Chapter files in my Book file cannot be found

[jonathanb83069379]

All of our chapters and book files are saved in our network drive. The network drive has not been touched or moved at all. 

I got a new computer. I downloaded FrameMaker. When I opened a book file, all chapter files were not linked even generated files such as Table of Contents. 

It can find/relink it if I opened the chapter files from file explorer while I have the book file open.

Is there a better solution to re-link all these files?

[Barb Binder]

Hi Jonathan:

Relink the user files into the book file with whatever method seems easiest. Update the book, look for errors and address those.

You need to be more methodical with the generated files. Be sure the original generated files are in the same folder as the .book file and are using the expected names. (A TOC should be named the book name plus TOC.fm: i.e., MyBook.fm uses a TOC called MyBookTOC.fm.) Add the TOC file back in via the Insert menu in the book window, and pick the same paragraph styles that you used before. When you click Update, Fm will see the old TOC in the folder and will find it so that it will be fully updated when it opens for the same time. Repeat that general procedure for the other generated files. 

~Barb

[jonathanb83069379]

The generated files is the same as the chapter files. Once I opened it through file explorer, it will link again as long as I have the book file open.

What would be the cause of the un-linking of the chapter files?

It seems odd that it will not be able to link it automatically just because I have a new computer. 

We have 100s of book file and opening up each chapter files associated with it seems counterintuitive. It is easy but it will take some time and cost. 

[K.Daube]

IMHo it not your new computer with a fresh FM installation. There must be amismatch between the references (links) in the book file and the actual locations of the chapter files.

If You save one of the book files as MIF, and open this MIF win an ordinary text editor. How do the references look like?

Look for <BookComponent (have a blank after the t) - the next line may contain various forms; wherin <c\> stands for the backslash of a path.

<FileName `<c\>Gugus-bookTOC.fm';  This is located in t he same directory as the book file Gugus-book.book .

<FileName `<v\>G:<c\>Documents+Refs<c\>DocuMethods<c\>FrameMaker<c\>Gugus-file3.fm'> This is located on another drive.

[Winfried Reng]

Hi Jonathan,

Yes. I agree with Klaus. This would have been my approach as well.

And: Do you have this issue with all your book files?

Are the single files of a book all in the same folder? And in the same folder as the book file?

If you want to open all files of a book, press SHIFT, keep it pressed and then click File and then Open All Files in Book. With SHIFT you can open all files in one go.

Best regards

Winfried

[jonathanb83069379]

I do have issues will all of our book files.

The single files of a book are not all in the same folder. Chapter files that are saved in the same folder as the book files are not linked automatically unless I opened them manually.

Common files across our book files are saved in another folder. So far I notice, that once I opened these common files they are able to be linked to other book files. 

[jonathanb83069379]

I have checked the book files after saving them as MIF.

The chapter files show they are located in the same drive.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Do you have some sort of source control system in play? That's the only thing I can think of that changing a computer might affect.

[jonathanb83069379]

The only thing I can think of is that our Fm files are saved in our Solidworks PDM Vault. I am not sure if that has an effect on it. 

[Jeff_Coatsworth · Accepted solution]

I bet it does - is there a client program installed that allows for check out/in of files?

[jonathanb83069379]

yes, there is. 

[jonathanb83069379]

That gave me an idea. It seems the link is broken since I lost all the cache data with my new computer. Once I get all the latest versions using the PDM software. The book files are able to link to the chapter files. 

Thank you very much.

Jonathan