[Closed] FrameMaker 7.x/8 Feature Requests

Frame remains the gold standard for technical publishing, but I would really, really, really like to see:

- Macro capabilities

- Drag and drop

- Better integration with Webworks Publisher, especially concerning numbered lists.

- Improved track changes capability from _within_ an .FM file.

(I just finished using the Acrobat Pro redlining features and think it's a good start, but until you can import the changes back _into_ the Frame document, it's only a little better than manual edits.
For me, it works better to save the .FM files as .RTF and then get markups back using Word's Track Changes feature.)

Ignore that last request. It was an SUM (stupid user mistake). Mike

I would like a building block for paragraphs that ignores the formatting in the source and uses the formatting in the cross reference location. Something like <$paratextonly> .

The problem with <$paratext> becomes apparent when the source is in one font face, and the location of the xref is in another. For example, my headings are sans-serif, and my body paragraphs are serifed. When I xref to a heading, the xref text appears sans-serif in my serif'd paragraph.

I could apply a building block to the xref applies serif to the format, but that is not generic when I have an xref that goes the other way (i.e., the source is serif'd and the paragraph isn't.) And I'd rather not have one xref for serif and antother for non-serif. In fact, it gets worst if you have more that two font-faces...

Back to multiple undo... I've said it before, but will say it again - if Frame would just STOP counting file manipulation actions (for lack of a better term -- I'm talking about zooming or turning on/off text symbols as undoable actions), I would be much happier. Consider this scenario: Your zoom set small so that you can check whole pages. Some text glitch catches your attention, and you end up modifying a large paragraph. Next, you zoom in to make sure the change is as you want it. You decide "ugh" (per Rebecca's description), but you CANNOT undo your change! The action Frame is happy to undo is the Zoom. Good grief, Charlie Brown!

--Gloria Mc

I think an issue that bothers many Frame Maker-users are long titles in TOC's...

See:
Sean, "Long titles - line break issues in TOC ..." #1, 2 Mar 2005 10:50 am

A fine solution would be a feature to control the line breaks in TOC's.
The perfection would be the possibility to update just the page numbers: This would offer the possibility to edit the headings without losing these changes by updating.
The possibility to define how a certain heading should appear in the TOC would be also highly useful ...

You know, there is one issue with Classic that if someone could hack into the code and fix, I would be most appreciative: long file names, for both doc files and referenced graphics.

> Good thing there are no Mac users left in the FM forum...since we would of course request an OSX version of FM.

Hey, I'm still here, holding on to Classic for my only Classic application, Frame.

I can't help myself: OSX. Oh, yeah, with full Unicode.

You know, there is one issue with Classic that if someone could hack into the code and fix, I would be most appreciative: long file names, for both doc files and referenced graphics.

What about native support for BibTex files? Today I use CiteMaker, but it has no direct support for FM books.

Hi Sean

I'd greatly appreciate multiple undo when editing text, not for layout. I'll too-often muck with a sentence, then think "ugh, that's worse than what I started with" and want to go back. With FM I can't. 4-5 levels of undo would work wonders.

Cheers, Rebecca

Good thing there are no Mac users left in the FM forum...since we would of course request an OSX version of FM.