Quickest Way to Fix Custom TOC Numbering

[beau5CC8]

I am trying to make my page numbers line up in a custom table of contents. this is not a stand alone or mini toc. i am still learning how to do this the right away so i manually typed in everything shown on the screen. I was curious what the quickest and easiest way to get page numbers to align in the right hand side of the page is. i tryed to follow a guide i found online and i cant get it to work with right tabs stops...and i am questioning if that is the correct way to do it. the dots are typed in manually. i am assuming i will have to delete them and use the tool. hoping for a link for a breif description on how i can line these up and submit the document .  

[LinSims · Accepted solution]

First you have to generate a TOC using Insert > Table of Contents > Create Standalone TOC.

Once you have a generated TOC:

 1. Open the TOC file

 2. Click View > Reference Pages

 3. Find the Reference Page labeled TOC

 4. Place your cursor in each line that shows the following:

     <$paratext> <$pagenum>

These are the basic TOC formats (you can confirm this by looking at the status bar on the bottom of the page to see the name of the paragraph tag)

 5. Open the paragraph designer (Format > Paragraphs > Paragraph Designer)

 6. Click Edit under the Tap Stops list

 7. Add the location you want the page numbers to appear at in the New Position field, then click Right, then select the type of dot leader you want.

 8. Click Continue

 9. Apply whatever other formatting you want, including indents or bolding using the tabs in Paragraph Designer

10. Click Update Style

11. Repeat for each level of of the TOC

Read up on building blocks to see what else you can include in the TOC.

[beau5CC8]

i did not generate this table of contents, is it possible to do this any other way? i manually typed this table of contents

[LinSims]

Why not? That's the easiest way to create a TOC, and it will update automatically when you change or update your files. Plus, when you create a PDF, you get clickable links.

If you insist on creating this manually, then basically follow the steps from 5 onwards. When you get to the end of your entry, press tab and it should take you to the right margin and automatically insert your dot leader.

[beau5CC8]

i trained myself in framemaker. i am not at that ability yet. i will be some day. the other program i would run into doing it this way is if i have to delete large sections or reformat a bunch of information . it will be awhile before i have that technical ability. trust me i am looking forward to it. This would have to be in a completely structured format from what i understand. i just have to figure out how i can do all this with what im producing 

[LinSims]

"Structured" as in DITA?  Sadly, not my area of expertise. However, if you're manually typing these entries, steps 5-11 should allow you to do what you need to, you just need to do it on the Body page instead of the Reference page. 

[beau5CC8]

also i should add this, i apply page numbers in a different program. for the type of manuals i am creating i sometimes have to mass changes and trying to do it in framemaker becomes to diffucilt. ill use adobe acrobat once its converted to a pdf and assigned page numbers in that programs and combine the TOC and Cover page in acrobat. As far as moving these numbers around i am looking for any feasible solution

[LinSims]

You're applying page numbers to the FM files by using a different program?

I admit to not understanding this workflow, but if it works for you ...

At any rate, as I said, if you have to type the TOC manually, then steps 5-11 should do what you need.

[beau5CC8]

thanks alot the information is very helpful, i will give it a try again. i will respond later if i run into any difficulty. much apprichiated. 

[Barb Binder]

Hi Beau:

i trained myself in framemaker. i am not at that ability yet.

As your knowledge of FrameMaker increases, you will likely have additional questions on working with a table of contents (and I do think that you should let FrameMaker type it up for you!). I address the question of how to align page numbers in the post below, but since that has already been addressed, I wanted you to know that I have links at the bottom to multiple related posts that I suspect will someday be useful to you, and to others who are similarly new to working with FrameMaker's table of contents and other generated files.

https://www.rockymountaintraining.com/adobe-framemaker-adding-tabs-to-a-table-of-contents/

~Barb 

[beau5CC8]

barb thank you so much, working 60 hours at my desk is making it difficult to get where i want to be. im geting closer all the time. I will look at this as soon as i can!