Variable Import Feature

[Jeddleman]

Using: FM 8.0

I am importing variables throughout several FM books using a single FM file. The issue I have been dealing with is that each FM book system variables are setup slightly different to meet the needs of each book. This has caused me trouble because I want to maintain the current system variables in each book but update only the user variables. Is there a way I can achieve this?

JE

[AxialInfo · Accepted solution]

Rick Quatro has a great plugin called Import Formats Special that lets you choose which types of formats to import, including differentiating between user and system variables.

See http://www.frameexpert.com

Another way is to create a "minimalist" MIF file that contains only the user variables, and import that. There might be an example of one of these minimalist MIF files in FM's MIF reference document -- basically it's just the MIF header plus the variables section, nothing else.

[Guest]

Nice tip, Sheila! and since updating variables was towards the top of my tasklist for the day I just tried it: fwiw, here's my minimal .mif file.

I did notice, though, that opening the .mif file ready to import the user variable automagically added default settings for system variables; so if my target document(s) were one of the Dutch books where I've redefined $TableContinuation, it looks as though that redefinition would still get clobbered by the import. Quatro to the rescue, then, and not for the first time ;-}

<MIFFile 9.00> # Generated by FrameMaker 9.0p237
<VariableFormats
<VariableFormat
  <VariableName `title'>
  <VariableDef `Safety Management System Manual'>
> # end of VariableFormat
> # end of VariableFormats
# End of MIFFile

[Winfried Reng]

Hi,

You have to import the MIF snippet by importing it into your FrameMaker file.

Select "Copy into Document". Then you can import the user variables (if you

buy Rick's ImportSpecial script) of this FrameMaker file into the other files

of the book.

Do not open the MIF snippet as a regular MIF or FM file. Then FrameMaker

will not add default values for all default variables.

Such MIF snippets are very good to switch variable values and cross-

reference definitions after translation into another language. Specifically

Trados presents only those values which are actually used in a

document to the translator. All those variables/cross-reference definitions

which are set but not actually used will be still in the source language.

When you import such a MIF snippet you can switch all definitions.

Best regards

Winfried

[Guest]

Thanks for that, Winfried – just the extra information I needed … and a whole new technique to ponder.

N

[Jeddleman]

Once again I would like to thank everyone for all the comments. After visiting http://www.frameexpert.com/plugins/importformatsspecial/index.htm this is definitely the right answer for me. I haven’t purchased it yet but it looks like a great plug-in.

Is this something worth submitting to Adobe for a future FM enhancement?

Thanks JE