Running H/F variable works on master page, but not user variable

[ezra <ezra@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have created a background text frame on a custom master page that I
apply to the last page of my document. In this frame I insert a variable
that picks up information from one of the paragraph tags on the first
page of my document.

If I use one of the predefined Running H/F variables and define it as
<$paratext[versionnum]>, it works perfectly (I get the version number
typed into the versionnum paragraph on the first page of my document to
appear as background text on the last page of the document). If I define
a user variable with exactly the same definition and use it instead of
the Running H/F variable, I end up seeing the string "<$paratext"
(without the quotes) on both the master page and the body page (in place
of the version number).

Anyone know why this is? And is there another workaround besides using
the Running H/F variables? (It turns out I can use these, but I'm
interested in any other workarounds for the day when I might not be able
to make use of them for some reason.)

FrameMaker 5.5.6 on Solaris 2.7.

Ezra
-- 
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Ezra Steinberg				Resonate, Inc.
Senior Technical Writer			385 Moffett Park Drive, Suite 205
mailto:ezra@resonate.com		Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1208      USA
Voice: 408.548.5529			FAX: 408.548.5679

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