Hiding the .fm extension in variables

Hi @Dustin Fleming:

Can you show the structure of a user created variable that would add the document name to the header? 

To add the filename to the running head, use the <$filename> building block as shown below. 

I recognize that this post is about not showing the extension in the running head (like Bob, I prefer to show extensions). Do note that if you want to hide the extension in the running head, you will need to follow the steps that Bob laid out to rename your files.

my document has no file extension showing in Windows Explorer but does show the .fm in the header of the template I am working on.

As a default, Windows will hide extensions for known file types. And Windows will recognize the .fm if FrameMaker is installed, and therefore will hide it in Explorer unless you change this default (see link below). Just because Windows is hiding the extension does not mean that it isn't part of the file name. 

https://www.howtogeek.com/205086/beginner-how-to-make-windows-show-file-extensions/ 

~Barb 

Can you show the structure of a user created variable that would add the document name to the header? I tried to follow the steps above and my document has no file extension showing in Windows Explorer but does show the .fm in the header of the template I am working on. 

A filename extension (.fm, .book) is not strictly necessary. If your document file, for example, is just named "sample", you can right-click open it in FM, and the system variable Filename (Short) will render as "sample". If you insist on having a file to work with that has the .fm extension, I tested this with FM2019 & Win7/64p:

1. In Windows Explorer (file manage), right-click
   new » Adobe Framemaker Document

2. Edit default name [New Adobe FrameMaker Document.fm]
   to [sample] with no extension
   ignore warning about change file type
   Notice that the directory view loses the FM icon, and file association for file "sample".

3. Right-click New » Shortcut
   Location of item:
   Browse to (in my case) {drive}:\...path...\Adobe\FrameMaker\Tests\sample
   [Next]
   Type a name for this {new} shortcut:
   sample.fm
   Notice that it also has no association (and can't be given one).

4. Right-click sample.fm with FM.

5. View » Master pages
   In header text frame,
   Insert » Variables » Filename (Short)
   Notice that it's just "sample", with no extension.

Personally, I don't do this. I've always used a user variable to define the document name. In a prior assignment, file names were part numbers (e.g. 123-456.fm), and we wanted to show the p/n in the docs, but not the .fm extension.

For a current project (a .book), the document name, and indeed all the layouts, formats, color, conditions, etc. are actually defined in a separate file (template.fm). All the book component files are easily kept in sync by doing an import » formats from the template file.

This filename extension annoyance is likely a lingering effect of FM’s roots on Unix, which never really had a filename extension concept (relying instead on “magic numbers” for file typing). Indeed, FM didn't even have a convention for it on Windows until FM4 or so (I was using .mkr until Adobe decide to use .fm).

Hi Bob,

Thanks for your reply. Request you to show implementation your solution in a step-by-step manner. I have only Framemaker 2019 on my computer, do I need to get any other utilities?

Regards

Apurva

Hi Rick,

Thanks for explaining your solution through this great video.

How do I get the scripting tool that you are using? And my knowlege of coding is very rudimentary and I don't have any tools on computer except Notepad and Notepad++.

Regards

Apurva

Another hack is to have the FM document file name lack the .fm extension. You can create a shortcut (symlink) with the same name, and author via that, but the Filename (Short) variable will not have a .fm extension.

Hi Apurva,

This looked like a fun challenge so I made a short video (about 10 minutes) explaining how I might do this. It requires some scripting but the script could be applied automatically by making it into a "Notification" script. The code that I demonstrated is below.

http://www.rickquatro.com/resources/FileNameInTableTitle.mp4 

#target framemaker

var doc, file;

doc = app.ActiveDoc;
file = new File (doc.Name).name;
file = File.decode (file);
file = file.replace (/\.fm$/i, "");

doc.SectionNumStyle = Constants.FV_NUMSTYLE_TEXT;
doc.SectionNumText = file;

Hi Barb,

How do I automate the cross-reference in the Table Title field? Is there a variable/cross-reference/code that I can add in the Autonumber Paragraph>Fomat window of Table Title paragraph style that will automatically copy the document's title (without the .fm)?

Regards,
Apurva

I think a cross-reference is the solution. The other option is to create a user variable but if the file name changes, you will need to update the variable definition to reflect the new filename.

~Barb