Text Variables in a Book

[DWL44000]

I've defined some text variables in a chapter in a book file. I've tried to import those text variables into the next document, but the variables do not appear to have been imported. What would cause this?

David Locke

[Art_Campbell1]

Could you give us some details on how you created and imported them, please?

Also, what kind of environment are you working in? FM version, OS, etc.

[DWL44000]

I just repeated the experiment from scratch.

1. I created a book.

2. I created a document using the portrait blank template.

3. I typed in some text.

4. I saved this file, saved it again with modifications and a new name, and again. I have three files. I added these files to the book.

5. I clicked Special>Variable, and then used _Code as the variable, and XYZ as the value, and then inserted the text variable into the current file.

6. Then, I used File>Import and imported everything except the master pages into a second, and a third file.

7. All three files reflected the initial value of the text variable. I cannot get this far in my real files.

8. I modified the value of the text variable by clicking Special>Variable, and then Edit Definition, and changed the content in the Definition field.Then,I clicked Done.

9, I clicked Update.Only the file where I made the change was affected. The other two files did not change their values.

[Art_Campbell1]

After you modify the variable's string in #8,  save the file. Then repeat the Import Formats procedure using the updated file as the source (but you only have to import variables; you don't need everything) and the other two files as the targets. Then do Shift File > Save All Files in Book. You don't need to update the book.

User variables like this are tied to a single file and don't automatically update themselves across book components.

[Dave44000]

Thanks!