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LinSims
LinSims
Braniac
April 1, 2019
Question

Cannot keep Character Palette or Hex Input open

  • April 1, 2019
  • 10 replies
  • 3972 views

I asked a similar question about a month or two back, and I had originally thought that using Matt's trick of renaming the preferences folder had solved the issue.

I was wrong. It solved it temporarily, for the first use, and then it went back to misbehaving. I've repeated the cycle several times with the same result.

I've put in a bug for this, but I'm also curious if anyone else is having the same issue. Basically, if I open either the Hex Input or the Character Palette, the windows close themselves in about 10 seconds (maybe less, not using a stopwatch!). Since the Character Palette always opens on the Courier font, I generally don't even have time to scroll down to the font I'm using (Source Sans Pro, for the record) before the palette window closes. The Hex Input window usually closes before I finish typing in the 4-character code and doesn't insert anything when it does, even if I've managed to finish the code.

Anyone?

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    10 replies

    NinaBR
    NinaBR
    Inspiring
    January 10, 2022

    This post is now almost three years old. Has there been any word on whether it will be fixed? I don't often use the character palette, but when I need it, I need it. It disappears about 10 seconds after I open it, so I'm unable to use it. I am looking at Babelmap, but it is very frustrating that the character palette is unusable in this software.

      K
      kquick23
      Participating Frequently
      January 10, 2022

      It is still not working for me. I have resorted to using alt codes when possible. Our template man created variables for a lot of our symbols in our template so I also use that.  If I don't have an alt code or presetup variable, then I use the windows character palette. 

      QuintinSeegers
      QuintinSeegers
      Braniac
      January 16, 2022

      I'm having the same issue with the Character Pallette closing after a few seconds - running FM2019 64-bit Win10.

      D
      defaulthe2o9n3tl8a6
      New Participant
      December 22, 2021

      I've had the same problem with the 2020 version of FM. The character pallet disappears after 5-6 seconds.

        D
        Dino-Software Writer
        New Participant
        December 6, 2022

        I have the same problem, and now it's 2022! I use FrameMaker 16.4.0.

        K.Daube
        K.Daube
        Braniac
        May 29, 2020

        Lin,

        I have now tested on my Win 10.0.18363 64 bit the various FM versions. All (15…11) but the crippled FM-10 installation (I had severe licensing problems on W10) behave as expected.

        That said: I'm not a friend of this palette - is urgly and difficult to use. I use either a variable for the most used things, then my own script ETBinsertSymbol and then Babelmap.

        Trying to insert Arial, Hex 0470 (Ѱ)

        FM

        Insert >  Char > Char palette

        Insert > Char > Hex

        15.0.5.838

        OK

        OK

        14.0.4.512

        OK

        OK

         

        File > Utilities > Char Palette

        File > Utilities > Hex Input

        13.0.5.557

        OK

        OK

        12.0.4.445

        OK

        OK

        11.9.2.384

        OK

        OK

        10.0.2.419 [1]

        Dialogue does not appear

        Dialogue does not appear

         

        [1] This is a crippled installation, as I had severe licensing problems on W10.

        LinSims
        LinSimsAuthor
        Braniac
        May 29, 2020

        It hasn't worked for me since FM2017, and on two different machines at that (work and personal, both running Windows 10 Pro).

         

        These days I use a combination of the Windows Character Map utility, variables, the Silicon Prairie AutoText plugin (mostly for fractions up to ³¹⁄₃₂), your ETBInsertSymbol plugin, FM escape codes and keyboard shortcuts, and memorized Alt-codes.

         

        I agree that the FM charmap is ugly. These days I only bring it up to see if the latest update fixed the issue (so far no soap).

         

        Edited to add: I may have to snag Babelmap. That's nice. We don't have a need for all 144,000 and honestly, Windows Character Map works quite well, but that's a nifty utility and I doubt I can resist the ooo-shiney of it.

        NinaBR
        NinaBR
        Inspiring
        November 12, 2020

        I am having the same problem with the character palette. I've been using it a lot for several weeks (math symbols for a report I'm working on). And then today, with no warning, it just started disappearing on me. I saw your bug report and hope this gets fixed eventually.

        SecretOne
        SecretOne
        Participating Frequently
        May 27, 2020

        Yep, I have this issue now. Framemaker 2019 version 15.0.5.838
        I cannot seem to find a reason why.
        I have done a full re-install and it is still the same.

          K
          kquick23
          Participating Frequently
          February 12, 2020

          UGH, I have the same issue. My teammate, however, does not have this issue.  Any resolution yet?

          LinSims
          LinSimsAuthor
          Braniac
          February 12, 2020

          Not that I'm aware of. 

           

          I have to say, I'm glad to know it's not just me. I have a talent for breaking things in odd ways.

            sallej12974558
            sallej12974558
            Participating Frequently
            November 12, 2019

            Just moving my mouse makes the palette disappear. Cannot even select a symbol from the detault Courier. Using v14.0.2.425 (2017). We will upgrade to 2019 (looking forward to getting the color toolbar back) within the next couple of months and hope we do not run into the same disappearing palette situation .

              LinSims
              LinSimsAuthor
              Braniac
              November 12, 2019

              Nice to know it's not just me. I was beginning to feel entirely too special in this regard.

               

              I have bad news for you, though. Both the Character Palatte and the Hex Input worked fine for me in the 32-bit FM2017. It wasn't until I installed the 64-bit FM2019 that I started having issues. May you have better luck than I have had!

               

              (Sidenote: Character Map works fine, and I've also installed Klaus Daube's Insert Special Symbol tool, which is a dandy little plugin that handles FM-coded characters and Unicoded characters.)

              sallej12974558
              sallej12974558
              Participating Frequently
              November 12, 2019

              Ok. Thanks for the head's up on FM2019. I appreciate the tip on using Character Map. Don't know why that did not occur to me ;-\ but that shall now be my go-to.

              doug1120
              doug1120
              Known Participant
              April 2, 2019

              Your problem sounds like one that could be fixed by a complete uninstall/reinstall.  But I'm sure you don't want to use that nuclear option.

              LinSims
              LinSimsAuthor
              Braniac
              April 2, 2019

              Hi Winfried – it's possible they might, which is why I included the list. On the other hand, most of them have been around for literally decades, so it seems odd that they'd suddenly be having that sort of effect. Could just be that I am, as usual, "special" in some way. I'm actually wondering if it has something to do with the workspace I set up, since when I rename the preferences folder they both work until FrameMaker creates and populates a new folder.

              doug1120, yes, I noticed that, too!

              It's not a crippling problem, obviously, since the Windows Character Map pretty much fills the same functions (and is easier to read and you can search for characters with it), but it's annoying to have to go outside the program to do something. Still, I'm setting up variables for the glyphs I do use, so it won't remain an issue forever.

              doug1120
              doug1120
              Known Participant
              April 2, 2019

              I've found that the Hex Input doesn't like the keypad.  I can enter numbers only using the row of number keys across the top of my keyboard. 

              W
              Winfried Reng
              Braniac
              April 2, 2019

              Hi Lin,

              I do not notice this issue (FM 2019: 15.0.3.603).

              The two dialogs are open as long as I do not click in the document window.

              However, when I open one of the dialogs I get a message that one of my installed FrameScript scripts had to be aborted. (I have FrameScript and the i-frame package installed: http://www.i-frame.itl.info/en/feature-description/)

              Still the Hex Input and the Character Palette work.

              In your bug report you also list a long number of plug-ins. Maybe one of them interferes with these palettes.

              Apart from that I prefer babelmap.

              Best regards

              Winfried

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