFFile 6.00" into 
something a bit more up-to-date, but I doubt it. Also, I've not tested 
this on recent FM versions, but see no reason why it wouldn't work.

Hope this helps.
Roger