Save FM Book as PDF: Set ElementBoundaryDisplay

[gabeS1234]

I am working on a script to save multiple framemaker book files as PDFs.  The books successfully save to PDF, but the element boundaries are displayed as tags in the pdf.

I have tired both:

app.ActiveDoc.ElementBoundaryDisplay = 0

and

app.ActiveBook.ElementBoundaryDisplay = 0

while the book is open in Framemaker.  Neither work.

This is my PDF saving function:

function saveToPDF(fileObject, savePath) {  
    var saveParams, i; 
    saveParams= GetSaveDefaultParams();  
    i = GetPropIndex(saveParams, Constants.FS_FileType);  
    saveParams.propVal.ival = Constants.FV_SaveFmtPdf;
    var saveAsName = savePath;  
    var returnParamsp = new PropVals();  
    fileObject.Save(saveAsName, saveParams, returnParamsp);  
}  

Any ideas on how to make sure element boundary display is turned off in an active book?

[4everJang]

You will have to cycle through the book components, set the element boundaries off, and save the document before retrying the save book to PDF.

I never ever have element boundaries showing in FrameMaker, as that messes up your display as well as the pagination. I use the Structure View to navigate and see where I am, not the boundaries or tags in the middle of the text.

[Russ Ward]

I have the same question and have had it ever since the boundary display became "global." I cannot change the boundary display with ExtendScript or the FDK, where previously it worked seamlessly. None of the following commands do anything:

app.ActiveDoc.ElementBoundaryDisplay = 0;

app.ActiveDoc.ElementBoundaryDisplay = Constants.FV_ELEM_DISP_NONE;

app.ActiveDoc.ElementBoundaryDisplay = Constants.FV_ELEM_DISP_BRACKETS;

app.ActiveDoc.ElementBoundaryDisplay = Constants.FV_ELEM_DISP_TAGS;

Russ

[4everJang]

Have you tried executing the Fcode for the menu command ?

[Russ Ward]

Jang, thanks for the idea. It does work, although it is a little bit odd.

The fcodes work with a toggle action. This code will toggle brackets on and off:

Fcodes([FCodes.KBD_ELEM_BORDER]);

This code will toggle tags on and off:

Fcodes([FCodes.KBD_ELEM_TAGS]);

But the problem with FCodes alone is that they are a simple toggle and you don't know the current state of the display. Fortunately, although setting ElementBoundaryDisplay does not work, I am able to read it. So I came up with the following function that seems to be a workaround:

// For setting, send one of:
// Constants.FV_ELEM_DISP_NONE
// Constants.FV_ELEM_DISP_BRACKETS
// Constants..FV_ELEM_DISP_TAGS
function setElemBoundaryDisplay(doc, setting)
{
    //If the doc is invalid, return
    if(!doc.ObjectValid()) return;
    //If there is nothing to change, just return
    if(doc.ElementBoundaryDisplay == setting) return;
    //If we are turning off, we need to first see what is
    //turned on, so we know how to turn off.
    if(setting == Constants.FV_ELEM_DISP_NONE)
    {
        if(doc.ElementBoundaryDisplay == Constants.FV_ELEM_DISP_BRACKETS)
          Fcodes([FCodes.KBD_ELEM_BORDER]);
        else
          Fcodes([FCodes.KBD_ELEM_TAGS]);
    }
    //Otherwise, if we are setting brackets...
    else if(setting == Constants.FV_ELEM_DISP_BRACKETS)
      Fcodes([FCodes.KBD_ELEM_BORDER]);
    //Otherwise, if we are setting tags...
    else 
      Fcodes([FCodes.KBD_ELEM_TAGS]);
}

It would be much nicer if it actually just worked. By the way, there are other FCodes in the doc and fcodes.h that seem to be decoys... don't know what they are for:

#define KBD_SHOW_ELEM_BORDER	0x3F6
#define KBD_SHOW_ELEM_TAGS	0x3F7

Russ

[4everJang]

Yes, that looks like a decent approach. What the other Fcode values mean I do not know. They might be historical values so they would not do anything anymore. Or they might just do the same thing.

4everJang