How can I generate PDF bookmarks for change bars?

[tweddle1]

I want to generate PDF bookmarks for text that is marked by change bars when I save as PDF from structured Framemaker 7.1. That way the proofreader can go directly to the pages that contain change bars and proof only that text.

[Arnis Gubins · Accepted solution]

FM creates bookmarks based upon paragraph tags only, so this isn't easily done in FM. However, if you have Framescript available, then one could create script that runs through the document, retags all paratags that have a change-bar active and generates a PDF using the the retagged paratags for bookmarks. Setting a flag in the userstring would allow one to reset the newly re-tagged paratags back to original values for continued document developement.

[Shlomo Perets]

Adding to Arnis' reply:

It is also possible to generate PDF bookmarks for change bars through FrameMaker-to-Acrobat TimeSavers + Presentation Assistant, as follows:

• Change bar has to use a unique color, with a known RGB value
• A PDF layer is created automatically based on the specified RGB value, containing all change bars (layer can be set as initially hidden and/or as a non-printing one)
• A generic bookmark can be created automatically for each change bar. Since this is not related to the specific text being indicated, the bookmark text has a user-controlled label, optionally autonumbered (eg "Change Bar #1", "Change Bar #2", etc).

After setting the different parameters above, the process is entirely automatic (results are present as soon as the file is Save as PDF or distilled into a PDF).

If this approach is of interest, I can set up sample FM + PDF files.

A different approach -- based on custom markers inserted, with unique text and note attributes -- resulting in Quick-Access Bookmarks, is discussed/demonstrated at http://www.microtype.com/ImprovePDF06.html .

Shlomo Perets

MicroType * http://www.microtype.com
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[Guest]

That way the proofreader can go directly to the pages that contain change bars and proof only that text.

You could also change the requirement <g>

I publish a document with a three-monthly review cycle, using conditions to track new, deleted and updated content in each issue. At the start of the .pdf I deliver, there's a List of References (LOR) I use as a change-log. The only overhead, something I've decided I can live with, is cleaning the LOR for each release; necessary because all the "new" conditions are set to show, even though only the latest one uses a change-bar and a highlight colour.

N

[ps] a typical change-log looks like this, though you'll have to imagine the tabbed/columnar layout:

Wijzigingenlogboek voor rev. AMDT 3/2009

type wijziging    bestand/bladzijde
deleted_032009    4_08_airside_works.fm    2
deleted_032009    4_10_ramp_safety.fm    2
deleted_032009    4_12_animals.fm    1
deleted_032009    4_12_animals.fm    3
deleted_032009    4_13_obstacles.fm    2
deleted_032009    4_13_obstacles.fm    3
deleted_032009    5_SMS.fm    2

new_032009    4_08_airside_works.fm    2
new_032009    4_10_ramp_safety.fm    3
new_032009    4_12_animals.fm    1
new_032009    4_12_animals.fm    3
new_032009    4_13_obstacles.fm    2
new_032009    5_SMS.fm    2

updated_032009    4_08_airside_works.fm    3
updated_032009    4_10_ramp_safety.fm    2
updated_032009    5_SMS.fm    1
updated_032009    5_SMS.fm    2
updated_032009    5_SMS.fm    5

[Guest]

Niels

That is an awesome suggestion! I'm working on a document set now of nearly 2000 pages. I'm going to tell my reviewers that they owe you a lunch!

Cheryl

[Guest]

Thanks, Cheryl!

btw, as the number of conditions builds up then what I casually referred to as "cleaning the LOR" takes a bit longer. Still doable, though; I select the LOR as generated, convert to table, sort, delete the rows with information that's not needed in this issue's change-log, convert to text and then use basic regex to replace line-ends with tabs and get the required three-column layout. Feel free to ask questions if you need to.

Niels

[sundeepg17095317]

Hi

Our document team publishes newer version of documents (in pdf format) prepared in framemaker with simple change bars. Our documents are pretty huge (500+ pages). So it is very difficult to know exactly what has changed unless I scroll through the entire pdf page by page. I was hoping there is an update in framemaker and pdf to support this since this question was raised 8 years ago.

Thanks

Sundeep