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vpmorgan
Participating Frequently
September 4, 2012
Answered

Can't type lowercase "u" or uppercase "C" in FrameMaker 10. Help??

  • September 4, 2012
  • 4 replies
  • 4932 views

I am using Unstructured Frame 10.0.2.419 (as part of TCS 3) on Windows XP. I have been using this system on this computer for 9 months now and have never experienced this issue until today. I've been using Frame on and off since 2000 (since  v. 5.5.6) and have never seen this before anywhere. I'm hoping someone here has seen this behavior before and might have a solution.

Really, I'm hoping that I accidentally entered some kind of keystroke combination in Frame that enabled some phantom settings that I can easily disable by entering another magical set of keystrokes or clicking a checkbox somewhere. Or something.

This morning when I opened up my recent Frame books that I was working on Friday, I began editing them and soon noticed that the lowercase letter "u" would not appear when I typed it. I began the troubleshooting process:

  • Replaced keyboard, thinking it was something to do with the physical key. Nope.
  • Tried typing in other applications - every key types perfectly in all other applications.
  • Tried typing in the "Edit Marker" and "Edit Variables" panes in FrameMaker. The key works just fine there, too.
  • Closed all files and the application, then restarted FrameMaker. Made a wish... the files still behave the same.
  • Since I am on deadline, I decided to wait to Restart my entire computer until later in the day. No success after doing that either.
  • Began using the tedious shortcut of copying and pasting already-existing letter "u"s when I needed them (remember, this key worked on Friday) and soon thereafter discovered that I can type a lowercase "c" but not an uppercase one. Sigh.
  • Opened a book file I haven't worked on in over a month to see if the problem is localized to my specific book or has infected the entire application. Result: It makes no difference what Frame file I open; the behavior persists.
  • Google searched to see if I could find any related problems with solutions posted somewhere. Couldn't.

I do realize that "U" and "C" quite possibly have something to do with shortcut keys to Underline and Cut or something, but I have not made any changes to the application, the .ini file, or even assigned any new shortcut keys since leaving work Friday for the holiday weekend. Or even before Friday, for that matter.

Any suggestions or help are very much appreciated. I am mystified.

Thank you in advance,

Virginia

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Mike Wickham

    Yes, if it's the ExtendScript that is causing the problem, merely

    uninstalling the script will fix things. You can then hunt for the

    repaired version of the script.

    4 replies

    frameexpert
    Community Expert
    frameexpertCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 22, 2014

    I had this happen because of one of my scripts. Here is the root cause:

    menu.DefineAndAddCommand(10, "IPC_GenerateLepCmd", "Generate IPC List of Effective Pages");

    There is a fourth "shortcut" parameter on the DefineAndAddCommand command. In the line above, I left out the parameter because I didn't want to define a shortcut. This apparently causes the missing "u" key on the keyboard. The correct way to leave off the shortcut is to include the parameter as a blank string as below:

    menu.DefineAndAddCommand(10, "IPC_GenerateLepCmd", "Generate IPC List of Effective Pages","");

    -Rick

    www.frameexpert.com
    A
    Alexandra Duffy
    Inspiring
    March 10, 2016

    Much later, the same problem has cropped up with the SuperFindChange script released by Adobe. I could not type a lower case "u" in FrameMaker 2015 (I didn't try an uppercase C) after installing this ExtendScript. Thanks to Rick's advice, I found a similar command in the SuperFindChange.jsx script and fixed the problem myself.

    The command is:   var NewCommand = DefineCommand(1,"Super Find Change...startup","Super Find Change..."," ")

    On line 95 of the script.

    I added the last two quotation marks, as shown above (with a space in between them - it didn't work without the space) and now I can type a "u" in FrameMaker.

    I hope that helps somebody,

    Alexandra

      G
      gregg99478169
      Participant
      March 25, 2016

      This is happening in the "ChangeFormatMenu.jsx" ExtendScript of the Week as well. Same fix, works like a champ now. Thanks!

      Bob_Niland
      Community Expert
      Bob_NilandCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      September 5, 2012

      > Began using the tedious shortcut of copying and pasting already-existing letter ...

      In this tight economy, you may just have to make do with fewer letters.

      Another alternative is to set up Variables for letters you can no longer afford:

      Name: letter.C

      Def: \x43

      Name: letter.u

      Def: \x75

      Typing the Names might be challenging.

      You could also use Unicode code points, but then typing the \u arises.

      V
      vpmorganAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      September 5, 2012

      Thank you for the creative suggestions, Error. Mike Wickham successfuly diagnosed the source of my problems: an ExtendScript of the Week that causes this bug. I had downloaded a couple of these last week when someone mentioned their usefulness in the forums (Archive and Create Formats), but had not tried to use them yet. Uninstalling the buggy scripts resolved my issue.

      -Virginia

      M
      Mike Wickham
      Inspiring
      September 5, 2012

      Did you recently install any "ExtendScripts of the Week?" I recall that

      there were a couple of those that had a bug on initial release that

      wouldn't allow the typing of the lowercase "u". Fixes were released.

      Unfortunately, I can't remember which scripts.

      V
      vpmorganAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      September 5, 2012

      Hi Mike -

      Thank you for jogging my memory: last week, I believe I did install an Extend Script of the Week, though I did not try running it yet. (It was one of the ones mentioned in a post in the forums last week.) I went to try and see which one it was/uninstall it, but my work computer has now completely locked up and won't restart. I will have to work with IT to get the computer running in the morning and report back. I will look for a fix for the plug-in. Alternatively, would just uninstalling it work?

      Thanks again - Virginia

      M
      Mike WickhamCorrect answer
      Inspiring
      September 5, 2012

      Yes, if it's the ExtendScript that is causing the problem, merely

      uninstalling the script will fix things. You can then hunt for the

      repaired version of the script.

      H
      Harpreet_seehra1
      Inspiring
      September 4, 2012

      Go ahead and rename the maker.ini file to makerold.ini making sure the FM 10 is closed and restart FM 10 once renamed and try and type the alphabets now.

      In case it does not launch after renaming,just name it back to maker.ini

      Harpreet

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