Is there a way to use Object Styles to modify a graphic's margin settings...

[CCarterz*01]

...when importing a FrameMaker 11 book into a RoboHelp 10 HTMLHelp project?

Instead of mapping my styles, I am using a template based on my FrameMaker template but modified for use in RoboHelp. In FrameMaker, I have imported all of my graphics by reference into anchored frames that have the Anchoring Position set to "Below Current Line" and the Alignment set to "Left." My graphics are then offset from the left anywhere from .75" to 1.00" depending on the paragraph style in which they appear.

In my RoboHelp project, though, I want all of my graphics to have a left margin of 0.00". I have created an object style that allows me to do this from one FrameMaker doc to another FrameMaker doc but the modified settings are lost once I import the documents into RoboHelp. RoboHelp doesn't seem to see the revised Object Style assigned to my graphics using my RoboHelp-FrameMaker template, though it picks up all of the other changes that I made in that template.

This is my first time to try to use the single-sourcing capabilities of FrameMaker and RoboHelp so I may be missing something very simple.

Thanks for your help!

[Peter Grainge]

Instead of mapping my styles, I am using a template

What do you mean by template? There are no templates in Rh. I'm guessing the problem is because you are not mapping, that is what tells Rh how you want things when you import or link. Mapping occurs regardless of what you do, it's just that the mapping will be to whatever Rh thinks is right.

The process is the same for Fm as for Word and there is a page on my site about importing and linking.

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

@Peter - the OP may be referring to a method of using a FM template to run all your FM content through before bringing it into RH. Matt Sullivan often recommends using this technique to overcome tricky situations that don't translate well. But I believe you still have to do your mapping of FM paragraph and character formats to RH styles - it just makes the process easier.

[CCarterz*01]

Yes, Jeff. Thanks for clarifying. That is exactly what I am doing. When I couldn't figure out how to change the margins on my imported graphics using the mapping process, I tried to do it using Object Styles in the Framemaker template that I created specifically for use with RoboHelp. I'm still trying to figure it out. If you know of anyone that might be able to help, please send them my way. Thank you!

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

The guy that knows that technique the best is Matt Sullivan. I have next to nothing in the way of graphics in my FM to RH help project, so I'm not much use with specifics.

[CCarterz*01]

If I can't figure this out, I'll try to track down Matt. Thanks again!

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

In addition to mapping styles to css entries, you can also identify a separate FM file as a template which holds specific formatting choices.

However, I haven't explored Object Styles, and the resulting HTML yet. Mebbe it's not addressed yet in conversion.

LMK how it turns out.

-Matt

[CCarterz*01]

OK. That's what I'm trying to figure out. It's funny...you posted here right when I was searching online to try to find your contact info. I'll be thrilled if I do figure it out as this is the only issue left that is keeping me from single-sourcing...everything else is looking good. But I really don't want to publish a help system that is all left-aligned at 0" with graphics  at .75". Maybe I need to add an extra step where I manually assign the stylesheet to each chapter in my Framemaker book before I do the import into RoboHelp, but that pretty much defeats the purpose of the automatic import/mapping. If I figure it out I'll post the solution. Thanks to all.

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

Sounds like you're closer than you think...

Work on modifying the conversion CSS (by default, that is RHStyleMapping.css)

I'd give more direction, but I'm sitting in DEN, headed home to CA after speaking at the STC Conference this week in ATL

[CCarterz*01]

I think I just made huge progress. In Framemaker, all of my graphics were embedded within my Caption style paragraphs (caption on top, with a line break and the anchored frame and graphic inserted "At Insertion Point"). My anchored frames were all set to be left-aligned and the graphics inside of them were set with varied left offsets, depending on the offset of the Caption style. If I separate the graphic from the Caption style and give the graphic its own paragraph and style name my problem goes away. I can then set the left-offset position for my graphics within the anchored frame to 0.00" and easily change the left offset for my new graphic paragraph style as needed, using either the mapping functionality or my "inbetween" Framemaker template. I'm liking the idea of using mapping exclusively more and more as I play with the software. It's nice to have the inbetween template, though, for certain things that the mapping can't yet catch. So...I guess I will chalk this up to a silly mistake made by someone fairly new to the Tech Comm Suite and single-sourcing. Now I'm off to change the formatting of all the graphics in my book. At least I know now and will get it right in the future. Thanks again to everyone for your help. You kept coaxing me in the right direction and I finally figured it out. 

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

Hooray, another convert!!

You are spot-on about your mapping methodology: Map when possible, but fall back on the conversion template as necessary!

-Matt

[CCarterz*01]

Thank you for responding, Peter. I understand how mapping works and many of my styles are being mapped as I specify during the import process. The balance I am leaving alone (with the RoboHelp Style set to [Source] in the Conversion dialog). However, mapping/not mapping isn't the issue. The issue I am having trouble with is the left margin on my imported graphics. Do you know if there is a way to override the left margin setting when I import my graphics?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Do you have a style in RH that when applied to the graphics in the RH topic, fixes the margin issue? If so, then you need to choose it in your Conversion Settings instead of "[Source]"

Also, have a look at the Images settings in the Conversion Settings screen - are you using Distiller to resample them? Maybe play around with those settings to see if that fixes the issue?

[CCarterz*01]

I was unable to figure out a way to do this using RH styles but I will check out Distiller. Thanks!

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

Actually, it probably is related to how you're bringing the content across. If you have an HTML class="FM_ stylename, then you're picking up formatting from the file (which I really never recommend)

If the code you see does not have the FM_, then you should be able to write (or have written) CSS to format as you need.