Skript to put all modules (fm.files) to one book - automaticaly

Report · Oct 30, 2015

I use FM12 (unstructured) to make the documentation. My workflow is to work with modules. I make for each passage a module (fm.file) at the end I insert the modules to make the chapters (also fm.files). After that I create a book with the chapters.

My question: We make a new template with new page looking, new paragraph formats, new tables, etc. So I also had to adapt also all modules with the new template. I have more than 1000 modules. Did you have a script to put all modules to a book – so I can inport the new template to all modules? Or do you have an other way how I can insert the new template to all my modules?

Thanks for help.

Olivera S.

Report · Oct 30, 2015

I think you may be able to do this without a script – copy a list of the modules from your file explorer, turn it into a .mif file, open the .mif in FrameMaker and use File > Import > Formats as usual.

Here's an example I just made, starting from an existing book:

<Book 12.0> # Generated by FrameMaker 12.0.4.445
<BookComponent
<FileName `<c\>cover.fm'>
> # end of BookComponent
<BookComponent
<FileName `<c\>intro.fm'>
> # end of BookComponent
<BookComponent
> # end of BookComponent
<BookComponent
<FileName `<c\>ikl.fm'>
> # end of BookComponent
<BookComponent
<FileName `<c\>akl.fm'>
> # end of BookComponent
<BookComponent
<FileName `<c\>tkl.fm'>
> # end of BookComponent
<BookComponent
<FileName `<c\>keysTerminal.fm'>
> # end of BookComponent
<BookComponent
<FileName `<c\>keysReader.fm'>
> # end of BookComponent

You may need to dig into the .mif documentation if you have to include more complex paths.

Good luck!