Complications with Hypertext dialog open

[Bert1823]

This is Framemaker 15. The Hypertext dialog often causes problems, such as:

• Files get out of edit mode when doing link tests with Make View-Only, often forcing a close of the source file, and having to reopen it and finding that it is uneditable, possibly others as well. It is not always obvious that the dialog setting is the problem until you figure out that changing to Make Editable resolves it.
• The files that are unexpectedly in non-edit mode don't seem to be recognized in Update Book.
• Doing a book search or some other routine operation with Hypertext open causes a taskmgr-required crash without creating crash or backup files.

[Barb Binder]

There is so much confusion on the Make View Only/Make Editable button that I only bring it up in class when I get a specific question. My students have a tough time understanding that Make View Only means that the file is unlocked right now, and the Make Editable means it is locked right now. Would love to see the buttons show Lock File/Unlock File instead.

That said, here's the trick on figuring out if the document (or book is locked)—watch the menus, and the the subtle change of the golden lock icon in the toolbar.

Unlocked document:

Locked document (shorter menus and displays the navigation menu):

Unlock the files prior to updating the book.

[Bert1823]

Barb, the only thing is that you have to be IN the document to get that change in the menu, it doesn't show it if you step through the list of book files. Nor does the Hypertext status change when you step through. So you need to OPEN each file. No one would normally think of having to do that. The lock symbol by itself does not give a status either way, only the one Toggle View Only tooltip.

[Bert1823]

What's more, if you make a file View Only, but remove the Hypertext dialog AND the Quick Access Bar to show the Lock toggle, you can't make it editable, because you've lost both menu items on the shortened menu. You have to open another file to get those functions back.

[Bert1823]

Now I'm totally hosed, and Adobe Support no longer covers Framemaker 15 over the phone. PLEASE HELP IN THAT THIS IS A CRITICAL APPLICATION. I now have a file that is in permanent View Only uneditable format even though I toggled the Hypertext and the Lock button on the Quick Access Bar. Once I make Hypertext Make Editable and/or click the Lock button to make it editable then save and close the file, it saves it in that state, but when I open it it is invariably in View Only state again. The only real solution is to replace the file with its backup. Luckily that backup still had it as editable, so that's what I did. I MIGHT NOT BE AS LUCKY NEXT TIME.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Check out post#3 on this thread - How to Make View Only Book File Editable 

[Arnis_Gubins]

You can always use the "<esc> F l k" shortcut to unlock any FM file [that's the gist of the link that Jeff posted].

FYI, FM has over 1100+ keybpoard commands that work in any file. The new FM 2017 release now has a command module that quickly lets you search for and apply a command.