Framemaker 2019 is not updating the TOC

[djay1]

I'm using Adobe Framemaker 2019 and within a book, when I refresh, the TOC is NOT getting updated. Never seen this before. Need immediate help.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

psst, you know this is a user-to-user forum & NOT Adobe Support, right?
Anyways, is the TOC an actual generated TOC or one you built yourself?

[StudioSm]

There can be any number of reasons but we need a bit more information in order to help.

The console writes what is going wrong when you run the update process. A common thing is documents which have error when opening. Like missing fonts or images. If there are errors like that, FrameMaker won't open and update these chapters when you run the update process.

Another common error is renaming the TOC. It has to have the exact same name as the book file, with a TOC at the end.

[Winfried Reng]

Actually this is not true. My TOC files always have a generic name like contentsTOC.fm. You just have to rename the file in the book file.

[StudioSm]

There you go 🙂 Never tried that. Thanks.

[Barb Binder]

The first two things that I would check:

1. Is the TOC a generated file? Does it have an orange and black icon in front of it in the book window, or does it have an orange and white icon? An orange and white icon means that it's not a generated file and Fm cannot update it. 
2. Was the TOC removed from the Generate list to the Don't Generate list in the Update Book dialog box? If so, double click the name to move it back into the Generate list. Then update the book.

~Barb

[Bill H]

Hi Barb!  I hope you can help.  I made a copy of last releases doc as the starting point for this doc.  The TOC, List of Figures and List of Tables worked fine in the original doc and all 3 had the orange and black icon.  In the copied version the icon in front of each is orange and white and of course, when I try to "Update Book' the list under "Generate" is blank. Is there a way for me to make them "Generated" files so that all 3 are recognized by the FM book?

[LinSims]

Did you remember to setup/update the generated files in FrameMaker? If you do and if the document names you already have are correct, FM will update the files and make them generated. But unless you actually go through the Insert > Standalone TOC (or LOT/LOF) setup, it won't even know you have them.

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Hi @Bill H:

Yes, you will need to add them to the book as follows:

1. In the project folder, rename the 3 generated files to the names FrameMaker uses when it creates these files. The formula is BooknameSuffix.fm. For example, for a book called MyBook.book the TOC is named MyBookTOC.fm, the LOF is MyBookLOF.fm and MyBookLOT. fm. 
2. In the book window, remove the three files with the orange/white icons from the book list. 
3. Add them back in with Insert > Create TOC, Insert > List of > Figures and Insert > List of > Tables. (This restores the orange/black icons.)

When you update your book, Fm will see the three correctly named files in the project folder and they will update correctly. 

~Barb

[Bill H]

Thanks a million Barb.  I followed your instructions exactly and it worked perfectly! Can't thank you enough. Bill

[Barb Binder]

We are always happy to help, @Bill H.

~Barb

[Catherine30010192zh9r]

Found your post today, was having problem with "Book is not self-consistent" error this week with FrameMaker 2020. Your solution saved my day. Thanks Barb, Cathy.

[Bob_Niland]

What about the TOC is not getting updated:
• page numbers?
• new entries expected?
• stale entries still there?
• entries not in page order?
• entry text content or formats?