FM9 - Updating information that comes from user variables

Report · Oct 06, 2011

Greetings all -

I'm substituting for the former tech writer/documentation specialist at my place of employ. The former tech writer/doc specialist resigned and then didn't stick around for the last week that he was supposed to be working for us, so we got literally zero transition assistance from him 😞

I've used Adobe products in the past and come from a publishing/printing background, so I understand a good bit of how FrameMaker works and/or what it is intended to be used for, but I'm stuck in a couple of areas.

It would appear that the person I'm filling in for used manual variables to set a Document revision number and/or Document date in. I found those and udpated the information in the definitions but I don't see the places where those variables were used updating (headers, cover page, etc.)

What do I need to do to make those changes throughout the book.

If it makes any difference, this is in structured FrameMaker (I got the warning that the book was created in structured mode when I opened it), and as best I can see these were manual variables, not system variables as the dates from the system variables never seemed to be used.

Thanks in advance for your guidance here. I promise I learn quickly and take instruction well, but I really don't seem to be making progress in FM9 as quickly as I thought I would 😞

Report · Oct 06, 2011

It would appear that the person I'm filling in for used manual variables to set a Document revision number and/or Document date in.

Do you mean "User Variables"?

And Document date may or may not be a User Variable. It is often a System Variable, although it may be modified.

I found those and udpated the information in the definitions but I don't see the places where those variables were used updating (headers, cover page, etc.)

Well, the whole point of variables is that you don't need to find all the instances of use. They are instantly updated when you edit the Definition.

Commonly, one book component contains a superset of variables. You edit them there, then use Import Formats to update the other book files.

If you really need to find instances, use Find/Change > Variable of Name: [____]

Be sure to search on Body, Master and Reference pages.

In Response To Bob_Niland · Oct 06, 2011

It would appear that the person I'm filling in for (possibly replacing) used "Markers" for the information that I needed to get updated in the header/footer areas. I somehow stumbled upon those and was able to update them and have the changes reflected throughout the document as expected.

I'm running into another question now, but I may understand the results I'm getting there... I'm trying to save as .pdf or export/print the document to .pdf and it seems to try to do it, but doesn't actually create the new .pdf file for me. I'm suspecting that is happening because I'm working with a trial version of the FM9 product on my computer. I'm going to try to do the same thing from where the licensed product was installed at and see if I get the same behavior and if so, will update or open a new discussion on what needs to be done to fix same.

If I can figure out the product a bit better I'll be less fearful of making mistakes with it, and more apt to use the licensed product full time. For now, since I'm in a bit of a learning mode, I'm working with copies of documents rather than originals, and working with the trial mode version of the product on my (current) regular system. Of course the fact that I'm learning this on the fly and the other person that should be working in the same area would be doing the same doesn't stop the world from turning and doesn't stop the need to update documents that already existed 😉

In Response To Bob_Niland · Oct 06, 2011

Barry,

Structured documents and books can set document-wide content with attributes, forgoing the need to use variables. This may be what is happening in your case. You change a variable and do not see it change in the document. In my case, I set such document-wide attributes in the ROOT element of the book. I suggest looking at the root elements in your each file and the book file.

If your documents ARE using variables, check each document within the book, if using books. I believe the variables have to be set in each document of the book; however, once set in one document, you can import it into the others.

Another suggestion, I have received projects from companies at which some of the writers are very lax in their duties. For example, the document might be created with variables, which are then used in places such as running headers and footers. The next write does not bother with changing the variables, but deletes the running header and inserts the information directly onto the master page. You change the variable but the master page does not change, because the variable has been deleted from it. I have seen this happen.

Van

Report · Oct 06, 2011

Barry,

You wrote:
If it makes any difference, this is in structured FrameMaker (I got the warning that the book was created in structured mode when I opened it),

If you received such a warning your FrameMaker instance is not running in structured mode and if you clicked Yes you removed all the structure information. In this case you have to switch your FrameMaker using File > Preferences > General and restart from backup files.

- Michael