Generate a list of user variables

[FrameMaker-dk]

I have a client who regularly sends documents to translation.

When the documents are returned the user variables tend to be translated inconsistently with former translations. So there is a need to somehow gain control of the user variables and have a list which can be generated and checked and - preferrably - somehow be communicated to the translation agency, so they can assure consistency.

I am unsure how to proceed with this challenge in orderly manner. It seems I am not able to generate a list of variables which would have been nice. What would you do?

[frameexpert]

Here is a script that writes the name and definition of each user variable to the Console window. The list is comma-delimited so you can copy/paste it into a file and open it with Excel. Note that if you have budget, we could fancy this up so it writes to a text file or gives you a nicer interface, etc.

#target framemaker

main ();

function main () {

    var doc;
    
    doc = app.ActiveDoc;
    if (doc.ObjectValid () === 1) {
        processDoc (doc);
    }
}

function processDoc (doc) {

    var varFmt;
    
    varFmt = doc.FirstVarFmtInDoc;
    while (varFmt.ObjectValid () === 1) {
        // See if this is a user variable.
        if (varFmt.SystemVar === Constants.FV_VAR_USER_VARIABLE) {
            Console (varFmt.Name + ',"' + varFmt.Fmt + '"');
        }
        varFmt = varFmt.NextVarFmtInDoc;    
    }
}

[FrameMaker-dk]

Thank you Rick. I shall give this a look. Not quite shure what to do with this code, though. Save it as a text file with the jsx extension and add it to scripts?

[frameexpert]

Hi Bjørn, Yes that should work. After you save it, you can choose File > Script > Run, or add it to the Script Catalog palette.

[Winfried Reng]

Hi,

In the past I had this issue as well. Very annoying. And there are not only user variables, but also cross-reference formats, autonumbering, names of doc types, text on master pages. Additionally your table formats store the paragraphs of the header and the first body row and the table title, and these formats have the source language. The table title might still have Figure as autonumber instead of Abbildung.

Therefore I had written a FrameScript script which looks all this info up in a special FrameMaker file and adjusts all variables and formats.

One of the best scripts which I have!

Now I am rewriting it with ExtendScript.

I can only recommend to develop something similar with your data.

Best regards, Winfried

[FrameMaker-dk]

Hi @Winfried Reng Sounds like a nice and useful script. And you are right. I am looking for a kind of workflow solution. Thing is...the client spends an awful amount of time checking up on these translation issues so we need to find a good way of helping the translation agency do their work in a more consistent manner.