Odd cross-ref substitution 7.2

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

This discussion got me thinking.

It would be fairly easy to write a FrameScript plugin that detects  
whether or not you are about to kill off a marker when you delete or  
replace text. A dialog box could give you the option of deleting or  
keeping the marker.

I think I'm going to take a crack at coding that and will post it on  
my web site in a week or so, along with the other freely-available  
scripts posted there.

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
www.golehtek.com

InDesign as a replacement for Framemaker

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Regarding the need to run Frame on multiple computers and manage  
licenses: what about running Frame from a Citrix server? Is this an  
option that Adobe supports for large installations?

Just curious,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
www.golehtek.com

MIF to SGML/XML

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi all,

Rick isn't talking about using the Word XML document format in this  
case. He is talking about using the MSXML Active X control that is  
built into windows.

FrameScript can pass instructions to this control, which opens up the  
ability to generate custom XML directly from FrameMaker, as well as to  
perform operations using XPath and XQuery. You can also use the  
control to reconstruct FrameMaker documents from XML.

I personally use the MSXML control to produce XML-based embedded help  
systems for database-driven, web-based applications. FrameScript  
enables me to encode select elements of a structured document in XML,  
perform XSL transforms, and push the XML directly into an Oracle  
database.

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
www.golehtek.com


Quoting quills at airmail.net:

> I wouldn't advise anyone to use MSXML. It's a proprietary format. I
> know, that's an oxymoron in conjunction with XML in general, but it's
> true. Add to that Microsoft's penchant for adding extraneous,
> gratuitous, and bloated code to it's conversion output and it would
> seem counter-productive going that route.
>
> Scott
>
> At 9:40 AM -0400 9/3/08, Rick Quatro wrote:
>> Hi Darren,
>>
>> I think Scott Prentice has an application that does this; check
>> http://www.leximation.com. You could also use FrameScript and MSXML to go
>> directly from FrameMaker to XML, bypassing MIF altogether. If you are
>> interested in this approach, please contact me offlist. Thanks.
>>
>> Rick Quatro
>> Carmen Publishing Inc
>> 585-659-8267
>> www.frameexpert.com
> ___
>
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Plugins, Framescripts, etc.

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Writing as someone who develops plugins for FrameMaker, I would also  
be interested to hear from users about what features they are most  
interested in. From process automation, to database integration and  
publishing, to XML roundripping, there are countless ways to extend  
FrameMaker.

Best regards,

Martin
www.golehtek.com

Framemaker and Twiki

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi Kelly,

If your FrameMaker documents are structured, the path isn't all that  
difficult.

I have achieved similar results by writing a script in the FrameScript  
language that does the following:

1) Recurse the element hierarchy of the Frame source files and encode  
the documents in XML.

2) Load the XML into the Microsoft XML Active X Control.

3) Apply an XSL transform to achieve the desired markup.

4) Push the resulting files to their destination.

The ability of FrameScript to work with OCX controls and databases  
makes this a fairly straightforward process. I personally find this  
path more straightforward than working directly with the FDK and  
Frame's built-in XML encoding tools.

There are a number of freeware tools out there that will help you  
build the necessary XSL transform and preview the resulting code.

Best regards

Martin

Martin R. Smith
www.golehtek.com


Quoting Kelly McDaniel :

> I'm looking to feed a local Twiki with Framemaker. Does anyone have
> experience with such foolishness?...tnx, Kelly.
>
>
>
> Kelly M. McDaniel
>
> Information Developer III
>
> Pavilion Technologies
>
> A Rockwell Automation Company
>
> kmcdaniel at pavtech.com 
>
> t: 512.438.1521
>
> f: 512.438.1401

Close all chapters without saving

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi John,

Such a plug-in would be easy to write. It also sounds like a sure-fire  
way to get lots of hate mail when it performs exactly as designed.  
Software dutifully follows the actions of the user, whereas the user  
expects the software to follow his intentions.

Martin

Quoting John Sgammato :

> Inspired by Yves'request:
>
>> is there a plug-in or framescript available somewhere which allows you
> to "open all files in book" while "ignoring all missing files and fonts
> in book"?
>
> I'd love to find a plugin that allows me to CLOSE all files in a book
> without saving them, essentially abandoning a book.
>
> john

Overrides a necessary evil?

