Editing multiple chapters at once.

[jay401]

Hi,

First let me start by saying I know very little about FM, other than what I taught myself in order to do the documentation for the company I work for.  We use FM 6.0.

When I open a book to make changes, specifically changes to the footer, I have to open each chapter, then open "Master Pages", then edit my variable (a version # in this case) and apply it to the doc.  This only applies the changes to that particular chapter though.  Is there a way to edit a footer, and apply it throughout the whole book? 

Thank you very much for any input.  If you need further info please let me know.

Best Regards,
J

[Bob_Niland · Accepted solution]

Can't speak for FM6, but for 7 and later:

• Define one component file to be the repository of Var defs, say, cover.fm.
• Change the Vars in that file. Leave it open.
• In the Book menu, select all the other files (they don't have to be open).
• File > Import > Formats
  Import from Document [cover.fm]
  [ Deselect All ]
  
• Variable Definitions
  [ Import ]

_______

If that doesn't work, upgrade

[jay401]

lol...I'd love to upgrade, not my call unfortunately.

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a try and see what happens.  🙂

[jay401]

Awesome!!  It worked.  Thank you very much!!  

[Bob_Niland]

> Awesome!!

You shouldn't have said that.

We charge more for awesome answers.

Naturally, it wouldn't be Frame if there weren't multiple ways to centrally define common content used in multiple book files.

You can also put the common info in, for example:

• cross references to defs on a Reference Page in one of the book files
• cross references to defs in a separate file not part of the book
• text insets from multiple defining files (plain text or fm)
• text insets from multiple named flows in a single fm file

And that's just with the standard product. I may even have missed some.

Each approach, including Variables, has its benefits and hazards.

If it's a benefit, it's not my problem.

The main problem with Xrefs is that they create hypertext links (which you might not want at all), and which rarely go where you want (if they go anywhere).

The main problem with text insets is that they are entire paragraphs.