FrameMaker template update is too frustrating

[hadih26673991]

I am getting too frustrated by the way template updates are. That is I do the same procedure 10 times and 1 time it works. For example, I would like to change the tag for Chapter to Kapitel, I go to the corresponding reference page of the TOC template and apply my changes via the paragraph designer then update style. Sometimes it works most of the times just shows the previous status. Or when I apply margins to the page in the master pages same story. What is the trick here?

[LinSims]

You don't need to go to the reference page to change the format of a paragraph tag, although if you're working on a TOC tag it helps to see the effect. Are you sure you're editing the right tag?

Also, when you change the margins of the master page, do you remember to remove overrides when you go back to viewing the body page?

[hadih26673991]

I think the key is to Update Style. But it sometimes does not get updated. I eventually got it to work (doing the same thing multiple times!) Regarding the margins, I changed the Page Size from US Letter to A4 Letter first then via the Column Layout, I tried to assign an inner margin inside the text box. But before opening the Column Layout panel, a warning box pops up saying: "This document's Left/Right master pages have an irregular column layout. Using the Column Layout command will remove this layout."

[Hezy A]

I am sure there are a few ways of working. I have a main template file that I keep all my styles in. If when I am working, I find that I need a new style or to change a style, I make the change to the chapter on which I am currently working, using the paragraph designer.

I then use the book to import this style from the updated file to all the other files in the book.

If you have a book, with many files, changing a paragraph in one file, will not automatically update it in all the files. It will update all instances of the style in the current chapter.

In the way I work, the template for the TOC is different from that of regular chapters, so I would not keep all of my styles there.

If I want to keep that updated style for other work going forward, I will add it to my template file.

[hadih26673991]

I forgot to say that I am using DITA and my context files are in xml format. And it is not possible to import styles or formats from the templates to the xml files. This making the things work slightly differently. But I have to keep the xml format rather than .fm in order to be able to publish my document in HTML format. 

[LinSims]

I can't help with DITA, I'm afraid.

(And as an aside, you can, in fact, publish to HTML from unstructured FrameMaker. Not that knowing this will help you now, I'm afraid.)

[hadih26673991]

Thanks, I was aware of that. In fact in the past we used unstructured FrameMaker and were publishing to HTML. At some point we decided to move to DITA, which was a good choice but it comes with a price 🙂

[Hezy A]

Also with Master pages, there are generally a few Master pages in a file. You need to make sure you are changing the Master page on which your body pages are based.