problem creating/editing tab stops in FM2015

[TeraRecon]

Hello,

I sometimes can't add a new tab stop, or edit a tab stop that has already been added, using the Paragraph Designer. Here's what happens:

I click on the tab I want to change and click Edit. The Edit Tab Stop dialog opens.

I enter the position in the New Position box.

I click Continue.

This closes the Edit box and goes back to the Paragraph Designer. The new tab is in the list, but only for a second, and then it just disappears. I go back to the beginning and try again, but the same thing happens.

The same thing also happens when I try to edit a tab stop that has already been created.

An important thing to mention here is that this is an intermittent problem. It doesn't always happen - sometimes it works fine, for either adding new tab stops or editing an existing one. I haven't been able to discern any pattern associated with it.

This wasn't a problem in FM8. But this past summer I upgraded to FM 2015 and I have encountered this problem numerous times. Is this a bug? Or is there a new step I need to do, that I'm not aware of?

Thanks,

Joyce

[Robert_^_W]

What if you create a new file, get the tab stops where they need to be with all your imported formats, and then import those back into your existing files.

[debbiespurlock]

I realize that it's 4 years later, but THIS suggestion is the only thing that has worked for me in the face of this bug, which I just encountered today. I have the most up-to-date FrameMaker 2019 but I'm working with files originally created in FrameMaker 11 (and now converted). I can tell that this is going to be a problem in the 4,000 documents I'll be updating to my new FM. Having to create paragraph tags in empty documents and then import them into my existing documents every time I want to add/change a tab setting will not be fun, but at least it will be POSSIBLE, where nothing else worked.  Thanks for the clever solutioneering, Robnurflugel.

[LinSims · Accepted solution]

It's still an issue sometimes, and for some reason it's associated with graphics files. What has been learned is that if you turn off the display of graphics in the document (View > Options and deselect the Graphics option), then you can edit your paragraph tabs as usual.

Weird, but this has worked for many people facing this same issue. I have no idea if a bug was logged for it, but I do know it's been a problem since at least FM 13.

[Deb Sauer]

I am still seeing this issue. I'm completely patched up to 13.0.5.547. It happens with files that we created in various versions of FM over the last 10 years (and have been upgrading to the latest FM version as it becomes available). Oddly enough, I can create a new tab stop in some files, but there's no discernible pattern or evident reason why. AMAGARWA@ADOBE.COM​ Stefan Gentz [Adobe]​ any idea what's going on?

[jaggedpeak]

The bug was submitted (and reproducible) by myself and Amit in July on 13.0.3.495: Bug#4170815 - v13.0.3.495 - Cannot modify tab stops in Paragraph Designer (changes revert when tab s...

I took a look at the release notes here: FrameMaker (2015 release) – Update 5 released – TechComm Central by Adobe  for the most recent version and I don't see that it's been addressed yet.

[AJIT_M]

Hi Deborah,

Please check your inbox and provide the requested information so that we can connect and troubleshoot this issue further.

I will be looking forward to your response.

Regards,

Ajit

[Deb Sauer]

Hi Ajit,

I replied from my work email. Please check your inbox.

Thanks

Deborah

[AMAGARWA]

Hi Deborah,

I think this bug isn't fixed with Update5.

[K.Daube]

Yes, Amit You are right - this hasn't been fixed in 13.0.5.547, hence I filed bug 4197115 on october 27.

Klaus Daube

[Guest]

Just want to add my voice to the mix, as I am experiencing this quite often. All of our files are new creations with the newly installed FM 2015. We have only just downloaded 2015 (v 13.0.2.433) and have yet to apply the patches, but it seems that the patches don't help anyway. Any estimates on a fix? Any ideas on a workaround? By the way, the manual method of adjusting tabs in the ruler only works some of the time and the resultant tab stops aren't precise (e.g. 0.987cm instead of 1cm).

[LinSims]

It's still not fixed, and the bug you filed, which was given a new number when they changed databases, was closed as a duplicate. Not that they have the NON-closed version available. Time to file a new report, maybe?

[debbiespurlock]

Holy moly, that worked! That is weird, but excellent. Thanks for the help!
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[imKathyNF12]

I am experiencing the same problem. I updated my Framemaker to version 13.0.5.547. Cannot create or delete a tab stop in any of my files. All of my files were originated in Framemaker 2015, but not with this patch. This is unacceptable as it disallows me from creating a custom template for my employer.

Need a quick fix if there is one available.

--Kathy

[deborahs68858966]

Did this get fixed? Also reported here:

Re: Tab stop bug in FrameMaker v13.0.0.333?

We've got 13.0.5.547 and it still doesn't work.

[Be.eM]

Today I was hit by the same bug (FM2015, fully patched to the current version). MIF wash didn't help. Then I tried the route of creating a completely new document (not using the existing, buggy file as a template), but instead using an empty standard template and importing the formats from the buggy file afterwards.

