Customizing TOC

Report · Nov 17, 2011

Hello

I am running W7, FM10.

I have created and formatted a TOC, which looks very pretty.

I want to add a List of Figures after the TOC, in the same document.

Is this possible?

Report · Nov 17, 2011

Having never done a LOF, it strikes that it would be simple to do as the next file after TOC in the book.

Getting a separate LOF to appear in the TOC after the TOC list might be tricky.

Report · Nov 17, 2011

Error7103 wrote:
Having never done a LOF, it strikes that it would be simple to do as the next file after TOC in the book.
Getting a separate LOF to appear in the TOC after the TOC list might be tricky.

You're not wrong, mate.

It does give you the option of creating an LOF within the document, but it doesn't seem to want to do it.

To be honest, I doubt there's a way around this that doesn't inlove DITA/Framescript, but I live in hope.

Report · Nov 17, 2011

... creating an LOF within the document ...

Document or Book?

I just tried adding a LOF to a book I'm working on, and it worked as expected, generating an xyzzyLOF.fm file that would need the normal format and layout tweaks.

This is, however, on FM7.1/Unix.

Report · Nov 17, 2011

Error7103 wrote:
... creating an LOF within the document ...
Document or Book?
I just tried adding a LOF to a book I'm working on, and it worked as expected, generating an xyzzyLOF.fm file that would need the normal format and layout tweaks.
This is, however, on FM7.1/Unix.

I am after putting it in to a document, but I think I'll have to setle for putting it in the book. I can always doctor it so it looks like it is part of the same document, I suppose.

Report · Nov 17, 2011

I am after putting it in to a document ...

The basic way of putting generated lists in a document is to generate them, then copy and paste-back. You have to do this every time. They used to do it here (when they remembered, anyway).

If I had that requirement, I'd be tempted to try generating the external list file(s), but using a text inset in the main document to capture the generated list.

You could even set this up as a pseudo-book, where you have BODY.fm, TOC.fm, LOF.fm, IX.fm, all auto-updated, where TOC/LOF/IX are all displayed in BODY as insets.

And you only ever render/print the BODY file.

Report · Nov 17, 2011

Bowen,

I am after putting it in to a document, but I think I'll have to setle for putting it in the book. I can always doctor it so it looks like it is part of the same document, I suppose.

When you create a TOC that is to be part of the document (not a book TOC), Frame creates the TOC in a separate file, which I would insert BY REFERENCE into the document. You do the same thing with a LOF. Just create a text inset to it after (or wherever you want it) the text inset for the TOC.

Doing TOCs and LOFs and any other list or index is generally easier to do in a book because each file is also a file in the book. You then use the numbering properties and master pages to get the look you want in the final PDF.

HOWEVER, nothing prevents you from text insetting these files into OTHER files in the book. For reasons I will not explain, I do this with my books. For example, if you want the LOF to immediately follow the TOC without a page break, you can add the TOC and LOF to the book, as you normally would. Then create a new document in the book and insert the TOC by reference into the new document followed by inserting the LOF by reference. You can even add other content anywhere in the document. Then add the new document to the book where you would normally have the TOC and LOF. I typically move the GENERATED TOC and LOF to the bottom of the book file, for reasons explained below.

Then each time you update the book, update the book twice. When Frame updates a book, it updates the text insets first and then updates the generated files. At this point, the generated TOC and LOF are updated but their insets are the older versions. The second book update pulls the new generated files into their inset areas.

THEN when you create the PDF, select all the files in the book file, EXCEPT the generated files at the end of the book (there is a shortcut to do this, select Edit > Select > Nongenerated files with the book file active). This is why I keep the generated files at the end of the book, simplicity when printing and nothing has to be done to them to get page numbering and master pages correct. If you have hyperlinks turned on in the generated files, they become links in the PDF, if you specify the Acrobat settings in the print dialog.

Regards,

Van