Large Document with Folders using TOC within each Folder

[#1]

Hello All,

I hope someone can help me. We have changed our Product Manual Templates to having a TOC in each section. The problem is that I haven't been able to get the TOC to have links when making a PDF. Also, the only way I have found to make a TOC for each section is using the Special TOC while the Body section is open (which I can't update, and isn't working). When I try to add a TOC to a folder within the book, it looks at the whole book. Is there a way to do this?

Thanks!!

I am using FM12....

[#2]

FrameMaker 2015 adds support for mini TOCs, which probably do what you want. See Getting started with mini TOC.

No experience myself; we're still on FM12 ourselves.

[#3]

Thank you for replying. We don't want to go to 2015...uggg. I have tried several different things and have been looking in the help files. I have yet to see anything that has more than one TOC. You can make a TOC, it is just that the bookmarks don't work and the Table of Contents have no links.

Maybe I can find another way that the department will agree to.

Thanks,

ls

[#4]

What about using the “book of books” concept instead of folders?

[#5]

As Jeff suggests, the Book of books can accomplish this. However, you need to be aware that updating the "big" book, won't update any generated files within the contained books. You need to do this iteratively. First update the component books, then update the "big" book.

You may also want to contact Rick Quatro (see: Carmen Publishing Inc.) for scripts that could do the sectional mini-TOCs automatically for you..

[#6]

Thanks Jeff and Arnis,

I did look into that. I may have been doing something wrong though. I added the book files and made a pdf. None of the table of contents were in the big book. It just skipped them. This would have given the bookmarks, sections and contents of each section. That would have been great. But, for a huge manual, as you said, it is crazy making a pdf. I only added 3 books to my big book and it took forever.

I am not very familiar with scripts, but have used them from time to time. I may have to do that.

Thanks!