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TeraRecon
Known Participant
February 20, 2015
Answered

Can't keep IndexIX tag in bookmarks lists

  • February 20, 2015
  • 2 replies
  • 651 views

For some reason, some of my book files do not seem to have any "knowledge" of the IndexIX paragraph tag, which I need for creating PDF files from a FM book (so it will go in the bookmarks list), and also for when I generate a TOC, because I want to include the index chapter in the TOC.

If I start with a book file that doesn't have the IndexIX tag in either of the bookmark lists (include or don't include tag), I have no idea how to add it. I can't find anything about that in the help files and I spent a lot of time looking.

I found a workaround, which is to copy a book file from some other book that shows the IndexIX tag in the include or don't-include list. I delete all the FM files from the book file, and then I add the files from the current book I'm working on. This book file does reference the IndexIX tag. I rename the book file for the current book title, and I'm set.

However, even that workaround isn't working today. The IndexIX tag is there at first (because it was in the book file that I copied), but after I add some files to the book, it suddenly disappears. I haven't figured out what exactly is causing that. But there must be a normal way to add a paragraph tag to a book file!

OK, here's the part I dread: telling you all which version of FM I have.   It's version 8. I don't have any control over that at the moment (my employer makes that decision), and I really need to fix this problem now, so I hope there's someone here who won't tell me you're not supporting version 8 any more. I know that, but I'm hoping someone reading this will have encountered this problem before and knows what to do.

I'm running FM on a Windows 8 system. I don't think compatibility is an issue, though, because I've had this problem with the IndexIX tag for years. After I used the workaround, I just kept updating the same books, which were derived from the previous versions, all of which had IndexIX. But now I'm creating a new book and the problem has resurfaced.

Thank you!

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Arnis Gubins

Joyce,

The IndexIX paratag should be treated as reserved tag (as FM auto-generates this for the page number building block on the reference page). As Bob suggests, simply use the same titling paratag that you use in other files for the chapter title. Then place the index chapter title as the first entry of the Body page of the Index. FM will not delete this entry when re-generating the index.

2 replies

T
TeraReconAuthor
Known Participant
February 20, 2015

Hi Arnis,

Thanks for the reply. I don't think I explained my problem very well.

I do know how to create a standard index, how to put markers in the material, and how to use different levels of references. Usually, after I create the index, I then create the TOC. I do it in that order so that the index is listed in the TOC. But for that to happen, I need to include the paragraph tag for the word "Index," which is the title of the index chapter (along with Chap Num, Appendix, and other tags I want in the TOC). The tag for that title is "IndexIX". This works fine in several of the books I manage, but in some cases, I can't seem to keep the IndexIX tag in the list of tags to include in the TOC. At some point, that tag disappears from the list of known tags in the current book. I have no idea why that happens - I haven't removed the index from the book file, so the tag should still be there.

Here's the dialog box I'm referring to. It is posted when I select Add -> Table of Contents from the book file:

In the above example, I had already created an index, and the title (or chapter name), "Index," is tagged as "IndexIX." This tag is in the list of tags to be included in the TOC.

But in some cases - and I can't figure out why - when I create an index in a book in the exact same way that I always do it, that tag doesn't show up in the "Don't Include" list when I create the TOC.

The only workaround I've come up with is to copy a book file from another book in which the IndexIX tag is present and works correctly, delete the files in that book file, and add the files for the current book into the copied book file. The IndexIX tag is still in the list. I can then create a TOC that has the index listed. At least, this has worked in the past. I haven't needed to do this for a few years, but I am now creating a new book that needs an index, and this time, even my workaround doesn't work. Anyway, there ought to be a more straightforward way of getting the index listed in the table of contents.

I hope this makes more sense!

Thanks,

Joyce Wermont

Bob_Niland
Community Expert
Bob_NilandCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 20, 2015

re: ... can't seem to keep the IndexIX tag in the list of tags to include in the TOC.

You might try instead making the first paragraph of the Index a normal Heading1 (or whatever you use for chapter heads). Then the Index title gets picked up for TOC just like any chapter title. You hand type "Index" into the IX file after it's generated for the first time.

FM does not over-write that on regeneration of the IX (same is true for TOC). I haven't extensively tested it, but I suspect FM doesn't over-write any non generated text that appears before the first line of generated text in any generated file.

Conversely, however, you don't want the "Contents" heading to be picked up in TOC, so make it some Heading variant that is ignored, like Heading1.ign

Arnis Gubins
Arnis Gubins
Inspiring
February 20, 2015

How did you create an Index in the first place?

To index a book in FM, you need to use the Add > Standard Index... option in the Book file. You then select which marker(s) to use and then FM will generate all the correct tags and levels. The IndexIX paratag only applies to the page numbering to used [is typically appended to the level index paratags, i.e. Level1IX, Level2IX, etc.] and is only defined on the Reference IX Page. Just trying to use the IndexIX paratag will not pull any useful information anywhere. What you are suggesting would lead me to imagine a PDF list of bookmarks that contains nothing but page numbers in a seemingly random hierarchy...

Have you looked through the information on how to generate an Index for FM8 ?: http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FrameMaker/8.0/help.html?content=Chap12-TOC-Indexes_24.html

Once an index has been generated, you can modify the formatting used for the various Level index paratags and GroupTitlesIX tags (i.e. the A,B,C,D,E... etc. headings). The information on formatting Index and other generated lists is described here: Formatting lists and indexes  

For a TOC or PDF bookmarks, it would be more appropriate to use the GroupTitlesIX paratag. You might also want to include a title for the Index page. The information on how to place a title for a generated file is described here: Adding titles and other static text to lists and indexes

A brief tutorial on creating an Index can be found here: FrameMaker Tutorial: Indexes

You might also want to get a copy of: Publishing Fundamentals: Unstructured FrameMaker 8: Sarah S. O'Keefe, Sheila A. Loring, Terry Smith (contributor), Lydia…

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