[Closed] FrameMaker 7.x/8 Feature Requests

FrameScript.

Think of it as akin to the VBA stuff you can do in MS Wierd.

Or, there are bound to be plug-ins.

Cheers,

Sean

In case it wasn't clear...

We need more granular control over what we are importing when importing formats

I hope that was clearer.

I'd like to not only be able to import ONLY marker types (instead of all the other crap listed in Document Properties), but be selective in what I import.

I'd like to be able to import ONE or a SELECT FEW of my paragraph formats into a new file, rather than the whole paragraph catalog, for example.

Every user-controlled element in template/style management should be available for selective import.

I have a request. I think we should pack more into the Document Properties option when importing formats. In FM 6 it imports:

Document Properties The templates custom marker types and footnote properties; the volume, chapter, page, paragraph, footnote, and table footnote numbering styles in the Numbering Properties dialog box; the characters in the Allow Line Breaks After setting in the Text Options dialog box; and the Feather settings in the Line Layout dialog box are merged into the document. The PDF Setup settings (other than the bookmark settings) are also merged into the document. On Japanese-language systems, the rubi properties and kumihan rules (Japanese-language typesetting rules) are also merged into the document.

I think it needs to be beefed up to include all file text, disposition of the original author, and the kitchen sink.

Thoughts?

Shouldn't need to play in the MIF or rely on a third party tool (no matter how cool it is). ;-)

FM-X... how cool would it be... every book file comes with a custom palette for all style types, and you can pick and choose which ones to plop into which files. Ahhhh... Droooool...........

;-)

imagine creating completely empty files and assigning master pages, flows, and styles based on need...

FM developers, let's finally harness the power and potential of the BOOK file!!! :-D

Bill, you can with FrameScript or in the MIF. But, point taken ;?P.

Cheers,

Sean

Missed the origin of this current thread, but it'd be nice to be able to selectively import xref definitions, variables, paragraph formats, character formats, etc. instead of all or nothing from one file.

I'd say chapter-specific variables are generally a bad idea.

Why do you need a ChapterName variable? Just grab the text of your ChapterTitle pargagraph tag, or am I missing something.

Cheers,

Sean

Sean, your solution works if they don't have any chapter-specific variables (which could be overwritten if they followed your instructions). For example, if they use a variable for Chapter Name, and the file from which they import has a Chapter Name defined, ALL chapters would now have the same name. Oops!

We need book-level AND chapter-level variables -- or users need to plan their variables very carefully -- OR they can create special files that do not contain definitions for chapter-specific variables.

While we're discussing features. It's kind of annoying to have "Body" pop up as a default paragraph style, for example in text frames you draw for callouts, when you have long ago deleted "Body" and are using your own naming conventions for styles, e.g. "b body"... Could we define a "default style" for a file/book?

s

Bisiaux:

Update the variable in one chapter.

Open your book.

With the book file open and having focus, press Ctrl+A to select all files in the book.

Click File > Import > Formats.

Select the open chapter (the one in which you set the variable) as the file FROM which you are importing.

Import Variables into your selected book files.

Cheers,

Sean

We need to update a user variable for all files of a book, user variables could be set to a book