FrameMaker 7 Books and Generated Files
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
The ability to group files into a book is one of FrameMaker's most powerful features. This book, for example, has a file for each chapter and appendix, in addition to files for the preface, TOC, glossary, and index. If I were part of a workgroup, different writers could be working on different files in the book.
When files are part of a book, you can add generated files such as a table of contents (TOC) or an index. A generated file is a file FrameMaker populates by extracting paragraph text or marker text from one or more source documents. A TOC is a list of chapter title and heading paragraphs; an index is an alphabetized list of text stored in index markers. When you update the book, you can regenerate the TOC and index as well.
You can use book files for more than books in the traditional sense; you could add files to a book file for easy access. For example, a program coordinator could create a book that contains all of the most common type of documents that need to be printed or faxed. It could contain an introduction to the program, schedules, program descriptions, a registration form, an information sheet, a confirmation form, directions to the facilities, and an invoice form.
About Book Files and the Book Window
A book file is a special FrameMaker file that allows you to group a number of files together, so you can work with them as a unit. When files are part of a book, pages can be numbered consecutively from one file to another. You can perform operations, such as spell checking or updating of cross-references, across all the files in the book at the same time.
Files in the book appear in a book window. They can be added and rearranged in a logical order from front to back (Figure 13.1). You can also access book commands from the icon bar at the bottom of the window (Figure 13.2).
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Figure
13.1 A book window with component files, including a generated TOC and
index.
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Figure
13.2 You can access book commands by clicking buttons on the bar at the
bottom of the book window.
To build a book, you assemble its components, which can be:
Files such as the forward, introduction, chapters, appendixes, and glossary.
Generated files that are added to the book and generated as part of the book building process, such as the TOC and index.
When the book is updated, FrameMaker updates generated files and numbering throughout the book (Figure 13.3).
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Figure
13.3 The Update Book dialog box displays items that can be updated across
the book.
Each file can have its own numbering system and style. You can start numbering the front matter in a book using lowercase roman numerals (i, ii, iii, and so on), for example, and then switch to arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, and so on) for the rest of the book.
Paragraph numbering, such as the autonumbering used for figure captions or table numbering, can be started or reset in the book file. Settings in the book file override settings in individual files.
Building a Book
Create the book file.
Add all of the other files that you want to be part of the book.
Add filenames for generated files.
Set up numbering for the book.
Update the book to add content to, or generate, the generated files.
Generate and update on an ongoing basis as you add files to the book or change the content of existing files.
Creating a book and adding files
You can create a book file from any document or from a document that will be part of the book.
To create a book file:
Open a document that you want to be part of the book, and from the File menu, choose New > Book (Figure 13.4). (Mac OS only,) You can press Esc F Shift-N to create a new book without opening a document first.
Figure
13.4 Choose File New Book.A warning message appears (Figure 13.5).
Figure
13.5 You can include the document you started from in the book, or you can
start a new book without including an open document.To open a new book file without including the document, click No.
or
To open a new book file that includes the document you started from, click Yes.
A new, untitled book window appears with the document from which you created the book if you included it (Figure 13.6).
Figure
13.6 An untitled book window appears. From the File menu, choose Save Book As (Figure 13.7).
Figure
13.7 Choose File > Save Book As.The Save Book dialog box appears.
Navigate to where you want to save the book and type a name for the book in the text box (Figure 13.8).
Figure
13.8 Save the book file in the same folder as the files that will be
included in the book.Click Save. The book file is saved and the name appears in the title bar of the book window (Figure 13.9).
Figure
13.9 The book file is now saved and named. You can now add more files to the book.
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Figure
13.4)
Figure
13.5 )
Figure
13.6 )
Figure
13.7 )
Figure
13.8 )
Figure
13.9 Tips
Keep all the documents that are part of a book, including the book file itself, in the same folder.
Don't include any numbering in filenames for files in a book, such as chapter_1 or Appendix A. If you reorder the files, the filenames will be misleading.
Always open files in a book from the book window. That way you know you're working in the most current and correct version, and that you haven't accidentally opened a .backupor a .autofile.
When you're working with documents that are part of a book, pay attention to whether you're choosing commands from the document menus (Figure 13.10) or the book menus (Figure 13.11). When a document is active, the document menus are displayed; when a book is active, the book menus are displayed. The book menus are a subset of the document menus, with one additional menu, the Add menu.
Figure
13.10 The document menus. 
Figure
13.11 The book menus.
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Figure
13.10 )
Figure
13.11 To add documents to a book:
In the book window, from the Add menu, choose Files (Figure 13.12).
Figure
13.12 Choose Add > Files.or
Click the Add File icon (see Figure 13.2).
Select one or more files in the list to add the book (Figure 13.13). (Windows) Shift-click to select contiguous Ctrl-click to select noncontiguous files. OS) Command-Shift-click to select range of files; Shift-click to select noncontiguous files.
Figure
13.13 Select files from the list to add to the book file.Click Add. The files are added to the book file and appear in the book window (Figure 13.14).
Figure
13.14 The files you added appear in the book window.
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Figure
13.12 )
Figure
13.13 )
Figure
13.14 It may be more convenient for you to drag and drop files from another book window or from a window on the desktop.
To drag and drop files:
Drag files from another book window or a file manager window into the book window (Figure 13.15).
Figure
13.15 Select and drag files into the book window to add them to the
book.
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Figure
13.15 Once you have some of the component files in the book, you can rearrange them.
To rearrange files in the book window:
In the book window, select one or more files and drag them to the correct position
If you accidentally add a file you didn't intend to add or later want to remove a file, you can delete files from the book.
To delete files from the book:
In the book window, select the files you want to delete.
From the Edit menu, choose Delete File from Book.
or
Click the Delete icon. The selected files are deleted from the book and disappear from the window.