[Framers] Tool for importing selected variables

[David Artman]

   RE user variable subsetting: Yep, works like a charm. One might even
   make an argument for single-variable 'template' files for each variable
   in your library, but that's often overkill. But I've definitely broken
   them down into product-specific subsets of variables and conditions,
   with further OS- or even customer-specific other subset files of
   variables and conditions. One's entire taxomony can be represented just
   by the variables/conditions files; and just put a table of them (the
   variables) on the first page for easy editing.

   RE system variables: One of the 1.9 million reasons not to have
   different use cases for system variables! Running H/F and
   table-continuation really need to be standardized across the
   enterprise. Even if you want a few different Running H/F formats, take
   advantage of the 10 (12? it's been a while...) that FrameMaker
   provides; and do not just repurpose 1, 2, and 3 over and over again. As
   a rule of thumb, I generally say "if it's on a Master Page, it should
   be sacrosanct, not doc-specific". Kinda the point of them, I feel. :)

   My 2¢+

   David

   -------- Original Message --------
   Subject: Re: [Framers] Tool for importing selected variables
   From: Steve Rickaby <[1]srickaby at wordmongers.demon.co.uk>
   ...

   Copy the file that contains the variable you want to import across
   multiple files, then open the copy and delete every variable *other
   than* the variable you want to import. Re-save the copy, then use that
   as your 'seed' document to import the variable in question across
   multiple files.
   This works as stated for user-defined variables. For system variables
   (from memory) you have to be a bit more careful, as FrameMaker doesn't
   allow you to delete them. I do not know of a way to import one system
   variable across a population of files that have different system
   variable values. This is where a tool (or Rick) could maybe help.

References

   1. mailto:srickaby at wordmongers.demon.co.uk