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi Kristy,

I get around the pagination issue in my structured documents by adding  
a "pagination" attribute to my section elements that includes the  
choices Top_Of_Page and Top_Of_Column. This allows me to start any  
section at the top of a page or column if necessary.

Context-based formatting rules in the EDD detect the value of the  
pagination attribute and set the pagination properties of the  
corresponding heading paragraph accordingly.

You can use this technique to gain fine control over any  
layout-specific properties in structured documents.

I also find this technique useful to swap out the graphical icons  
associated with warnings, cautions, notes, and tips. I also use this  
technique to control alignment in table cells. I have also added  
attributes to the root element of a chapter to toggle  
branding-specific color schemes throughout the entire document.

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
www.golehtek.com

master pages and multiple revisions

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi,

An alternative would be to create a dedicated, named flow on the  
master page with auto-connect turned off. This would result in a text  
field on each page that you could use to enter the issue or revision  
date.

However, some potential issues come to mind. Whether you use a master  
page or a text flow to track the dates, it is unlikely that the text  
will stay in sync with the master page. As you add new text to the  
document, the text will flow through as many pages as necessary to  
format the document.

An alternative might be to auto-number your highest level headings and  
include a table in the front matter that tracks revisions to the major  
sections in the document.

Best regards,

Martin

Quoting Deirdre Reagan :

> Hi All!
>
> FM 8.0, XP.
>
> I don't even know how to ask this question.
>
> Let's say you have a 50 page document, and each page has the date of
> original issue on it. The date of original issue is a cross-reference
> (I know, I know) on the master page.
>
> If you want to make changes to a document and you want the revision
> date to appear only on the pages that have been revised, do you create
> a new master page based on the old master page and change the original
> cross-reference to a cross-reference to the revision date?
>
> I think that is what to do.
>
> If so, if we have a document that ends up in 12 revisions, then we
> will have 13 sets of master pages (1 original and 12 revisions)?
>
> Is that correct? All those master pages are ok?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Deirdre
> ___
>
>
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Word to structured frame

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi Mathieu,

The trick to migrating a word doc to structured Frame is to build the  
structure of the FrameMaker document as you go.

For example, you might insert a Section element, followed by a nested  
Heading element. You would then copy and paste the heading from the  
Word document into the Heading element of the Frame document, taking  
care to use the Paste Special feature to avoid copying any of the  
formatting from the word document.

You might then insert a Para element into your section, and copy and  
"Paste Special" the corresponding paragraph from your Word document.

This process is rather time consuming. If you have a large monitor, or  
two monitors, you might find it best to keep the word and Frame  
documents open side-by-side.

As an alternative, if you have FrameScript, I have written a wizard  
that allows you to to this interactively. The wizard allows you to  
structure documents based on your own EDD, and is able to migrate  
paragrahs, tables, and referenced graphics, along with index markers.  
Contact me off list if you are interested at martin.smith at golehtek.com.

Soon I hope to add this script to the other freely-available scripts  
on my web site at http://www.golehtek.com

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
www.golehtek.com



This means that you need to insert the elements for
Quoting mathieu jacquet :

>
> Hi all,
>
> I have been asked to migrate a Word document into a structured FM   
> document. I have done a lot of migrations from Word into   
> unstructured frame, but I must admit I am a newbie in structured   
> frame...
>
> Any tip/advice/online reference that might help me?
>
> Thanks a lot!
>
> Mathieu.
> _
> Caroline vient de mettre ? jour son profil Messenger ! Connectez-vous !
> http://login.live.com/login.srf?wa=wsignin1.0=10=1198837564=4.0.1534.0=MBI=http:%2F%2Fhome.services.spaces.live.com%2F=1036=73625
> ___
>
>
> You are currently subscribed to Framers as martin.smith at golehtek.com.
>
> Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com.
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com
> or visit   
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>
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Structured vs Unstructured Frame

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi Scott,

A more direct path would be to write a script in the FrameScript  
language that queries your database and builds the FrameMaker document  
directly. You could easily build a structured or unstructured  
document, depending on your preference.

