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R
Russ Ward
Legend
September 29, 2011
Answered

XML import deletes whitespace after xref element

  • September 29, 2011
  • 1 reply
  • 2623 views

Hi,

FM10 not patched, WinXP SP3

I've bumped into a very serious problem that I am able to replicate, but not solve. When I import (custom) XML, any whitespace following <xref> elements is deleted. I don't know if it exclusive to crossreference elements or any no-content elements... but for sure it is happening with xrefs.

Here is a zip with sample files with which I am able to replicate this. The XML file has two <xref>s separated by "and". When you import the XML (using the DTD, rules, and template provided), the whitespace before the "and" is deleted.

http://www.weststreetconsulting.com/downloads/test.zip

I disabled all my personal plugins and all DITA plugins that I could find, same thing.

I don't know if anyone has the time to look at this, but I'd be very appreciative if anyone could confirm the problem. This has caused a real mess in my source files that I can go fix using non-breaking spaces, but this is really a pain and very much suboptimal.

Thanks,

Russ

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer ScottPrentice

Hi Russ...

This is a known problem for DITA files, and may also be the cause of the problem you're seeing. This has been fixed in the latest patch, as long as you're using an import/export client that has been rebuilt with the latest FDK libraries. (Presumably if you're using the default client, it should "just work" once you install the update.) I posted this to the framemaker-dita Yahoo group some time ago ..

----------------------

If you're using FM10 DITA (with DITA-FMx or not), you may have noticed that the spaces after inline conrefs are missing. Apparently FM10 introduced some whitespace normalization, that was a little too aggressive.

This may be fixed in a future update, but in the mean time you can fix it by making the following edit to the maker.ini file. In the Preferences section, change this ..

   RemoveExtraWhiteSpacesOnXMLImport=On

to this ..

   RemoveExtraWhiteSpacesOnXMLImport=Off

And all is right in the world once again.

---------------------

Hopefully this will fix your troubles .. but I'd install the update anyway, since that fixes a number of other bugs.

Cheers,

...scott

1 reply

ScottPrentice
ScottPrenticeCorrect answer
Inspiring
September 29, 2011

Hi Russ...

This is a known problem for DITA files, and may also be the cause of the problem you're seeing. This has been fixed in the latest patch, as long as you're using an import/export client that has been rebuilt with the latest FDK libraries. (Presumably if you're using the default client, it should "just work" once you install the update.) I posted this to the framemaker-dita Yahoo group some time ago ..

----------------------

If you're using FM10 DITA (with DITA-FMx or not), you may have noticed that the spaces after inline conrefs are missing. Apparently FM10 introduced some whitespace normalization, that was a little too aggressive.

This may be fixed in a future update, but in the mean time you can fix it by making the following edit to the maker.ini file. In the Preferences section, change this ..

   RemoveExtraWhiteSpacesOnXMLImport=On

to this ..

   RemoveExtraWhiteSpacesOnXMLImport=Off

And all is right in the world once again.

---------------------

Hopefully this will fix your troubles .. but I'd install the update anyway, since that fixes a number of other bugs.

Cheers,

...scott

R
Russ WardAuthor
Legend
September 29, 2011

Scott,

I assume you are talking about the 10.0.1 update. I installed it, but still see the problem (and yes, I am using the default client). However, adjusting that maker.ini setting did stop the behavior, so thanks a million. What an insidious problem... it was messing up hundreds of pages of content with me totally unawares.

Is there any consequence to having this setting as off? And why would you want whitespace normalization anyway, when we are dealing with literary content here?

Russ

ScottPrentice
ScottPrentice
Inspiring
September 29, 2011

Russ...

Yeah .. that's the update that "fixes" the problem. At least it did with DITA. I suppose it's possible that they (Adobe) didn't recompile the default import/export client with the updated FDK libraries. As far as I know, this was a problem in the libraries that were used with those clients.

The only reason that you'd want whitespace normalization is if you're working with XML files that are edited in other editors where extraneous whitespace may get added via "pretty printing" or other such nonsense. If your files remain in FrameMaker, you should be fine to leave this setting off .. I think it's basically the "old" method from earlier FM versions.

Cheers,

...scott

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