Some X-Refs not working in PDF

[TMLTurby]

Hi all,

We've had this ongoing problem where some cross-references work just fine in FM, but don't work in the PDF export (you can click them just like an x-ref, but they don't go anywhere). It seemingly does it at random, and it doesn't matter if you delete the x-ref and redo it, it always doesn't work for certain links.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

John

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Have a look at the total length of the path of the destination path and filename of the xref - I discovered a few years ago when importing my FM content into RoboHelp that there's an internal limit of around 30 or so characters - once I shortened up the path length (making sure that I preserved the relative position of all my FM docs with each other so as not to break all the xrefs I had), they worked fine.

[TMLTurby]

Hi Jeff,

The one that doesn't work is an internal x-ref to the next page in the document. There is one that does work that is just below it and goes to a different place on that same next page.

The marker terminates after 50 characters, which isn't enough for the entirety of either one. So I'm not sure that's the problem, since one works and the other doesn't and both have the problem of incomplete marker paths.

Works:

• Full target title: Example of a Meter Coupling Tapped for a Test Port with Plug
• Marker path: 35734: FigureTitle: Figure 41-1: Example of a Meter Coupling Tapped for a Test Port

Doesn't work:

• Full target title: Example of a Manifold with Integrated Test Port in Swivel
• Marker path: 53176: FigureTitle: Figure 41-2: Example of manifold with integrated test port in s

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Hmm, that's pretty bizarre. So your xref is by Paragraph? As a test, have you tried placing a short cross-reference marker at the destination and pointing to it?

[TMLTurby]

Yes, the x-ref is by Paragraph. And we're using a newlink marker to point to as a workaround, if that's what you were asking.

Edit: We've had this problem numerous times, but this is the first time it's come up in a while.

[Matt S - Tech Comm Tools · Accepted solution]

Hi John, your  example seems to fit Jeff's explanation, in that the nonworking xref had its marker text truncated.

Can you cut 1/2 of the title text prior to making the xref and get the xref to work?

If so, you might create the xref, then edit the title (pasting in the text you removed after inserting the xref)

If this is the case, you certainly should open a bug report at adobe.com/go/wish

-Matt

**EDIT**

I do realize both markers were truncated, but it may be that when truncating in the middle of a word that the marker is failing

[TMLTurby]

Hi Matt,

I think you may be on to something. I cut the paragraph title down to "Figure 43-2: Example of a Manifold with" and the link worked in the PDF. It may have been that it was truncating in the middle of a word.

Reinserting the cut title and updating the references maintained the functionality of the link too!

I will go ahead and report that as a bug. *EDIT* Reported!

Thanks for both your help!

[Matt S - Tech Comm Tools]

I'll have to add that to the next iteration of ​FrameMaker - Working with Content