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Rsfl
Rsfl
Inspiring
September 26, 2014
Question

Nested tables

  • September 26, 2014
  • 1 reply
  • 2570 views

Hi all,

there is some Information in the Framemaker help how to nest tables in structured documents but I simply don't understand how to implemend this. This is a DITA document and I know that nesting tables is very bad style. However it is a requirement and after all DITA does support it.

In unstructured documents we used anchored Frames in table cells. The approach for structured documents seems similar:

"Select a graphic element for empty anchored frames in the Element Catalog, and click New Frame"

I wonder how I can accomplish this. In the EDD I would have to set up an element (perhaps a dedicated paragraph class) to insert an anchored Frame in which then the table is inserted.

Has anybody succeeded in using nested tables in structured documents with Framemaker?

Robert

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

ScottPrentice
ScottPrentice
Inspiring
September 26, 2014

Hi Robert...

I don't think that it's possible without some serious FDK or ExtendScript work.

As far as I know the only way to "nest" tables in FM is to use an anchored frame within a table cell. The content within an anchored frame is technically in a separate flow. The standard XML export only processes a single flow. You'd somehow have to merge multiple flows on export, and create multiple flows on import. This sounds like a really bad idea .. if this is really a requirement, I think you're going to have to use a different editor.

However, if the nested table's structure is simple, you could instead use a list structure while in FM, and set up an XSLT import/export that converts that list into a table and back.

Personally, I'd revisit that requirement .. I think you're probably going to run into trouble in many places.

Cheers,

…scott

Rsfl
RsflAuthor
Inspiring
September 29, 2014

Hi Scott,

thanks for the Feedback. Regrettably we cannot change the requirements in this case.

The Framemaker guide does sound like it is possible with some tweaking: "If you export a document to SGML or XML, you can lose the contents of anchored frames in it because they are not part of the main structured flow. Work with your application developer if you plan to export to SGML or XML to avoid losing data in the nested table."

I had  hoped that there might be a workaround, but what exactly the application developer is supposed to do is not mentioned there.

BR,

Robert

ScottPrentice
ScottPrentice
Inspiring
September 29, 2014

I'll ask on the FM dev list that I'm on, but I'm not aware of any nested table options. As a FM developer myself, I can "imagine" ways to do that, but it would cost a bit of change to get such a plugin developed. This would not be just some simple "tweaks".

Your statement that "DITA supports nested tables" is technically correct, but I think if you ask around you'll find that this is generally considered a bad practice. The "support" is really more of a workaround than true support. You can insert a table within a <p> that's in a table cell, but I think that this isn't the real intent. I would try to use an alternate structure that emulates a table-like structure rather than using a real table.

…scott

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