Assigning Object Styles via the EDD

[shoose]

Hi all,

Have any of you made use of assigning Object Styles in the EDD?  We have tried this and don't, apparently, have the proper elements to do so. We are using xDocbook based on the default EDD that shipped with Frame 7.0  🙂  I tried looking at the default Docbook EDD that comes with Frame 12, but it doesn't have the right elements either - I think these are InsetStyle, AnchoredFrame and AnchoredFrameStyle.  I found them in the Dita EDD, but when I tried to import them into my existing xDocbook EDD, they are obviously not in the DTD/schema so still do not work.

Do you know if this is actually fully supported in Frame 12 or 2015?  The Frame 12 Structure Dev Guide says that you just insert an InitialObjectFormat element, then insert the object style using either InsetStyle for a simple graphic, or AnchoredFrameStyle for an anchored frame. However, these elements don't exist in our EDD or DTD.

Does anyone know of a workaround or how this should actually work?

Thanks much,

Shelley Hoose

Rogue Wave Software

[Lynne A. Price · Accepted solution]

Shelley,

   Remember that there are two sets of element definitions associated with every EDD:

1. The element definitions an EDD uses defines the elements and attributes you can insert into the EDD itself: these have tags such as ElementCatalog, Element, AttributeList, TextFormatRules, AutoInsertions, and so forth.
2. The element definitions an EDD defines are those created by the content of the EDD. In the case of DocBook, they include ChapterInfo, Glossary, ListItem, BridgeHead, and so on.

   The xdocbook EDD that ships with FM 12 is an FM 12 binary file, but  its content, including the element definitions it uses has not been updated since FM 7. That's why the first line of the file reads "EDD Version is 7.0".

   To use EDD features that have been added in later versions, you need to update the element definitions used by your EDD to that of the version you want. If you are using FM 12, you need to open an EDD that uses the new FM 12 EDD features and import the element definitions it uses into your own EDD. An FM 12 EDD will say "EDD Version is 12.0" at the top. Here's a sequence that will work:

1. In FM 12, use StructureTools > New EDD.
2. Save the resulting file.
3. Back up your DocBook EDD.
4. Open your DocBook EDD.
5. Bring up the Import Element Definitions dialog box with File > Import > Element Definitions.
6. In the Import From Document pop-up, select the new FM 12 you've just created.
7. Hold down the Ctrl key and click the Import button (or press Ctrl-Enter)

   The use of the Ctrl key in step 7 is essential. Without it, FM imports the element definitions defined in the EDD. You have just created the file and haven't put any element definitions into it. If you try to import an empty set of element definitions, FM crashes. Instead, you want to import the element definitions used by the new EDD. That's what the Ctrl key does.

   EDD features that have been added since FM 7 include element descriptions and banner text.

   --Lynne

[shoose]

Lynne -- Great, thank you!  I knew I had to update the EDD defs that were being used by the EDD, not defined by -- but I didn't know how to do that.

All is working now!

Shelley