When we 'Apply Master Pages' at work (Framemaker 12), sometimes a section in the book just disappears, unretrievable. Very frustrating. Need help to fix this issue.

Report · Jun 15, 2015

It mostly happens when we apply masterpages to the whole book.

It doesn't happen always and I can't reproduce it in a consistent manner.

It's costing us precious time and money...

I'd love for some help with this.

Report · Jun 15, 2015

Are you doing the AMP separately, or during Update Book?

Are all of the book component files open prior to the AMP?

Report · Jun 16, 2015

Hello,

The book files are usually NOT open when we Apply Master Pages, we mostly use the Update Book feature to apply master pages.

Report · Jun 15, 2015

Can you describe this in more detail?

How does a page look like when content disappears? Can you take a screenshot and upload it to the forum?

Is there just empty space?

Do only whole files disappear?

Is content hidden and the content afterwords takes the space of the missing content?

When content is hidden, can you still move the insertion mark through the disappeared content with the arrow keys?

Possibly any changes to the appearance of the main text frame?

Does text disappear only on a single page or does the disappeared section encompass several pages?

What happens when you update your book?

What do you do, when you notice this issue? Anything to get the content back? MIF wash?

Do you use the latest FM 12 patch?

Report · Jun 16, 2015

Hello, I'm not talking about pages disappearing or text disappearing. The .fm file(s) disappear(s) from the file system.

We use version 12.0.3.424

Thank you all for your help, it's really appreciated.

I'm not sure what we COULD be doing to get the content back, so we do nothing. We just start over and hope it doesn't happen the next time.

I will provide a screenshot when it happens again if still necessary.

Report · Jun 16, 2015

Are the files on a network server or local workstation when they disappear?

Best practice recommendations are to have all files in a book open when doing things at the book level. If they are NOT, FM silently opens them, does the requested operation only if the files open without any errors or warnings and then saves the files with the changes. On the other hand, if the files are already open from the book all issues have been addressed and FM doesn't save the changes until you explicitly tell FM to, i.e. you can UNDO.

Report · Jun 16, 2015

Hello,

The files are on a network server indeed. How would it affect Framemaker though?

I will follow your advice on opening the files beforehand and see if it happens again.

However a complete solution would be preferable of course.

Thanks for now though!

Report · Jun 16, 2015

FM lacks patience and has a history of not playing nice with networked files. Slow network traffic, aggressive anti-virus software constantly checking files moving between the server and workstations will impact FM's behaviour. It is far safer to work with the files locally and then save them back to the server.

Also, the amount (or rather the lack of) space you have available in your system TEMP folder can give FM seemingly psychotic behaviour when it runs out of space. FM creates lots of temp files during a session.

Report · Jun 15, 2015

If the pages that had the Master Pages applied are just empty, check that the text frame flow names on the applied MPare the same as that used in the rest of the document. Also check that the text frame fill on these MPs is set to None - it may be set White and masking the content underneath.

You can check to see if the content is still present by doing a Select All in Flow on the first page of any document where things seem to have disappeared and then copy & paste into a new/blank document.