Cannot import conditional import expression in FM9

[mr_adamlins]

Hi,

I have two unstructured books, each with multiple source files. In one book I can create a show/hide expression in one of the book's files, then use File > Import to copy the expression to the other files in the book. In the other book this doesn't work at all. I can't even use the format import feature to copy expressions from one document file to another. Has anyone experienced this and know of a work-around?

Thanks,

-Adam

[Van Kurtz · Accepted solution]

I have never copied a show/hide expression from one file to another. So, I do not know whether one is able to do it.

This is what I do... In the book file, select all the files in the book. Then use the expression builder to create the expression and click apply (or whatever the button is labeled).

For some reason, I do not think the expression is stored in the book file or any of the document files. I think it is just stored on your machine, but I am not sure about all of this. Maybe some one else knows the correct answer.

Van

[mr_adamlins]

Van,

Thanks---that worked!

BTW, yes, expressions are stored inside files. At least, if you save a file as a MIF file, you'll see the expressions.

-Adam

[mattn95553419]

Related question: I recently upgraded from v2017 to v2020, and ALL of my conditional expressions have disappeared. SHould I have converted at least one to a MIF (while I still had v2017 on my machine)? How else can I retrieve my expressions without having to recreate them all?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Even if you upgraded, you should still the previous copy installed.

[mattn95553419]

No. IT makes us delete immediately.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Well, that's just dumb on their part - guess you'd better start building!

[Winfried Reng]

Hi,

I just tested this with FM 2019 and FM 2020.

I created an expression for show/hide conditions in FM 2019. Then I opened this file in FM 2020. The condition was there and worked.

I do not know, if this is the same with FM 2017.

Can you save your file as MIF and then open it with MifBrowse?

http://www.grahamwideman.com/gw/tech/framemaker/mifbrowse.htm

This is an old tool, but it works very well. You do not need to install anything. Just download it and start it.

Search for BoolCondCatalog. There are the expressions.

Is this catalogue empty?

Best regards

Winfried

[mattn95553419]

Thanks for responding, Winfried. I downloaded MifBrowse and used it to analyze the v2017 MIF file that my colleague forwarded to me. That file--as a v2017 FrameMaker file--has all of the coniditional expressions. In MifBrowse, however, I could find no BoolCondCatalog string. I could see all of the conditional text settings, but no expressions.

I also could not even find the string expression.

Perhaps converting from v2017 to MIF removes expressions? And opening a native v2017 FM file in v2020 also removes expressions?

[LinSims]

If you have the MIF file, you should be able to import the expressions from the MIF file to the FM2020 file using the File > Import > Formats > Conditional Text Settings.

If that doesn't work, you can try converting the FM2020 file to MIF, open both MIF files in a text editor (Notepad++ is good for this), then copy the conditional expression from the 2017MIF file to the same place in the 2020MIF file.

Make sure you put it in the the Boolean Condition Catalog (<BoolCondCatalog), which comes after the ConditionCatalog (> # end of ConditionCatalog).

ETA: the MIF file doesn't use the string "expression"; it calls it BoolCondCatalog, for boolean conditions.

[mattn95553419]

Every FM file, even a "new" file, has a "default expression". If you create a new file and look in Show/hide conditional text, you will see the default expression named Default Expression. If you search in a MIF for the string "expression", it will find "<BoolCondTag `Conditional Expression'>" and "<BoolCondExprName `Default Expression'>".

I was able to do that with a v2020 file saved as MIF.

The v2017 file saved as MIF, however, did not have the string "expression" nor the string "BoolCondTag".

I'm beginning to think this may be a v2017 bug: not converting any expressions to MIF or even allowing a later version to convert them when opening a v2017 FM file.

[mattn95553419]

I may have uncovered the "bug". Would appreciate an Adobe expert to confirm....

I have a condition--inherited from days of old--called FM_PDF_Comments_Highlight. When I recreate an expression, everything works until I add this condition. I noticed v2020 includes a similar reserved condition called FM_PDF_Comments_Underline. Again my expressions works until I add this one.

Does v2020 have a condition name length limitation that invalidates expressions if the name is too long?

[Amitojsingh]

Yes looks like a bug.. can you please log it via tracker.adobe.com and we can look into it in Update 2.