[Closed] FrameMaker 7.x/8 Feature Requests

Re: linking to oed or m-w -- those are localized resources.

RE: gray boxes -- if FM can't read the intended file, what do you propose it display in the anchored frame instead of a gray box?

Re: equations -- I feel your pain. But getting all these vendors and programs to play nicely together is nearly impossible, else they would already play nice. Best solution is to create the equations in a choice stand-alone editor and save them as EPS for use in other apps (then edit the EPS if needed).

Something I think all word processing spell checkers should have an option for:
A network link to www.oed.com or www.m-w.com for both spelling and thesaurus. If the checker doesn't have a local copy in its database, go online before asking me because if I go there and find it, I'm not too happy about having done that.

Don't grey box my graphics. Make features that work on one platform work on the others. If I can import EPS under Solaris and see the result, I should be able to do the same in Windows. If I can import pdf in Windows and see the result, but not in Solaris, that's not acceptable. If I import either in either, but can't rotate the figure without getting a grey box, that's not acceptable.

A universal equation import/export mechanism. Might need industry collaberation. It's a bit of a hassle to get nice looking equations in Frame that have to be retyped into Mathematica the way they like it, retyped into matlab the way they like it, retyped to fit C code, retyped in MS equation editor for Powerpoint slides... etc. Exporting them as images is one thing, but I need them to be functional.

The last thing I'd suggest may already be possible, but I don't know how to do it. After importing graphics into an anchored frame, and overlaying graphics, and/or equation elements, I'd like to send the entire contents of that anchored frame out to PS file.... Essentially, I want to be able to solidify the contents of any given frame to it's own file for external manipulation if necessary.

Hey, how about alowing more than one system variable for page numbering. I know I know, I can split the files and restart or number from whatever, but what I want to do is have page 1,2,3 then 3a, 3b, and then 4. I do hate MS Word, but something similar to section breaks and more than one page number format would probably work. If I can customize the numbering for paragraphs, why can't I make the damn page number behave the way I want it. Well, the people that I work for want.

Right. Yo uneed to start the first file as Right and Make Page Count Even, and continue that theme throughout your book in order to get the correct book-like pagination you want.

The combination of "next available" and "delete empty" will cause your situation, if the first file ends on an odd page. Frame cannot have pages that simply don't exist, so it's taking the first page of the second file and placing on the back side of the first file.

Bill,

I already do that. Since I use consecutive page numbering, I set my front-matter file pagination in the book for double-sided to start on right and delete empty pages.

Then I set the remaining files for double-sided, next available, and delete empty pages. I insure that each section in the book begins on an odd-numbered page and ends on an even-numbered page, adding a special pagination sheet with a downward right-pointing arrow on it, if necessary.

And my first master page is still left 1 of 2. And the second is right 2 of 2.

I think that's backwards.

Set your document pagination.

Format > Page Layout > Pagination (in the FM file itself or in the book file... book file settings take precedence unless set to read from file.)

Bill and Tim,

Please pardon my multiple post here. If I open a new blank double-sided document, it has the "backward" pagination; i.e. 1 on the left, 2 on the right, etc.

That's just exactly what I don't want.

Bill and Tim,

I've got a problem. You are right, if I open a new blank document, but my templates (originally designed by a so-called expert) have page 1 on the left, Page 2 on the right, etc. Hence my complaint/suggestion.

I also notice that the templates that come with FM 7.0 have the same "backward" pagination.

I guess I need to modify my templates to do page 1 on the right, 2 on the left, etc., if I can figure out how.

Bill and Tim,

See the next post.