Duplicated Chapter Number

[Sarah V.]

Hi everyone! I'm fairly new to FrameMaker 2020 and recently inherited a document with some chaptering issues. In the ToC, two different chapters are listed as "Chapter 5," which also appears in both sections' page/chapter headers. This happened after I'd used the "Update Book" option to try to fix some other page numbering issues.

The correct Chapter 5 looks like this: 

And the incorrect Chapter 5 (which should be Chapter 6) looks like it's formatted the same way, so I'm not sure what the issue is:

I've tried to check the overall chaptering settings for the book file for disceprancies between that and the individual chapters, but it's greyed out: 

I've been trying to fix this for a few days without any luck, so any help would be greatly appreciated! 

[frameexpert]

Make sure you are setting the numbering properties at the book component level. Right-click on the document in the book window and choose Numbering to set it there. Also, make sure the chapter numbers in your paragraph format are using the <$chapnum> building block.

[Sarah V.]

Thanks, @frameexpert! When I right-click on the .book file itself, the Numbering options are unavailable:

And it looks like both of these chapters are using the <$chapnum> building block: 

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

No, right-click on the document in the book, not the book file itself.

[Be.eM]

I've tried to check the overall chaptering settings for the book file for disceprancies between that and the individual chapters, but it's greyed out: 

Sarah,

the option for setting the numbering options is greyed out, because you cannot set the numbering for the book itself, but only for the individual files within the book. So when displaying the individual book files within the book, right-click on them and chose "Numbering…" there.

Bernd

[Bob_Niland]

And the usual choice for .book chapters is:
⦿ Continue Numbering From Previous Chapter in Book
but it might also be:
⦿ Read from file

in which case you'll need to se how the .fm file itself is set.

[Sarah V.]

Thanks, @Be.eM and @Bob_Niland! Both chapters were already set to "Continue Numbering From Previous Chapter in Book," I just tried changing (what should be) Chapter 6 to "Read from File" and updated the book, but it didn't change anything, unfortunately. 

[Barb Binder]

Hi @Sarah V. :

I would:

• Click on Contact Managment in the book window, and Shift+click on Constants to select the whole group of chapters.
• Then right click over the group > Numbering > Chapter* > Continue Numbering From Previous Chapter in Book and then update the book, twice.

Does that take care of it? I ran into an issue recently where I had to update the book twice in a row to get the numbering to update. It's worth a shot. Also, you can click the second to last button in the book toolbar—not visible in your screen shots because the book window is narrow—to see all of the chapter numbers in the list (instead of the chapter names) which makes troubleshooting the chapter numbers slightly easier. Click it back once you can see the continuous numbering. 

*Also the Numbering dialog box has a lot of tabs. Be sure you have the Chapter tab selected on the top row.

~Barb

[Sarah V.]

Thanks, @Barb Binder! I just followed those steps and updated the book twice without any luck, unfortunately - still two Chapter 5s. I know that the file was created with an older version of FrameMakerk which may be part of the issue (totally guessing, but it wouldn't surprise me). 

[Bob_Niland]

If not already done, it would now time to check the Master Pages in the errant chapter and see just what represents the ch#.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Any chance you could upload the book to a private link and send a private message through the Community messaging? 

[Barb Binder]

Hey Sarah:

And you are definitely in the Chapter tab? Are you getting any Error Log messages?

Like, Dave, I'm also happy to take a look if you want to private message us the files. 

~Barb

[Sarah V.]

Hey Barb,

Yep, I'm definitely in the Chapter Tab. I'm touching base with our security team and product managers and asking if I can send you and Dave the files, and I'll let you know as soon as I have a response! I really appreciate all of your help. 

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Hi Sarah:

I know you have a lot a amazing folks trying to help on this thread, so I'm only speaking for myself: I misread your screen shots showing the <$chapnum> variables in the the two chapters as showing the <$chapnum> building blocks in Paragraph > Auto-numbering, because that's what I was expecting to see. (Sorry!!)

You aren't using a variable here at all. For all chapters in your book except the Notifications.fm chapter, you are using auto-numbering on the Chapter# number paragraph style. (Though you aren't using the normal <$chapnum> building block, but instead the legacy technique of C:<n+>. Which is fine, again just unexpected.)

The issue is that Notifications.fm has the wrong style is applied (ChapterTitle and not Chapter#), and the number 5 was typed in manually. So, 

• Open Notifications.fm
• Remove the 5
• Assign Chapter#
• Update your book

~Barb

[Sarah V.]

Thank you so much! It worked. Can't believe I missed that - definitely still getting the hang of FrameMaker and have no idea how long that would've taken me to solve. 👏

[Barb Binder]

Hi Sarah:

FrameMaker is a tough application to teach yourself—it's significantly easier after attending training. If that isn't in the budget, we do have one more free webinar coming up at the end of October. Consider joining us! It's going to be mostly on books and generated files.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/framemaker-discussions/framemaker-essentials-join-the-virtual-worksho...

And come back when you hit another stumbling block. We are all very happy to help.

~Barb

[Sarah V.]

Awesome - thanks, Barb! I just registered for the October webinar. See you then, and I'll definitely pop back in here if I run into any issues in the meantime! 

[LinSims]

You can also register for the two earlier webinars and watch the recordings. Very useful stuff, even for those of us who have been using FM for decades now.