Assign Master Pages to EndPages (inserted blank pages)

[_VLM_]

Is there a way to assign a master page (pair) to those inserted pages (body pages on which all body text flows are empty and that contain no other body page objects).

My old company had a plugin that did this, but that was Frame 5.x. It wouldn't run in the current version, even if I could find it.

Thank you kindly,
Elchanan

[_Scott_Prentice_]

I think a plugin (or FrameScript) is the only way to go on this. In most cases, plugins can be used on a newer version of FM .. if you could find it, it might just work.

Cheers,

...scott

[Shlomo Perets]

You may try using FrameMaker's Apply Master Pages function (7.0 or later) for this purpose, as follows:

-- create a new master page, named LeftRegular (or something similar), that will control the layout of the standard Left pages

-- modify your standard Left master page so that it become the special blank page ("intentionally left blank" or so)

-- in the mapping table controlling the assignment of master pages based on paragraph tags or element names, specify that "Body" paragraphs (and/or any other tags encountered on regular body pages) on left-hand pages assign the LeftRegular master page

As you use the Apply Master Pages function (which may be document- or book-wide), the reserved "Left" master page -- not applied by any other paragraph -- will then be the "blank" page.

When switching to the Apply Master Pages approach to control application of custom master pages, all assignments should be controlled through the mapping table (as manually assigned master pages are reset); test the master page assignments you need in a complex document, including multi-page tables (if this applies to your documents).

Shlomo Perets

MicroType * http://www.microtype.com
FrameMaker training & consulting * FM-to-Acrobat TimeSavers

"Improve Your FrameMaker Skills" live web-based training sessions

[Amy_Bates]

Hi,

I have a similar question about applying master pages based on the reference mapping table. Is it possible to specify that a master page be applied to the next page after the page that contains the trigger paragraph tag?

I am trying to apply master pages automatically to a set of pages that contain a multi-page table--beginning with the second page of the table. When I add the trigger paragraph tag to the second page (within one of the table cells), FrameMaker ignores the mapping table and doesn't apply the specified master pages. However, if I add the trigger to the first page (just above the table), the master pages are applied correctly.

Is there a way to specify in the mapping table that the master page application should begin with the next page and not to the page containing the trigger tag?

Many thanks,

Amy

[peter minneapolis]

Hi, Amy:

When I first mentioned FrameMaker's Apply Master Pages feature in response to another thread of yours, I believe that I noted that it doesbn't respond to "trigger" paragraphs in text flows on body pages if they are within table cells, even though their formats are specified in the Master Pages Mapping Table.

You may want to look up siliconprairiesoftware.com's Master Page utility for FM; it may offer more flexibility than FM's built-in feature.

HTH

Regards,

Peter Gold

KnowHow ProServices

[AxialInfo]

That's an interesting challenge, Amy.

Silicon Prairie's utilities are very good, so Peter's suggestion is undoubtedly going to be the best (and maybe only) viable answer -- and I see that the description of Master Page Tools mentions that it works within tables or graphic anchors, too.

The only other option would be to have a Framescript to do what you need, which would certainly not be as cost-effective or immediately available as the Master Page Tools.  More info about Framescript at http://www.framescript.com and also on the user group at

    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/framescript-users/

[Amy_Bates]

We purchased the Master Page Tools plug-in from Silicon Prairie Software, and it's working perfectly! Thanks again, everyone, for your help.

Amy

[lsk2002]

Don't know for sure if this applies, but it sounds like it. I made a blank page para tag that would begin on the next page, and used a reference page with "This page intentionally left blank." typed on it and named it blank page. In the paragraph designer for the para blank page I just selected the Frame Below Pgf. to be blank page. It works great!!

ls

[_VLM_]

Shlomo,

Thanks Shlomo, this solution is very easy to implement and "should" work well, with one caveat. If I have, for example, a multipage table anchored in a paragragh whose paratag uses a special master page pair (as Landscape Left/Right) set to span pages, and if I resume ordinary content on the last page of the table, then I believe that subsequent content will revert the master page for the last page of the table.

Of course, I could add to the template a set of top-of-page paratags just to handle such situations, but that lengthens the catalog and seems to conflict a bit with the template/author distinction. I'd prefer to make this work using our existing paratag set.

I'm trying to test this right now, but spanning does not appear to work as it did yesterday. Only the first page of the table is receiving a landscape master page. I'll need to resolve this problem, then test for the caveat, above.

If you have a suggestion about using "span pages", I'd be grateful!

Best regards,
Elchanan

[J_D_W]

The Master Page Tools plugin from Silicon Prairie software handles blank pages very nicely and works on FrameMaker 8.x. It's only $10 and might meet your requirements.

The span pages functionality applies only to the first paragraph in the span. In your case, the anchoring paragraph for the table is only there on the first page of the table (despite appearances).

For your situation, perhaps you could assign a paragraph to mark the end of the table. If you set its "space below" property to some large value, like 999 pts, the following content will appear on the next page. Then, you set the "table anchor" ¶ to use the landscape pages, but set it to "Until Changed". Then set the "end of table" ¶ to use the landscape pages, but set it to "Single". Then you should find that your master pages are assigned correctly.

This is slightly clunky but it works well (at least for me).

Jon