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December 28, 2021
Question

Element <simpletable> in DITA1.3 "concept" always lose the column widths when imported

  • December 28, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 181 views

I created a concept topic using FrameMaker DITA1.3. There is a simpletable element in this topic. I customized the column widths of this two-column simpletable to 10.1 cm and 4 cm

Then I saved this topic file to xml and get the simpletale element looks like this:

 

<simpletable relcolwidth="72* 28*" scale="100" frame="all">
<strow>
<stentry>Description</stentry>
<stentry>Remark</stentry>
</strow>
</simpletable>

 

But when I re-open this topic file with FrameMaker, the simpletable's columns became two equal-width columns. If I save the file in this situation, the attribute "relcolwidth" became "50* 50*":

<simpletable relcolwidth="50* 50*" scale="100" frame="all">
<strow>
<stentry>Description</stentry>
<stentry>Remark</stentry>
</strow>
</simpletable>

The read-write rules for the concept topic of DITA 1.3 is:

-----

writer use proportional widths;

...

/* Simple tables */
element "simpletable" {
is fm table element;
attribute "relcolwidth" is fm property column widths;
}

-----

If I remove the subrule "attribute "relcolwidth" is fm property column widths;", the simpletable does the same as above.

If I add another another subrule "fm property column widths value is "72* 28*"", the simpletable appears the same to above. But an message poped up in the console:

 

What settings override the translation of column widths based on read/write rules?

How can I customize the simpletable's column widths in the concept topic?

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    2 replies

    4everJang
    Legend
    December 28, 2021

    I checked this and tried a couple of tricks to see if I could make it work. It does not. I opened the same topic in oXygen and the relative column sizes came out fine. So you should file this as a bug in FrameMaker's DITA simpletable implementation. Of course it will take time to get fixed. In the meantime you can use the table - which works as it should.

    Matt-Tech Comm Tools
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    December 28, 2021

    If the first code sample is from the saved file, then it appears your Writer rule is being processed properly.

     

    Is there a Reader rule that is overriding the saved DITA content?

    Can you create one that properly maps the widths as you wish? (or will this zap other width settings in other tables?)

    What are the settings for simpletable in the EDD? Is the EDD mashing the column values upon opening?

     

    -Matt

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