How do I move a .fm to another folder without breaking the .book cross-references?

[TWDaveWalker]

Simplified situation:

I currently have mybook.book containing:

   chapter1.fm

   chap2.fm

   appendixA.fm

   apdxB.fm

I'd like to reorg the files such that mybook.book contains:

   chapters\chapter1.fm

   chapters\chap2.fm

   appendices\appendixA.fm

   appendices\apdxB.fm

If I move the files into folders with Windows Explorer, it will of course break the cross-references.  I thought I could simply use right-click Rename on the file enteries within the book in FM to move them, but it won't allow the / or | chars.  How can I accomplish this reorg without breaking the cross-references?

Thanks,

Dave

[Art_Campbell1]

If you have a good size project, use Bruce Foster's Archive utility and specify the new directory as your archive directory.

But if your book is just the size you describe, create your new directory structure and then, in the book file, right click the file and Rename it into the new directory.

Art

[TWDaveWalker]

Hi Art,

No luck.  What am I doing wrong?  I created a "chapters" folder in Windows Explorer.  Then I highlighted the filename in the book, right-clicked Rename, and typed "chapters\chapter1.fm"

Result:  Error stating "A filename cannot contain any of the characters in /\:*?<>|"

Thanks,

Dave

[Arnis Gubins]

Dave,

Unfortunately, that route is wishful thinking with FM. If you have to move them, then the the x-refs will break. The fastest and easiest way to fix them is to do this via MIF files. Use a search&replace tool to modify the <XRefSrcFile pathname> statement to point to the correct pathname.

[TWDaveWalker]

oh well, looks like I'll have to develop a procedure for the staff.  Does anyone have any non-mif suggestions for a smooth procedure?

What I actually have is a single folder with cover.fm, contentsTOC.fm, chapter.fm, appendix.fm template files and a newdoc.book file that contains all 4 templates.  For complex projects, company policy is to create separate folders for each chapter containing the chapter.fm and the Illustrator figure files used in the chapter.  So actual docs end up with a structure something like this:

newdoc.book

cover.fm

contentsTOC.fm

chapter1\chapter1.fm

chapter1\fig1-1.eps

chapter2\chapter2.fm

chapter2\fig2-1.eps

etc...

Even if I set up a structure like this, the "chapter1" parts get replaced with more descriptive names, so the links would still break.  Perhaps there is an approach where the writer sets up the files and folders, builds a book, then imports a special master page I create that houses all the header & footer cross-references...

[Be.eM]

TWDaveWalker wrote:

oh well, looks like I'll have to develop a procedure for the staff.  Does anyone have any non-mif suggestions for a smooth procedure?

Not sure what the problem here is. You need neither a 3rd party plugin nor any MIF editing. Simply do it this way:

Create the required folders (chapters/appendices) within your current book folder

Open the book

Open the chapter files and do a "Save as" into the \chapter subfolder

Open the appendix files and do a "Save as" into the \appendices subfolder

Delete the book file entries and re-fill the book with the newly saved files

Every "Save as..." keeps xrefs intact, including the new path in the document's references. This reqires some steps, yes. But I think it's still better than doing edits to MIF files by someone who is not experienced doing this.

Edit: Sorry, it's not a easy as I thought. I forgot that this is done in several steps, and previously saved files don't recognize path changes of files saved afterwards. So this is no solution.

Bernd

Message was edited by: Be.eM Reason: wrong approach, typing faster than thinking

[TWDaveWalker]

Thanks Bernd.  Even though it's not a total solution, your suggestion helped.  Save As into a subfolder does correctly change the cross-reference links to files in the original folder.  It doesn't change links in the other files to the moved file, but I can work around that.