Creating FrameMaker Templates

By Mayur Polepalli

Before You Begin

The following article is for advanced FrameMaker (FM) users. It does not talk about detailed tasks, but is conceptual in thought. Key words which display the appropriate help topic for further assistance have been included.

(Key words are italicized in brackets.)

A few tasks need to be completed before you begin creating an FM template. You must remember, a template needs to be robust, scalable to meet all your requirements, and easily usable by others. You need to actually answer the following questions on paper. Keep it in front of you at all times while creating your template. This is your requirement and your template MUST satisfy all the conditions. It is very likely that this list will change. You might even have to rework on the template after you create a book.

Questionnaire

Answer the following questions with utmost detail.

Starting a New Template

In FM, a template is no different from a document. A recap of the various elements is listed as follows:

• Books are containers for files.

• A file comprises master, reference, and body pages.

• Pages contain these objects:

  • Text frames and document flow.

  • Paragraph, character, and table tags.

  • Cross references, variables, markers, and equations.

  • Footnotes, conditional text, and graphics.

Creating a Foundation for the Template

There are two ways to start creating your own template. The first is to create a template from scratch using a blank document. The second method is to take an existing template and tweak components to suit your requirement.

Changing, Adding, and Applying Master Pages

In FM, you primarily work with body pages. However, while creating a template, you need to work with master pages. Following are a few tips that will help you while working with master pages:

• The basic layout of a document--page size and margins, the number of columns on each page, whether the document is single-sided or double-sided, and page numbering method-- are stored in the master page. Keep master pages to a minimum. It would help you tame your template. I would ideally use three – one for the front matter, and the other two for the left and right pages.

• Use text insets (*.txt files) or variables for the Hs/Fs.

• Avoid applying master pages manually to body pages.

• Finalize the text flow at a very early stage. (About text flows and flow tags)

Creating or (inconsistent use of and/or. Consider revising for consistency) Editing Custom Master Pages

Refer Creating and (or?) editing custom master pages WHERE? This sub section IS about creating and editing. Check cross reference. Mismatch in flow of content.

Once you create these pages, apply them to the body pages. With structured FM (7.0 or higher), you can additionally set up a master page mapping table to match the use of certain paragraphs or elements to page layouts (Master page mapping table).

Working with Tags

In FM, there are three kinds of tags—paragraph, character, and table. A similar process can be followed to create these tags with some minor differences. Let me begin with the similarities.

Once you have decided on the character tags that you require, name all of them. It’s a good practice to assign intuitive names. For example, a bold tag, and not Potrezebie. Also, avoid using spaces in these tags and maintain consistency in the case you use.

All Tags

Changing Existing Tags

Instead of creating new tags, it is more practical to tweak existing ones. To change an existing tag to create a new tag, change the properties of an existing tag and rename it.

Adding Custom Tags

You can also create tags from scratch. (Creating new formats)

Paragraph Tags

Changing and Adding Paragraph Tags

Some of the options that you will need to use while creating new or updating old tags are:

• Keep with next/previous (Changing page and column breaks)

• Widow orphan (Changing page and column breaks)

• Next paragraph format (Specifying formats for the paragraphs that follow)

Creating Tags for Lists

Lists, numbered or ordered, are slightly more complicated to create. The numbered1 and numbered tags might take a while to understand. However, they are required in most documents. (Formatting text as bulleted lists, Formatting text as numbered lists)

Table Tags

Changing and Adding Table Tags

Table tags are different from paragraph and character tags. For example, tables can have different shading for heading and footing rows and you can specify where the title of the table must appear. (Creating table formats). Tables can be used as placeholders for notes and the like.

Changing, Adding, and Inserting Variables

FM has two kinds of variables – system and user. As a template designer, you would need to define user variables. The most commonly used user variables are:

• Company Name

• Product Name

• Product Version

• Release Date

This is when you can design your headers and footers. Use variables to decide on the format. Create a global H/F format to support all your chapters.

Adding and Applying Conditional Tags

Conditional tags are a powerful feature of FM. It permits you to have multiple views of the same document. For example, one view can have images and the other can exclude all of them. Conditional tags can be used to mark comments, track revisions, and insert watermarks (alpha release, beta, draft, and so on). You can Show/Hide tags to create a custom view. This avoids the need for multiple documents, and the savings in terms of maintaining, editing, and reviewing multiple documents is significant. (Conditional tags)

Changing and Adding Cross-reference Formats

Building blocks form the core of cross-reference (XRef) formats. Before you actually begin working with XRefs, brushing up your knowledge on building blocks will help. (Using building blocks for source information) For consistency, you could form complete sentences as your XRef format. For example, “For further information, refer Section\ <$paranumonly>, "<$paratext>".” (Working with cross-reference markers)

Changing Document Properties

Document properties consist of elements such as numbering (page as well as chapters), change bars, footnotes, and text options. Some of these properties can be set at the document level. However, the book-level properties will override them.

Change Bars

Change bars help in tracking changes in the book. (About change bars)

Footnotes

(Changing footnote properties) You can also configure smart spaces and quotes (Using Smart Spaces or Smart Quotes) and the page numbering options.

Constructing a Templates for a TOCs and IXs

For TOCs and IXs, it is advisable to generate junk data and then start working with the master and reference pages. Tweak them, in ways that are suitable to you. You can save space by using a two-column layout for the IX page.

This article should give you a fair insight into the nuances of creating a template. You might even have to rework on the template after you create a book. Take a look at the way FM templates are shipped, you could also replicate a similar delivery method.

(Mayur Polepalli is a Technical Writer with Oracle, Bangalore)

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