How can I link to a marker and display the marker text instead of default cross-reference formats?

[Abdul Muneer M]

Hi,

I would like to know whether there is an option to display the Marker Text for cross-referencing? Currently, I don't see marker text available in Building Blocks to create a custom format. I need to add cross-references to more than 200 instances in a FrameMaker book, but the tool is not allowing more than 100 custom formats to be added to the format list.

NOTE: This topic was raised coouple of years back, but without any solution. Not sure whether features have been updated in the current version. I am using latest verison [FM 2022 V_17 (u4)].

Any help or insights on this topic is appreciated. 

[Bob_Niland]

This feature is the subject of:
https://tracker.adobe.com/#/view/FRMAKER-2294
from 2017, still open.

I work around it via Xrefs to text on the target page, hidden by Color Views for publication.

[Abdul Muneer M]

Thanks Bob!

I am surprised that this feature is still not implemented - I think Adobe does not understand the significance of this feature especially in bigger documents.

I have added my vote to the FRMAKER-2294 ticket. Hopefully, they will implement something soon.

My document is pretty big as I have to add markers at more than 200 locations. Hence, adding Xrefs per your workaround will be repeating task when the document comes again for next revision. Our document structure usally changes every revision cycle based on new content added.

Thanks again,

AMM

[Bob_Niland]

Abdul Muneer M: I am surprised that this feature is still not implemented…

Well, for a few instances, the hack isn't too much trouble. Plus, it appears that structured Frame has way to implement it.

I'm maintaining an unstruct work that has hundreds of them, as hidden tiny text, in tables, in the margins. It works, and is a bit of a nuisance, but the ‘marker text’ used is actually more visible than if it were encoded as actual markers. And a lot of it is Variables, or Xrefs to other text, so can be revised in a semi-structured manner.

What's likely a bigger problem that FM needs to address, is supporting all of Unicode (FRMAKER-10976). FM has only ever supported BMP, and most new characters are being added to SMP (such as most of the Creative Commons icons). FM today only supports 37% of Unicode 15.1. Unless something happens, it will be lower in Unicode 16. I'm having to work around it by importing SMP Unicode text as .EPS, which like Xref-by-marker-text, is only practical where the number of glyphs required is low. EPS is also being deprecated by Adobe.

[Abdul Muneer M]

Thanks for your insights Bob.

I will see how this workaround can be implemented. Also, you have mentioned that Structured FrameMaker has a way to implement it.  Can you please provide additional details on this.

[Bob_Niland]

Abdul Muneer M: Also, you have mentioned that Structured FrameMaker has a way to implement it. Can you please provide additional details on this.

Not being a user of Structured FM, I can't supply that.
I've seen it mentioned more than once by contributors here who are Struc users, so they may be able to provide details.

[Abdul Muneer M]

Sure Bob - Thanks for your imputs.

[frameexpert]

Are you using structured FrameMaker?

[Abdul Muneer M]

Yes - I am using Structured FrameMaker.

[frameexpert]

You can set an attribute value on your target element, and then use the <$attribute[attrname]> building block in your Cross-Reference format.

[Abdul Muneer M]

Thank you - This is definitely an alternate way to accomplish the task.