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Question

Creating a "space" for insertables characters in cross references

Forum|Forum|12 years ago
October 10, 2013
2 replies
1890 views

Is it possible to create a cross reference that has a "space" where text can be inserted later? I am thinking of a reference like "see No. __ in Fig.42 on page 8-3" with __ being the space where the number from the image can be inserted. My idea for a cross reference would be like this:

see No. <$inputChar><$inputChar> in Fig. <$AbsNumExkl> on page <$chapnum>-<$SeiteNum>. The tag <$inputChar> being a space for an insertable character. Is such a thing possible in FrameMaker or is there even a default tag in FrameMaker for such a "space"? I haven't a clue what I should be looking for to find a solution, hence posting my question here.
Any help or ideas would be very mucha ppreciated!
Thanks

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F

FieryPantone

Legend

This may not be what you're facing, but I have some documents that include product drawings with callouts. The callouts are a layer in an .eps file.

I could imagine – though it hasn't happened yet – needing to include a cross reference to an specific callout within a graphic, but I'd not been brave enough to think about automating the whole xref. If you have a numbered list explaining the callouts, perhaps you could use two xrefs, one to the callout list and a second to the figure? Something like "See {x}" in "Fig. {y} on page {z}". This would also accomodate the case where They decide to add or remove callout-worthy features in the drawing.

P

puzzled but hopingAuthor

Known Participant

Hi Niels,
thank you for your reply.

My "situation" is as you described - the call-outs ARE in the images and I have a list with the items underneath. The list is in a format, which "counts up automatically" but so does the format for the caption of the figues/images... so when I use <$AbsNumExkl> and choose the format of the list in the Xref window, I will only get the number of the list entry and cannot have the figure number in my Xref too, as <$AbsNumExkl> refers to the number of the chosen paragraph/ Format (I am working with the German version, so I do not know the correct english terms used by FM).
There would have to be some possibility to distinguish between the two (or set two cross references), one after the other, but I am not sure if that didn't entail further problems when the list changes after wards

(things are never set in stone in tech doc until - well NEVER.. )
Anyhow - thanks for taking time to reply!

puzzled

Matt-Tech Comm Tools

Community Expert

Ah, excellent use of the hotspot feature!

I think the generic method you describe will have the most flex, and is probably the best you can hope for.

-Matt Sullivan, FrameMaker Course Creator, Author, Trainer, Consultant

Matt-Tech Comm Tools

Community Expert

Hi Puzzled,

Here's what I wrote initially when reading your post:

The purpose of the xref (cross-reference) is to keep track of the details of a specific location in your doc (the position of the xref marker, that bolded T text symbol). Xrefs can display the current #, title, and page # of the xref marker, so there's no need to insert that content later. The xref simply keeps track of the current values of these things and displays them at the point where the reader needs them.

The xref commonly updates when opening the doc, updating a book, or when choosing Edit > Update References. All of these are easier than entering the content later, as you described in your post.

Upon re-reading your question, it sounds like you're interested in creating an xref to a graphic, where you'd be unable to insert an xref marker.

In that case, you might consider using a variable for each of the "parts" of your statement, and simply entering the text 'tween the variables.

Does this help, or am I missing the point?

A final question: are you using structured FrameMaker?

If so, there may be Banner Text options you can make use of, but this is far from a reason to move to a structured environment!

-Matt

-Matt Sullivan, FrameMaker Course Creator, Author, Trainer, Consultant

P

puzzled but hopingAuthor

Known Participant

Hi Matt,
and thanks first of all for your reply. Indeed I am looking to "call up" a call reference in an image. I have a document where the images have call-outs IN the images (bitmaps). I have only just now started to use FrameMAker 11 and i just stumbled across the Hottspot feature (I am not sure when the Hotspot feature was included) and will delve into that sometime when I have the time.. (harhar), hoping I migt find a work around to meet my needs with that.

Anyhow - for now, my prob is that I wish to make a reference to a call-out number in an image.

The cross refernce is (e.g.) "see No. __, Fig. 42, Page 87".
The Xref I CAN refer to without problem naturally is "Fig. 42, Page 87", but as you can see, I had hoped to be able to "be lazy" and have FM automatically also put down "see No." for me but leaving some space, where it is possible to insert text, meaning to leave a blank of some sorts in the "code" of the cross reference. Theoretically the Xref would be interrupted where text could be inserted (in the example fill in the "__" in my example).

Does makle that a little clearer?

As I had to meet my deadline I did put down my very own individual "No. XYZ" each time before setting the cross reference but it is far from ideal.
On the whole, I find working with images with call-outs is tedious in FrameMaker.- I would absoloutely LOVE a feature where it would be possible to work on different layers.

I have a few ideas I would like to try out and fiddle around with to find a solution for my problem. Unfortunately I am not properly trained on FM itself, I have been through all other DTP tools starting with Quark and PageMaker, Indesign etc. I am HTML-savvy, dabbled with Javascript, php and some XML, but the structured Framemaker is still only an untouched yet intriguing concept.
If any more ideas come your way, or if you have any recommendations for my to may be find work arounds let me know!
Thanks

still slightly
puzzled but 4ever hoping

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