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davidg31533597
davidg31533597
Known Participant
September 23, 2016
Answered

Is there a direct (minimal-step) way to replace a file in a book?

  • September 23, 2016
  • 2 replies
  • 807 views

I'm looking to update an FM book.

As a freelance project, I've updated individual chapters in the book, renaming each file by appending "UPD" to the original file name. These are content chapters, not generated files (TOC, indexes, etc.). The renaming isn't optional - the owner of the book needs to know, on the filename level, which files have been updated by me.

Is there a direct, minimal-step way to replace, say, "Chap1" with "Chap1UPD"?

Or do I have to add "Chap1UPD," then manually delete "Chap1?"

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Barb Binder

I'd say the simplest technique (and the one that will not break the links within the book) is to right click the chapter in the book window and use the rename command after you complete the updates on that chapter.

From the online help:

Rename files

When you rename a file in a book, FrameMaker renames the corresponding file on the disk and updates cross-references, hypertext links, and text inset links in other files in the book.

...

Select the file you want to rename, and either choose Edit > Rename or right-click and choose Rename.

Type the new name of the file and press Enter. When the alert message appears, click OK to update other files in the book.

2 replies

Barb Binder
Community Expert
Barb BinderCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
September 23, 2016

I'd say the simplest technique (and the one that will not break the links within the book) is to right click the chapter in the book window and use the rename command after you complete the updates on that chapter.

From the online help:

Rename files

When you rename a file in a book, FrameMaker renames the corresponding file on the disk and updates cross-references, hypertext links, and text inset links in other files in the book.

...

Select the file you want to rename, and either choose Edit > Rename or right-click and choose Rename.

Type the new name of the file and press Enter. When the alert message appears, click OK to update other files in the book.

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
    davidg31533597
    davidg31533597Author
    Known Participant
    September 23, 2016

    Thanks, Barb.

    Need a bit of clarification - will I need to save a copy of the original file in a different folder? I need to preserve the original file as a paper trail.

    If so, is this the right workflow?:

    1. Save a copy of original file in a different folder (or maybe just "OriginalFIle.fm.old"?)
    2. Delete the original file in the book folder
    3. Open my updated file and change its name back to the original file name.
    4. Open FM in the book mode, change the name to, e.g., "OriginalFIleUPD.fm"

    I'm asking because the description seems to say that FM simply renames the file - it doesn't permit the substitution of an updated file.

    Barb Binder
    Community Expert
    Barb BinderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 23, 2016

    How about:

    -When you sit down to enter edits, begin by copying the chapter to a folder designated for the older versions.

    -Open the original, enter the edits.

    -Save and close.

    -Rename the edited file in the book window.

    And are you aware that FM works with CMSs? (CMS=content management systems).

    ~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
    davidg31533597
    davidg31533597Author
    Known Participant
    September 23, 2016

    Er - is this an operation that falls under renaming files in a book?

    Sullivan & Quatro tell me how to do that -- by editing the file name after displaying filenames in the book.

    If I simply rename the file, does FM automatically draw content from the new file when the book is compiled?

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