Saving Autonumbering to attribute?

[Guest]

If it isn't one thing it's another.  It seems after each problem I solve, another one pops up!  If you value your sanity, don't convert extremely complicated and large documents to XML using a custom application!  LOL  Anyway....

I think this is a lot to hope for but I was asked if I could make FrameMaker export a paragraph's numbering as an attribute value.

For example, if we have a Section called, "1.2.3  Purpose", then Purpose is the text and 1.2.3 is an autonumber.  Can I save the document to XML and store that number (1.2.3) as an attribute?

[Ian Proudfoot · Accepted solution]

Hello again,

The basic answer is no, that can't be done with FrameMaker out-of-the-box. But, I have to ask why would you want to do this? Do you perhaps need to pass the XML to another application that can't do the autonumbering?

If I had to do this I would use one of these methods:

1. Use  XSLT to recreate the autonumber directly in the XML.
2. Use FrameScript to write the autonumber into the attribute in FrameMaker.
3. Use the Frame Developer's Kit to write a client that writes the autonumber into the attribute.

Regards

Ian

[Michael_Müller-Hillebrand-basb]

Just an extension to Ian’s #3: You can also use FrameScript (version 5) to create a so-called "structure client" which gives you the option to modify the way XML is written or opened. No need to deal with Visual Studio and C.

- Michael

[Guest]

After further investigation last night, I also found that I may be able to do it with a custom client as suggested above, but I think that is a little beyond me at this point.  I suggested to our vendor to use XSLT to recreate the autonumber, but they said it was difficult and it would be better if it came from FrameMaker.

They have the regular list autonumbering formatting correctly with the XSLT, but the section numbers (1.2.3) they are finding difficult for some reason.  I imagine this type of numbering is still able to be created in XSLT although I'm not very experienced with it. I am familiar with other coding and formatting (PHP, CSS, etc.)

Thanks for confirming what I thought

[Van Kurtz]

Check out CSS. According to CSS: The Definitive Guide, by Eric Meyer, CSS can generate numbering schemes like 1.2.3. See Chapter 12 > Counters. I am guessing that the issue of whether it will work or not depends upon the app that is displaying the XML, whether it is CSS compliant.

Van

[Ian Proudfoot]

If the autonumber can be created in FrameMaker it should be trivial to create an identical string value for a given node with XSLT.

Ian