Customizing Autonumbering

[Guest]

I have been trying to customize the paragraph autonumbers so they start at 01 (i.e.  <n=01>) instead of just 1, but without success. They default to the single digit. I still need them to increment in subsequent paragraphs.

Any ideas? (yes I know it is idiotic but the customer is always right!)

I am using FM8.0p277 on Windows.

[peter_minneapolis]

I remember reading long ago - back when FM ran on steam - about a leading-zero solution that used a combination of tab stops with leaders; instead of periods, the leader character was a zero. Somehow the tab stops were set up to display leading zeros until the number of auto-number digits expanded to squeeze them out.

If nobody on the forum can retrieve this nugget of magic, try searching Google for framemaker leading zeroes with tab leaders and similar phrases.

HTH

Regards,

Peter Gold

KnowHow ProServices

[Art Campbell]

The procedure that Peter remembers was by Lester Smalley, in 2005, on the Framers' email list:

"Lester C. Smalley to Framers 6/24/05
   
If you are working in a structured document, there are ways to handle
this in the EDD, but you  can do this is unstructured files relatively
easily as well.

Under the Numbering properties for the paragraph, define an
autonumbering format of the form:

       \t<n+>\t

where the \t is a tab character, and the <n+> is the standard numbering
building block.

In the basic properties, set two tab stops, the first RIGHT aligned,
with a custom leader character of  0 (zero), and the second left aligned
to neatly line up whatever follow the generated numbers.

Based on the font size and typeface, you will have adjust the position
of the first tab stop to allow the desired number of leading zeros."

I've used another method with two tags -- one that includes a leading zero for items 0-9 and a second for 10 and up, so you have a couple ways to go.

Art

Art Campbell                                                                          art.campbell@gmail.com
  "... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and a redheaded girl." -- Richard Thompson
                                                      No disclaimers apply.
                                                               DoD 358

[Guest]

Art,

Thank you for that. I now have the problem that due to the leader having a default space before it begins, that my para numbering is now indented from the margin. Similarly, if I insert the chapter number before the paragraph number there is a gap between the two figures, i.e. para 02 of chpater 01 appears as 01  02 instead of the desired 0102. Any ideas??

Thanks in anticipation.

Stu

[Art Campbell]

Are you using the <$chapnum> variable in the autonumbering string?

And to make it work correctly, have you set and updated the numbering properties of all the chapters in the book file (selecting the chapters in the book, right-clicking, and selecting Numering > Chapters)?

[Guest]

Art,

Yes, I am using the <$chapnum>  and set the numbering up in the book but I still have the gaps. I can't see how to eleiminate the space before the leader. If I try to move the tab further left the zero disappears.

My autonumbering is G:<$chapnum>\t<n+>\t and my tabs are set at 13.0mm R (0 leader) and 20.0mm L. The font is 13pt Arial Bold.

Stu

[Arnis Gubins]

Stu,

You have to use very fine tab positions to get this to work properly. The space before the leading zero is probably coming from setting the tab to be left aligned instead of right and you're missing a tab before the chapter number.

Your autonumber should look like G:\t<$chapnum>\t<n+>\t

[Guest]

Arnis,

I have checked several times and the tabs are aligned as recommended but I still have the gap before the leader. Even without the chapter number there is still a gap.

Going back to original recommendation of G:\t<n+>\t with tabs of 8.0mm Right with 0 leader and 15.0mm Left the gap remains between the margin and the zero.

Stu

[Arnis Gubins]

Stu,

I've created some samples and you are correct, FM appears to be automatically inserting a space (it actually looks like it might be an allowance for the tab character) whenever leaders of any kind are used. This looks like it is hardwired (there's nothing in the MIF to suggest that one has any control over it or a way to override it).

This is a limitation that you're going to have to design around, i.e. kludge the kludge. One way would be to adjust the text frame width (make it slightly larger to the left margin) and use the First and Left indent values to force the alignments with the leading zero autonumber, but this means updating most [all?] of your paratags.

The original method used the leading zeros after the first number, e.g. 1.001, 1.002, etc., so this leading space may not have been taken into account for the gap created at the margin.

[Guest]

Arnis,

Thanks for your replies. I will try going back to the customer and showing him how it will look and try to convince him to change his format ideas. Either that or bodge it!

Stu

[Art Campbell]

Stu,

One last basic thing to check... when you're setting up a D tab stop, Frame starts out including a blank space in the Separator Character field. You did delete that when you inserted the "leading" 0, didn't you?

And, if you have to kludge it, the set of two paired tags, one with 0 and one without, works for me.

Art

[Guest]

Art,

Yes I did clear the space. I went back and confirmed but still have the gap! I will probably use the paired tags method but will need to be aware of this should the book need amending in future.

Thanks for your help with this

Stu

[Arnis Gubins]

Art,

Background info: actually it was Ann Zdunczyk who first presented this technique at a FrameUsers conference - 2000, IIRC. Lester's post just re-iterated it. Credit where credit is due.