If you have xml in your database, a FrameScript solution with  
structured FrameMaker is especially attractive, because you can use  
the MSXML OCX parser in combination with FrameScript. FrameScript  
allows you to use OCX controls, and the MSXML OCX control gives you  
the power of XPATH and XQUERY directly within FrameMaker.

Note that I specialize in FrameMaker internals development.

Feel free to contact me off list if you would like additional information,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
Web Site: http://www.golehtek.com

extract changed texts

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi Gunnar,

This is rather easy to do if you have FrameScript. FrameScript is a  
powerful and easy-to-use internals programming language for FrameMaker.

Using FrameScript you would would do the following:

Loop for every chapter in a book:
--Loop for every paragraph in a chapter:
Inspect each paragraph for a change bar:
If a change bar is detected:
Copy the content of the paragraph into a new document

If you decide to go the FrameScript route, you will find that there  
are many freely available scripts that can extend the capabilities of  
FrameMaker. I offer a number of free scripts on my web site  
(www.golehtek.com). I also develop custom scripts for my clients.

If you are interested in a FrameScript solution, you are welcome to  
contact me off list.

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
www.golehtek.com

extract changed texts

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

The primary difference between FrameScript and other scripting  
languages is that FrameScript provides direct access to the internals  
of FrameMaker itself. FrameScript exposes the FrameMaker API (which  
you can also manipulate by downloading the Frame Developers Kit and  
programming in C).

FrameScript also allows you to extend FrameMaker by linking to OCX  
controls. FrameScript also provides direct access to relational  
database systems through ODBC. We make extensive use of the MSXML OCX  
control for XML parsing and have developed solutions for content reuse  
by encoding sections of FrameMaker documents in XML and uploading them  
to a relational database.

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
www.golehtek.com
martin.smith at golehtek.com

Ann: Seeking beta testers for an application that generates glossaries for FrameMaker and WebWorks

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hello,

My name is Martin R. Smith and I run a consulting company that  
specializes in custom application development for FrameMaker and  
WebWorks ePublisher Pro.

We are bringing an application called GlossBase to market that enables  
authors to automatically generate glossaries for Adobe FrameMaker  
books and on-line help systems produced using WebWorks ePublisher Pro.

GlossBase allows you to create and define glossary terms that contain  
any number of paragraphs, tables, graphics, and equations using a  
structured FrameMaker document. GlossBase encodes glossary terms and  
definitions in XML and uploads them to a database.

When you want to generate a glossary for a book, GlossBase compares  
every word in your FrameMaker source files against the database and  
automatically generates a glossary of relevant terms. GlossBase can  
also add the markers and apply the character formatting necessary for  
WebWorks generated help systems to automatically display glossary  
definitions in a secondary window.

If you are interested in being among the first to try out GlossBase,  
send me an email off list.

You will need FrameMaker 7.x or above and FrameScript version 4.1 or  
above to run this initial version of GlossBase.

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
GolehTek, LLC
www.golehtek.com
703-889-0845

importing/structuring docx into FrameMaker?

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi Jacob,

I have used the table mapping method to migrate unstructured content  
into structured FrameMaker, though this method does have limitations.  
It works well if your original documents are consistently formatted  
throughout. Once the migration is complete, you still have some  
cleanup work to do in terms of defining the hierarchical relationships  
between elements in your final, structured document.

I have had to migrate literally thousands of pages of legacy content  
to structured FrameMaker, and consequently I developed an alternate  
approach. I wrote a wizard in the FrameScript language that reads in  
your EDD and then allows you to  interactively structure your content.  
The wizard positions your source and destination documents  
side-by-side on the screen, and advances through your source document  
one paragraph at a time.  Using the wizard, you can select from a list  
of valid elements to structure each paragraph. This approach allows  
you to copy and structure your content at the same time.

The wizard migrates all referenced graphics, FrameMaker graphic  
objects, and index markers present in the original document.

More information about this approach is available on my web site at  
http://www.golehtek.com.

I plan on offering a freely-available version of this wizard for  
download in the near future.

Meanwhile, if you are interested in using the wizard, contact me off  
list and I will send it to you. Note that you will need FrameScript to  
run the wizard. If you don?t already have FrameScript, a trial version  
is available on the Finite Matters Limited web site at  
http://www.framescript.com.

