Is it possible to create a script to get user input when beginning a New Book?

[retiredUSMC2011]

When I start a service manual for a new product, I would like to have dialog boxes open that asks for specific information to define the variables of the template. Is scripting what I am looking for and able to do this? I extremley little experience with Framemaker 2017. Thank you.

[Wiedenmaier]

yes scripting is what you are looking for.

you have to register for some Events like FA_PostOpenDoc, FA_PostOpenBook, bring up your sialog and set your FM variables

Markus

[frameexpert]

Do you have any scripting experience? Once you get into dialog boxes, etc., the scripting gets a little more complicated than beginner level. I have created scripts like this in the past; here is 6-minute video illustrating one way I have done this:

http://www.rickquatro.com/resources/SetDocumentData.mp4

In general, the best approach is to break the overall task down into individual pieces and work on each one separately:

1) Getting and setting a variable format value in an active document.

2) Processing all of the files in a book.

3) Building a dialog box to collect values.

When you break things down into smaller parts, it is generally easier to get help here. -Rick

[retiredUSMC2011]

frameexpert (Rick)

I have no scripting experience. The concept about breaking the overall tasks into smaller tasks first is the same concept used when programming microcontrollers.

I know I need to create a UI dialog box to ask the questions and to capture the answers. Those answers then need to update the associated variables. Hopefully, I will be able to find some examples here in cyberspace.

Thank you.

[Wiedenmaier]

Hi,

checkout ExtendScript samples by Russ Ward: FrameMaker ExtendScript Samples - West Street Consulting

There you will find two samples for creating dialogs (09.01/09.02) and a sample on how to work with doc open notifications (06.01.)

I would recommend also to have a look into the other samples. And debug them, so you will get a feeling on how FM-API programming works.

app.ActiveDoc.GetNamedVarFmt("yourvariablefmt") gives access to a variable format named "yourvariablefmt" in active document. So you can change the value of this Format to an initial value set in your dialog.

Keep on fighting 🙂