Without the content the bug was gone and tab stop editing worked as expected. Then I copied the whole content of the old file to the new file, and the bug was back. Now I deleted everything again, and the bug was gone again. So the bug was content related. Cutting a long story short, I was able to track down the culprit to… an imported PNG graphic. Yes, really. Copied the anchored frame with that graphic into the new file, and boom, there was the bug. Deleted just the graphic (keeping the frame), and it was gone again. Replaced the PNG with a TIF version of the same image, and the bug remained gone.

Now my document is fully working again, and I'll never use a PNG again. I did it this time only for developing a preliminary layout, and the PNG was a file from our customer which I didn't want to use later anyway, so it was just for testing purposes. I usually only use TIF or EPS files for pixel images. On a side note, this specific file with that PNG image worked correctly in FM2019.

So maybe all of you with FM2015 hit by this bug, check your documents for PNG files…?

Bernd

[chrisf50576945]

Same EXACT problem as you -- 2015 Framemaker, fully patched. Three pngs in the file. Delete the first, tab problem still there....then realized one of the PNGs was on the very same page as the page I was trying to create the tab on....I deleted THAT png, and problem solved -- tabs are working as normal again! This must be the culprit.  Just hoping that when I add the png back into the anchored frame, will my text stay as it is now...? (fingers crossed....)

[HeCK]

Thanks to everyone for the helpful replies. The .png thing is helpful, but I only use .tif files. I'll look at them anyhow.

Jeff, I don't appreciate companies trying to force me to buy new software, which is often even buggier than the older versions. So sad that companies don't strive for bug-free software, rather than continuing to build-in new functions that might not even be needed. I've worked in software development long enough to know that there are few applications that are bug-free, but they do exist. They existed more frequently, when we had less complicated code and better educated developers, coupled with proper testing teams. Companies are constantly cutting corners, and people like you just except the sub-standard result, so they continue.

[Be.eM]

Heather, if you're hit by the bug, but not using the PNG format for graphics, you might want to check the following:

I've done further tests, and besides removing/replacing the png graphics in my files, also temporarily disabling the graphics display altogether fixes the bug. Or better: fixes it until the graphics display is enabled again. However, this allows you to edit your tab stops as desired, at any given time. For doing so, go to View > Options, and deselect the graphics option. Afterwards you should be able to edit your tab stops… at least here it works.

Bernd

[HeCK]

Thanks, Bernd, for the information. This will be helpful.

[LouKwayshus]

I've followed this post for months, hoping to find the problem is fixed. I am using FrameMaker 2015, version 13.0.5.547, but the error continues. We are not upgrading documents from a previous version of Frame, so that seems unlikely to be the cause. We also don't have enormous documents of great complexity, so the MIF approach doesn't feel relevant either, for me.

I did, however, run into an instance a couple months ago, while working on building templates, specifically the generated files. This might help someone a little bit, in a narrow set of circumstances. I noticed that the error occurred when I was working on the body page, but if I reset the tab stops from the reference page, it worked without issue. At the time, I thought maybe it was at least a path to maintaining sanity until Adobe gets this fixed, but I am now back into an editing session (still in a generated file) where I cannot use the reference-page workaround, because the error is occurring on a ptag that's not from generated content--clearly, there is no corresponding entry on the reference page.

Adobe, you're killin' us. Please, send help...

[GrayBugs]

I'm having this problem, too, after upgrading a FM 6 file to FM 2015.

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

Does the behavior exist if you create a new doc in Fm?

Assuming you've already updated to Fm 13.0.5 via the Help menu,

Try importing your content into a new Fm file (File > Import > File) and/or copy/paste into a new file.

[GrayBugs]

Next time it happens, I'll try importing the content into a new Fm file, and then I'll let you know if it continues. Thanks for your help!

[hanacan]

I have been having this problem for quite a while now ( running FM13). When attempting to update the tab value in the Paragraph Designer from the Tab Stops box, a modified value displays for about 1 second, then disappears; the setting is ignored.

I think I have figured out a workaround:
1. At the tab ribbon (top of page) click to set a tab (place the tab arrow). 
You will see this setting correspondingly show up in the Tab Stops: box in the Paragraph Designer (which will refuse to be edited, per what has become the usual behavior). Ignore this and go to step 2.
2. Double click on the tab setting in the ribbon to get the Edit Tab Stop dialog. Adjust the values there, and click Edit.
Again, you will see the new value in the Tab Stops box of the Paragraph Designer; but now it is successfully updated (namely, it's sticking), and you can then apply/update all from the Paragraph Designer.

[HeCK]

I tried this. I now have a tab stop at 0.502, and cannot edit it. If I try, it blinks in and out again, returning to the previous value. It exists, but cannot be edited. So, I'm just throwing darts at my document now, hoping that the tab stop lands precisely where I want it.