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
President: GolehTek, LLC
martin.smith at golehtek.com
703-889-0845

OT: Is there an easy way to manage graphics shared in many FM files?

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi Rene,

Do you have a license for FrameScript at your company, by any chance?  
FrameScript is a high level scripting language available from Finite  
Matters Limited (http://www.framescript.com) that makes it possible to  
extend the capabilities of Adobe FrameMaker. If you would like to try  
out FrameScript, you can download a trial version from the FML web site.

I have a freely available script on my personal web site  
(http://www.golehtek.com) called BookMover that organizes the imported  
graphics in a FrameMaker book under a graphics directory, further  
organized by chapter.

Using FrameScript, it would be fairly simple to generate reports about  
the imported graphics in your documents, and develop an interface for  
tracking and managing the graphics. If you can provide me with more  
information about what you are trying to achieve, I can give you an  
estimate about the amount of work involved.

Regarding generating graphics from the original source files, this may  
also be possible. I have achieved really nice results using  
AutoImager. AutoImager is an inexpensive graphics conversion program  
that can produce vector and raster graphics from more than 120 common  
graphic formats. You can control AutoImager from within FrameScript,  
making it possible to build an end-to-end solution for graphics  
conversion and management. More information about AutoImager is  
available from http://www.mystikmedia.com/autoimager.asp.

I use AutoImager in conjunction with WebWorks ePublisher Pro so users  
can enlarge or reduce the graphics in my on-line help systems without  
leaving the current topic. This also solves the problems that occur  
when an anchored frame contains more than one graphic, or a  
combination of graphics and annotations.

I hope this gives you some ideas to ponder.

Feel free to contact me any time with any additional questions.

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
President: GolehTek, LLC
martin.smith at golehtek.com
703-889-0845

i
Quoting Rene Stephenson :

> Hi All,
>
> We have a library of a few dozen books (about 10,000 pages), and   
> many of the files use the same graphics or composites built from   
> shared graphics. We've run upon a challenge, though, in that things   
> have gotten complex enough that we can't always use subfolders to   
> group the graphics in a logical way so that we know where to look to  
>  find them. To complicate matters, we have recently endured several   
> rounds of layoffs that have rather drastically diminished our team   
> to just me and a trainer and our boss. :-\  The graphic artist was   
> the last of our casualties.
>
> I am now discovering how much our artist was keeping in his head.   
> Now, I know the idea of cataloging or browsing graphics is really   
> probably out of scope for any desktop publishing application, but   
> when you're dealing with graphic-intensive books in FM, with so much  
>  content to manage...! We have single-sourced about 75% of the   
> projects, so the text part of the FM files is in manageable   
> condition, thanks to insets, shared files, conditional text,   
> variables, and the like. But the graphics...! Egads! We really need   
> to simplify and find a way to quickly locate and identify the   
> graphics files!
>
> I'm wondering whether we could use the source graphics rather than   
> the output files. The source files include CDR, AI, DWG, DXF, and   
> VSD files. All of those were being output to TIFF or JPG for use in   
> FM. I have heard that FM is supposed to import CDR files, but using   
> FM 7.2 I haven't had very good luck (possibly my mistakes).
>
> I'm also thinking about file structure in that right now, we have   
> the books grouped by product and the output graphics in the product   
> directories at the same "tree" or path level as the FM files folder   
> for the product. Aren't there some limitations about how long the   
> path can be or how many folders up and down the path between the   
> container doc and the graphic you're inserting that can impact FM   
> ability to display the images? It seems like about 5 of the   
> ..\..\..\ things in the referenced file path causes an issue...?
>
> And the other thing that's brewing in my mind is, surely there's   
> some program somewhere that catalogs graphics of various file   
> formats when you provide a path or group of paths for a   
> repository...??
>
> Given the tech market and economic rollercoaster of the last few   
> years, I know I'm not the only writer to find myself in this   
> position. Any insight that any of you can provide would be greatly   
> appreciated!
>
> Rene L. Stephenson
>
>
>
>
> ___
>
>
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> 

Modularised EDDs?

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi Hedley,

I gather from your email that you are trying to get the benefits of  
DITA?creating reusable, modular topics?using FrameMaker?s text inset  
feature. This approach makes sense, because you would eliminate the  
need for an expensive, XML-based content management system, which is  
really what you need to deliver on all the hype surrounding DITA.

