Problem with markers

Report · Oct 01, 2013

I have a document with several chapters. In these I have several headers in different "levels".

The first one is determined by marker Header/Footer $1 and the second one by marker Header/Footer $2. These are always on the Master pages, and there called Running H/F 3 and Running H/F 4. I hope you understand what I mean. I am not that used to creating documents from scratch, I always use an old document or template, and haven't thought so much about how it works.

Both Header/Footer's also creates the index.

Anyway. Header 1 is always on top of each page. When that header changes, there's a new file. Header 2 changes between pages. Sometimes there's a Header 2 in the middle of a page, then that header should be below Header 1 on the next page.

I add the marker for Header 2 in the header and everything almost always turns out fine. BUT not always. It's easier if I make an example:

Page 1:

Header 1 - A

Header 2 - A

Two thirds down on page 1 there should be a new Header 2. Let's call that B.

Page 2:

Header 1- A

Header 2 - B

Just a little bit down on this page there should be a new Header 2. Let's call that C. When I now set my marker in that header, the Header 2 of this page (wich should be B) also changes to C.

The only way to keep Header B on this page is to not put the marker in the header at all, but either skip it (if it's not going over to the next page) or put it on the next page. But then my index turns out wrong.

Do I really have to have one marker for my headers and one marker for my index?

I really hope that someone can understand what I mean, it's not so easy to explain as I am not that used to changing things like this in FrameMaker and also English is not my first language...

Forgot: FrameMaker 7.2

Report · Oct 03, 2013

I think the answer is related to the H/Fn variables. The description in the 7.0 User Guide (always within reach!) is not clear, but I believe other forum posts have explained that when you use H/F variables FM starts at the bottom of the current page and scans backward: so if you have two level 2 headings on the page and an H/F variable set to show the level 2 heading, the header will show the second heading.

So this content …

page 1: h1 This chapter page 2: h2 Aardvarks h2 Lemons

will give you this output on page 2

header H/F1 This chapter header H/F2 Lemons

One possible workaround, though it implies quite a lot of work and extra effort, would be to define two level 2 heading styles: one for the first level 2 heading on a page, one for any other level 2 headings on the same page. Then you could use the <$paratext> building block in the form <$paratext[h2First]> so that FM would never look for anything tagged h2Other.

page 1: h1 This chapter page 2: h2First firstHeading Aardvarks level 2 h2Other Lemons

and

<$paratext[h2First]>

should give you this output on page 2

header H/F1 This chapter header H/F2 Aardvarks

Hope this helps!