Generating a Book

[DWL44000]

I've created a book using a 3rd-party template. I now need to generate/update the book. I do not see a Gnerated command on the File menu. Where is that command, or how do I do this?

Thanks!

[Art_Campbell1]

The Update Book varies from release to release, and you didn't specify yours, so... look for an icon that looks like a sweaty little book (or a book with a sparkle / bright spot) on the lower status/task bar, with the structure, trash can, and undo icons.

Art

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

In FM 9, it's under the edit menu

[Art_Campbell1]

For both the icon and  the Menu command, remember that each is only visible if the book window is the active window.

[DWL44000]

Art and Jeff, Thanks!

Now that I've found the Update command and have done it, I'm finding that it isn't working the way it did in the past. That probably has something to do with the templates we are using. The templates were provided by Rockwell-Collins. They are supposed to generate a MIL-SPEC compliant Framemaker source that is then printed to PDF. There are instructions. And, someone went to a training class, but that knowledge was lost. Apparently, there is an XML DTD under the hood, but it isn't Structured Framemaker.

If anyone has experience with these templates, how do you create a LOF?

David Locke

[Art_Campbell1]

It sounds as if you're trying to set up a book in Unstructured FM, but the template is for Structured....

You may want to look at the FM downloads page -- I believe that there's a MilSpec starter kit there that may both answer some questions and make your life _much_ more interesting. ;-  )

Chees,

Art

[Dave44000]

Thanks! I've downloaded the manuals, but did not find one specific to Mil-Spec. I did try to open a template in Structured Framemaker, but I never got a structured view. From this I concluded that the templates were not structured. I will try this again.

[Art_Campbell1 · Accepted solution]

I may have mis-spoken, but I was pointing you to the "Adobe FrameMaker beta Application Pack  for S1000D" at:

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4247 . I've always equated that to MilSpec.

I know there are also actual DTDs online from the different services and the DOD that you may find useful, but they're generic; not specifically aimed at Frame.

Art

[DWL44000]

I have a printed copy of the DTD. What I don't see are structure definition files other than the Adobe provided ones.

I followed your instructions and they worked great! Even the MIL-SPEC stuff worked and should not be negatively impacted by my use of text variables. I now get to wonder if they are pulling the values out of the tags, which pretty much makes the text variables redundant.

Thanks for your help.

David Locke

[DWL44000]

Finally, I'm definately in Structured Framemaker. It displays the structure of the book. But, the book components are leaf nodes that cannot be browsed.

[Van Kurtz]

You have to open a book component to see its structure. Its structure does not display in the structure view of the book file.

[DWL44000]

When I open the content files, the structure view is blank.

From the figures I've seen, I expected the content file symbols to have a plus sign on them.

Thanks!

David Locke

[Van Kurtz]

Dave,

Two things:

When you open a content file, did you click some place in the content? The insertion point needs to be inside a text flow to show structure in the structure view.

It is possible, though I would think rare, to have a structured book with unstructured content files. In my work, I use a structured book that has mostly structured document files, but also has a few unstructured ones. So, I am thinking that maybe the original author used an old structured book file and added unstructured files to it, which would give you the results you are seeing.

Van

[DWL44000]

Thanks!