Comment Markers

[AJFT]

Comment markers are extremely helpful.

Imagine authoring with notes to self. Yet,

- we can't include a clickable url in a marker's text (nor in a pdf's comment...)

- the markers panel displays almost the whole of a marker's text (the first line would do)

Is there a way to script ourselves out of this?

Thanks.

[Bob_Niland]

I've never used a Marker of type Comment. Do they survive as metadata into any outputs?

re: we can't include a clickable url in a marker's text

That would seem to be the job of Marker of type Hypertext.

re: (nor in a pdf's comment...)

What object is that? (during FM authoring)

Which is not to say that FM markers are ideal. I'd like hypertext regions to have the equivalent of the HTML Title attribute available, for more useful hovertext in both PDF and HTML output, and Cross-Ref needs a "spot" capability (FRMAKER-2294).

[AJFT]

Hi Bob,

Thanks for your message. Let's see:

• 'Do they survive as metadata into any outputs?' In pdf, no (don't think so); in html, yes, e.g.:

<a data-indexterm="comment%20text" id="text" name="comment_text"></a>

• 'That would seem to be the job of Marker of type Hypertext.' Agree when we're talking about a typical url for the end reader. No to so much when we're talking about a note to self, i.e. the tech writer. Picture when there's a stats report that's updated twice a year. We can set a comment marker for, say, a particular passage with a url pointing to sources, etc. Next year, we'd click on it, get the data, re-write the passage. Useful.
• 'What object is that?' Sorry, my bad. Was pointing to the similar deficit with a reader's comment in, say, AA. I can't add a url into a comment there when, say, I'm reviewing a doc and would like to point someone to an online source. 'See this online example here: <clickable url>' Can't be done. Similar problem, different object.
• 'Which is not to say that FM markers are ideal.' Indeed. Whenever I mention these points, though, I'm left with the impression my use is uncommon as to request a new feature. It's indeed useful, though. For years I've been working with MS Word manuscripts with clickable urls in user comments. On this end, though, it's as if there's this real-estate (comment markers in FM and user comments in AA) that we aren't capitalizing on. Obviously, the way FM markers are coded doesn't support a clickable url...

Was just wondering if there would be a work around. FM is an authoring tool, after all...

Anyhow. Thanks. Appreciate your time.

[Bob_Niland]

That the comment survives into HTML, and not into PDF would probably prevent me from ever using it, but it depends on the intent.

For notes-to-document stewards, I'd be more likely to use Conditional Text, and put up with the re-flow when code Comment is switched on and off. But for recent projects, I create a separate template.fm file, which contains the prototypes for all the catalogs, properties, styles & variables, and commentary thereon.

[AJFT]

Hi Bob, thanks for your message. Never occurred to me using conditional tags for this purpose. I don’t see how…? I’ll have a look. It's indeed a matter of intent, though, as you well put it. Comment markers come along with those neat, symbiotic panels, the MarkerS + Marker_. It’s just a shame that comment markers are coded in a way that doesn’t support we inserting a clickable url. It baffles me, but then again, I’m baffling to most people, so… Cheers.

[Bob_Niland]

AJFT: Never occurred to me using conditional tags for this purpose. I don’t see how…?

This presumes that the intent is author/steward notes not intended to get published with the document. In recent FMs, this is found via:
Insert🞃Conditional Tags…
(which has a tag of Comment pre-defined)
Switch on and off with
View🞃Show/Hide Conditional Text…

When switched on/off, the surrounding text expands/collapses around the conditional text. I've also used it for things like alternate text for domestic/export and brand A/B badge engineering of same product.

My general rule is:

Use Condition Codes when reflow is no problem.
Use Color Views to simply switch on and off in place.

[frameexpert]

Keep in mind that you can generate a List of Markers or an Index of Markers in a book. Since generated files are FrameMaker documents, you can edit and format them into a report. If you make a PDF from the report, the URLs should be become links (Acrobat does this automatically I think). Or you can run a script on the FrameMaker report. Also, a generated FrameMaker file (and its resulting PDF) has links back to the marker location in the FrameMaker book.

[AJFT]

Hi Mr frameexpert. Thanks for your message. Interesting workaround… So: Markers → Report → URLs → Script, or no Script, at all… Interesting. There goes my weekend 🙂 Thanks, appreciate it.