Changing relative folder structure with text insets

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(FM11 on Win7)

What will make the end result maintainable and the make the transition easy?

A set of project files has the following structure:

*.book // some for deliverables; some are "workbench" books for managing content

*.book-generated files, such as *TOC.fm and *IX.fm

ch_*.fm // These are chapter files that are part of the book. They include ch_*TOC.fm files as insets.

ch_*TOC.fm // these are the chapter TOC files

_Graphics // a folder that contains graphics files

_Insets; a folder of text insets. Some point to files in the _Graphics folder

To "clean" the top level of the master folder so that it is easier for multiple authors to share, we are considering repositioning:

• The book files and their generated files to a _Books folder, or maybe a different _Book folder for each type of deliverable. We will create more books in the future.
• Chapter and chapterTOC files to a new folder. We will create more chapters in the future.

The proposed structure is:

_Books // contains that .book file from above, plus its generated files

_Chapters // contains the following from above

ch_*.fm // These are chapter files that are part of the book. They include ch_*TOC.fm files as insets.

ch_*TOC.fm // these are the chapter TOC files

_Graphics // unchanged from above

_Insets // unchanged from above

Apparently FM11 does not enable a change of relative references to text insets the way it does graphics. If it does, I don't see that feature in the GUI. What am I missing?

To enable the _Chapters change concept, do I need to MIF each chapter file with a text editor, such as Notepad++, and replace the old relative references with the new one? Something like this?

WAS <TiSrcFile `<c\>_Insets<c\>filename.fm

BECOMES <TiSrcFile `<c\>..\_Insets<c\>filename.fm

Moving the book files does not look as complex. Is this the simplest way?

1. Move the chapter files.
2. Move the book file.
3. Open the book file. Its chapter references fail.
4. Add the chapter files from their new _Chapters folder and delete the old broken references.
5. Update the book.

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A quick check of the FM11 MIF reference indicates this for the editing:

WAS <TiSrcFile `<c\>_Insets<c\>filename.fm

BECOMES <TiSrcFile `<u\><c\>_Insets<c\>filename.fm

[Arnis Gubins · Accepted solution]

Just be certain to not start the folders at the root of the drive, i.e. C:\Books. This is the "root" level of the drive. Start your entire structure one-level down, e.g. C:\Projects\Books. FM has a nasty habit of converting all relative file references to absolute ones if any of the path to a file traverses the root of the drive. This will will really bite you if you ever have to move your collection to another location.

Text insts behave differently, in that FM actually stores the entire content of the inset internally as well as maintaining a pointer to the file. Unfortunately, you're going to have to either re-import the inset or tweak the path in the MIF <TiSrcFile....> entry.

In your current structure, you have the graphics and insets one-level down from the FM files and books (child relationship). In the new structure, you're proposing to move them to a folder at the same level (sibling relationship).

It probably would be simpler and less error-prone to create new book files after you re-organize your files and ensure that there are no broken file references.

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Thanks!