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M
Marsha_Lofthouse
Known Participant
May 16, 2013
Question

Why can't I open a DITA <topic> file?

  • May 16, 2013
  • 1 reply
  • 636 views

FrameMaker 11

DITA 1.2

Yes, this is a repeat of an earlier query but I'm hoping the new title will help. I'm really stumped and this seems like it should be simple.

When I originally set up my EDDs early this year, I did not want anyone using the generic topic; I wanted everyone to use the task, reference, and conept topics only, until they got more experienced. Now, however, I want to have the Topic topic available so I can create a collection topic for conrefs. However, when I try to open a topic from the FrameMaker DITA menu > New DITA File > New <topic>…, it opens a concept rather than a topic.

I can’t remember what I did to restrict the use of topic, therefore I’m at a loss as to how to make it available now. It seems that it should be easy.

BTW, topic is at the top of my structapps file, FWIW, but that structapps file is not was my roaming directory. I moved it there but that made no difference.

Please help.

Marsha

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

ScottPrentice
ScottPrentice
Inspiring
May 17, 2013

Hi Marsha...

The items available for selection on the New DITA File menu are defined by the current set of structure applications (in the application mapping dialog) specified in the DITA Options dialog. I believe that any element in any of these apps that is identified as "valid at top level" will show up in the list of New DITA file types. (I may not be totally correct here, but this is the general idea.)

I have no idea why you'd get a "concept" topic when you select "topic" from the list .. but possibly your "topic" application has a "concept" element in it?

You may need to try to compare the default structure application definitions and default EDDs with your custom versions. I assume that you cloned the default apps and created your own versions so it's easy to switch back and forth?

You should not be moving or copying the structapps files around. There are only two in use at any time .. one in the "default" location (FMDIR\Structure\XML .. this is the "global" app definition file), and one in the "user" location (which will likely be at "%appdata%\Adobe\FrameMaker\11"). If you open these from the StructureTools menu, they will open the right files. The "global" file has the default apps, and the "user" file has your custom apps.

Sorry I can't be of more help .. it's hard to know what was done so can't say how to fix it.

Cheers,

...scott

M
Marsha_LofthouseAuthor
Known Participant
May 17, 2013

Thanks for your reply, Scott.

  • I checked my DITA Options. Topic is included there, as it should be.
  • I checked my topic.eddmod.fm file. Topic is valid as the highest-level element. The general rule does include concept, however it also includes other elements (topic | concept | task | reference)* in addition to title plus other optional elements.
  • I've compared my structapps.fm file with the default (numerous times). No difference. Topic is at the top of the list in the structapps file. Yes, I did clone the default apps.
  • I'll go back to my saved user structapps file in the %appdata% location. I was grasping at straws when I changed that one.

I'll go back to my troubleshooting. I really have no idea what I changed or if I changed something to cause this conundrum.

Marsha

ScottPrentice
ScottPrentice
Inspiring
May 17, 2013

I've probably said this before .. but I think that the way Adobe has set up the DITA 1.2 structure applications is really bad. Conceptually, it's quite elegant in mirroring the way the DITA DTD/MOD files are set up, but from a practical perspective it's awful.

There's really no advantage to maintaining separate apps for each topic type. It just creates a huge amount of extra work and increases the likelihood that you'll mess something up. IMHO, the best approach is to set up a single "ditabase" app that contains element definitions for all of the elements. This would let you eliminate the "edd-mod" files, and just manage everything in one file.

This is the way the DITA 1.1 apps were set up, and it worked just fine. Yes, there are situations in DITA 1.2 where there are different general rules for the same element in different conditions .. but this is a total edge case and not likely to occur for most people.

When you generate a book from a map, and you have "chapter" FM files, you'll probably need all of these models merged into a single file anyway .. so why not just use that for authoring as well?

This is the approach I'm using for DITA-FMx 2.0 and so far it seems to be working just fine.

Cheers,

...scott

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