Changes to Structured Output templates can't be saved

[zornitzad80431241]

Hi there,

I want to change the default font in my Structured Output templates.

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe FrameMaker 2022\Structure\xml\DITA\outputTemplates.

As per the answer from the Adobe TS:

In order to use a default font in FM document, user can create a template(fm file) and define his fonts then use that template to create new documents.

There is no maker flag that can be used to achieve this.

So I opened the ChapterOutoutTpl output template and saved it as ChapterOutoutTpl_PxC.

Changed the default font to PxC GillAltOneMT (the font has been added to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe FrameMaker 2022\fminit\fonts\adobe directory). The new font appeared in the top Font menu.

However, after I saved the file, the default font went back to Calibri.

What I have to do to save a change to the output templates?

I am running Structured Framamaker - 17.02. and have admistrators rights on my laptop where FM is loaded.

Regards,

Zornitza Doneva

[FrameMaker-dk]

I am no expert in Structurede Publishing, but I believe you will have to export the EDD out of the template. In the EDD you can see what has been written into the structure settings. I MY template  I found this when looking at the EDD:

So Calibri has been written into the EDD. If you change the font in the EDD and import the EDD into your documents, I THINK.... things may work for you. THINK! 🙂

[frameexpert · Accepted solution]

Here is a short video showing you how this works:

https://youtu.be/uhhi6nSnnyo

[zornitzad80431241]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for the super detailed video. I followed it word by word and everything worked with flying colors.

I am attaching a snapshot of my xml file (introduction_purpose.xml) with the new Gill Sans MT font implemented and the published pdf.

Then, I also published the ditamap (my ditamap file name is QG_test_1.ditamap) containing the xml file with the paragraph with changed font. When ditamap was published, the changes in the xml file were not implemented. I am attaching the pdf from the ditamap as well (see QG_test_1.pdf).

I am wondering if  I have to change somewhere else (maybe in another template?) as well.

We always publish our xml files as parts of ditamaps since they all of them have crossreferences which work together with the ditamaps.

Thanks again for the fast and detailed response!

Zornitza Doneva

[frameexpert · Accepted solution]

Adobe uses this horrible ini file to control publishing settings:

C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\FrameMaker\<Version>\ditafm-output.ini

Open it with a text editor and edit the TemplateDir key:

[General Options]
SavePDFViaBookRoute=0
;template dir can be absolute path or appended with $STRUCTDIR or relative to installed directory
TemplateDir=C:\Users\rick\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\FrameMaker\17\CustomTemplates

...

Depending on your template name and output type, you may have to change one of the following keys:

[General Options]

CompositeDocTemplate_1.3

[BookWithFM-Chapter]

Template

(etc.)

[zornitzad80431241]

Hi Rick,

When I updated the ini file with the following:

[General Options]
SavePDFViaBookRoute=0
;template dir can be absolute path or appended with $STRUCTDIR or relative to installed directory
TemplateDir=C:\Users\zornitzadoneva\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\FrameMaker\17\CustomTemplates

[BookWithFM-Chapter]
Template=concept.template.fm
TemplateLwDITA=LwDITATopicOutputTpl.fm
TitleTemplate=ChapterTitleTpl.fm

With this change, FM was very slow to start and crushed when publishing.

Solution 2:

I kept:

[General Options]
SavePDFViaBookRoute=0
;template dir can be absolute path or appended with $STRUCTDIR or relative to installed directory
TemplateDir=C:\Users\zornitzadoneva\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\FrameMaker\17\CustomTemplates

but  returned to default the BookWithFM-Section:

[BookWithFM-Section]
Template=SectionOutputTpl.fm
TemplateLwDITA=LwDITATopicOutputTpl.fm
TitleTemplate=SectionTitleTpl.fm

What else I did - this time I changed  in the Publish Settings: Outputs replacing the default Output template for Chapter Output with concept.template.fm (see the attached file).

Solution 2 worked with my test file and with one of my smallest book files.

As a bonus, since the output template is the same file for concept and task, the published ditamap file changed the font in all xml files including these based on the task template.

Thanks for your fast and detailed reply!

Zornitz Doneva 

[zornitzad80431241]

Thanks again for the detailed answer!

I updated successfully ChapterOutputTpl_PxC.fm and the other templates, and managed to publish my first large files with the new default font.

However, I noticed that a few styles do not convert to my new default font.

The styles and elements are as following:

1) Groupseq>kwd and groupchoice>var

2) codeph

 For both, the font becomes Courier New but the font size is also smaller that the rest (8.5 pt comparing to the minimum height of 9 pt).

3) ol.num.continue- it stays on the Adobe default style which is Calibri

4) after a sequence of stepxmp >p > menucascade > uicontrol , the default font remains unchanged (i.e. Calibri).

I was wondering if someone has any experience  with such styles / elements in Structured FM?

I am attaching a pdf showing not changed font styles and to which elements this happen.

[frameexpert]

Can you meet briefly so I can show you this? Then we can summarize an answer for the list. Please contact me offlist: rick at frameexpert dot com

[zornitzad80431241]

Rick,

Thanks for your time explaining me the solution.

I outlined the steps taken to change the font properties of 3 elements.

1. Open the Reference file with elements to be changed. In my case, I opened the ChapterOutputTpl_PxC.fm output template.
2. Go to Structure > EDD > Export element Catalog as EDD
A new file opens. Save it as CustomEDDCatalog.fm in C:\Users\<directory>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\FrameMaker\17\CustomTemplates or another designated directory. Open it in Structural view.

3. in Structural view, Shift +click on the arrow of any Element to have all elements shown not in expanded form.

4. Open the reference file with the kwd and highlight it.

5. Go to Structure > Show Element Contest. The following screen appears.
The following screen appears. Extend it to show all rules.

6. Find the element in the EDD
Check in the TextFormatRules - the element is FormatChangeList Tag – programmingDomainSizeDown (see below)

7. Go to the bottom of the EDD file in Structure View – the FormatChangeList are typically at the bottom. programmingDomainSizeDown is shown at the bottom. We see that the rule just reduces the size with -0.5 pt.

8. Bring the Character Designer – Ctrl +D. Change to PxC Helvetica 9.5 pt – see below. Click Apply, Update Style and Remove Overrides after that.

9. To check if that is saved. Go to File > Import > Element Definition

10. Or, save ChapterOutputTpl_PxC.fm output template, upload the new template in the Publish Settings dialog box and publish the file.

11. The new pdf file shows the implemented PxC Helvetica font.

12. Repeat the same steps for the rest of the elements to be changed. In our case, prog.var and prog.codeph

I am also attaching a pdf file showing also snapshots of screens and dialog boxes in FM.