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FrameMaker console doesn't launch and consfile.txt is empty

New Here ,
Nov 03, 2017 Nov 03, 2017

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Hi all,

We're on FrameMaker 2015 on both Windows 7 and Windows 10, and use FrameScript to perform various tasks, among them writing to the console when something fails. This all has been working fine for two years. We use the structured interface.

We have recently had to reinstall FrameMaker due to multiple crashing issues. With this new install, the FrameMaker console (a text file located at C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\FrameMaker\13\consfile.txt) is always empty. It used to always populate on FrameMaker launch  with various messages, for example:

Unable to find the structured application 'DITA_1.2_reference'. Please check the settings in ditafm.ini. Also, ensure that the correct structapp file is being used.

Unable to find the structured application 'DITA_1.2_glossentry'. Please check the settings in ditafm.ini. Also, ensure that the correct structapp file is being used.

Unable to find the structured application 'DITA_1.2_glossgroup'. Please check the settings in ditafm.ini. Also, ensure that the correct structapp file is being used.

FrameScript--Version 6.0R1p70  ElmSoft

...

Then in FrameScript, we could have a line such as "Write Console (There was an error...blah blah)" and that would appear in the console, i.e. in this consfile.txt file.

After this latest reinstall, we didn't change any preferences or do anything different that I know of -- but the consfile.txt is always empty.  Frame doesn't populate it with launch messages, and FrameScript doesn't successfully write to it.

Has anyone seen this?  We really need for FrameScript to be able to write to the FrameMaker console file.

Thanks much

Shelley Hoose

Sr. Documentation Developer
Rogue Wave Software

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Community Expert ,
Apr 18, 2018 Apr 18, 2018

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Let me expand the question to unstructured FM version 15.x (not FM2015), and I see people asking about this back to FM11, with no clear steps for resolution.

The console is nowhere to be found. The Error Console mentioned in Help appears to be for Structured.

First document opened threw dialogs for old rev and missing fonts (no surprise, but I'd like a font list).

Show File Translation Errors is (and was) enabled

No console window found.
Not hiding in taskbar FM icon.
No obvious console icons in menu.
No obvious items in menus.

No consfile.txt found in any likely location.

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Enthusiast ,
Apr 19, 2018 Apr 19, 2018

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As Bob wrote: Show File Translation Errors MUST BE ENABLED.

You can enable it via Preferences or change it in your user maker.ini: ShowErrors=On (around line 43).

The consfile.txt is for structured and unstructured FrameMaker.

But every time FrameMaker starts, this file the content will be erased.

If you delete this file it will be created on restating FrameMaker.

So it is not the best way to store anything in this file.

You'd better store it in an individiual file. If you are familiar with scripting, I could send you an example hot to do that. Or we can discuss in the scripting forum FrameMaker Scripting

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Community Expert ,
Apr 19, 2018 Apr 19, 2018

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Thanks, Klaus.

re: Show File Translation Errors MUST BE ENABLED.

It was, and appears to be so by default (this was a fresh install).

re: or change it in your user maker.ini: ShowErrors=On

Finding the user (not the system) maker.ini is also a bit of a mystery. Oh, here (Win7/64p):
C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\FrameMaker\15

ShowErrors is not in it (I added it).

re: The consfile.txt is for structured and unstructured FrameMaker.

Ah yes, but where might it be hidden? Oh, also at:
C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\FrameMaker\15

With ShowErrors added, I briefly saw a console pane on FM restart and re-open of my test file, but after clicking a couple of dialogs, that too vanished, and no trace of console display remains. At least I know where consfile.txt is now. I suppose I can add a desktop shortcut to that.

Whew. I had thought that maybe this was some Apple-like UI thing, where it was so obvious and intuitive that no one could figure it out.

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Enthusiast ,
Apr 19, 2018 Apr 19, 2018

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Hi Bob,

I'm aware of all these problems. So I decided to write some little script, that help me

- open the user director

- open consfile.txt

- open global maker.ini.

So I can start that from my FrameMaker.

Just to repeat your words:

consfile.txt is always in this directory:

C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\FrameMaker\Version

I'm using it with FM 10 ... 2017, but as I remember, only 2015 is trying to hide it sometimes.

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