This is an area of interest of mine as well,  and I think I have a  
novel solution. Using the FrameScript language, I can easily encode a  
section/topic element from a FrameMaker document in XML and store that  
XML in an open-source, freely available database such as MySQL.

I can then insert a section/topic element in a different FrameMaker  
document and have the option of importing one of the topics stored in  
the database. The script fetches the XML from the database and  
reconstructs all of the elements and text from the original root  
element (topic, section, etc.), preserving any elements, attributes,  
tables, equations, referenced graphics, and index markers.

I have already used this approach for an embedded help authoring  
system that stores XML encoded content in a relational database. I  
will soon be releasing a freely available script for storing and  
retrieving topics in a database and will make the scripts and sample  
files available for download on my web site. I will also offer a  
commercial version that allows everyone in a work group to store and  
retrieve topics in a database at a reasonable cost.

If this workflow is of interest to you, I would be happy to provide  
you with beta versions of the script in exchange for your input.

Full disclosure: I am a FrameMaker internals developer and consultant  
and run a web site at http://www.golehtek.com that offers free and  
commercial applications for Adobe FrameMaker based on the FrameScript  
programming language.

Please reply with an email if you are interested. I would like to  
learn more about what you are trying to achieve.

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
President: GolehTek, LLC
703-889-0845
www.golehtek.com

Quoting Hedley Finger :

>
> Lynne Price, Kay Whatley and others:
>
> The DITA DTDs are modularised to allow ready re-use, specialisation
> and maintenance.
>
> Is there any way to create a modularised EDD, with a skeleton host
> file and modules imported as text insets?  I have been studying the
> Adobe documentation for developing structured applications but cannot
> find any reference to using text insets in this way.  I read
> somewhere a couple of years ago that EDD fragments always require a
> root element that matches an element in the main host EDD skeleton,
> which would rather undermine this idea.  But perhaps there is a
> special root element that can map onto ANY element in the host EDD --
> a new feature in FM8?
>
> It seems to me that both the Adobe and Leximation EDDs could benefit
> from modularisation that exactly maps onto the *.dtd and *.mod files
> of the DITA schemas/DTDs.
>
> Regards,
> Hedley
>
>
> --
> Hedley Stewart Finger
> 28 Regent Street   Camberwell VIC 3124   Australia
> Tel. +61 3 9809 1229   Mobile +61 412 461 558,
> E-mail 
>
>
> ___
>
>
> You are currently subscribed to Framers as martin.smith at golehtek.com.
>
> Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com.
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com
> or visit   
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>
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> http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
>

fractions

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi Joel,

You can try one of the fractions fonts available from Adobe. OpenType  
and PostScript versions are both available.


http://store1.adobe.com/cfusion/store/html/index.cfm?store=OLS-US=displayFontPackage=234

These fonts allow you to type the numerator and denominator independently.

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
GolehTek, LLC
www.golehtek.com

Using PNG graphics

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

I would add to Bill's comments and suggest that if you need to  
generate 8,000 vector-based images out of Corel, you can automate the  
process of opening, saving, and closing the Corel drawings using  
WinBatch: http://www.winbatch.com/

WinBatch is an event-driven scripting language that can automate  
repetitive tasks in most Windows applications and is an ideal choice  
for programs that do not provide an API.

You could then write a simple script in the FrameScript language that  
updates the pathnames of all your imported graphics to recognize the  
new file extension, replacing *.png with *.eps for example.

Best regards,

Martin

Martin R. Smith
President: GolehTek, LLC
www.golehtek.com

Ann: Web site with free scripts now on line

[martin.sm...@golehtek.com]

Hi Framers,

A couple of weeks ago on this list I mentioned that I had developed a  
freely available script (written in FrameScript) that gathers together  
imported graphics and copies them into a dedicated graphics directory  
while updating the links. The same script can also be used to copy a  
chapter and all of its graphics into another project.

This script, and another freely available script for editing and  
organizing index terms in structured and unstructured FrameMaker  
documents and books, are now freely available for download at the  
following web site:
http://www.golehtek.com

Best regards,

Martin R. Smith