Re: Links between books lost in PDF

[Dan Emory <danemory@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One of the best explanations I've seen yet. One wonders why all of this is
not in the Frame User manual though.
At 10:17 AM 8/4/99 GMT, Shlomo Perets wrote:

>>this must be a pretty dumb question for experienced users but
>>I'll ask it anyway:
>>
>>Is it possible to maintain references to headings in other books
>>in PDF files? All of my attempts have failed so far. I mean, the
>>cross-reference text is correct but clicking the link does not bring the 
>>target file up.

>This question is not "dumb" at all - regardless of level of
>FrameMaker experience.
>
>In fact, it touches several obscure and undocumented aspects
>(discussed below), which you must be aware of when producing the
>PS files to be distilled, if links are to be consistently valid.
>
>
>#1: target - book vs. chapter
>
>The key problem is that in FrameMaker, xref and hypertext links
>are always between individual documents (whether these documents
>are part of books or not).
>
>When converting FM files to PDF, however, there are two possible
>scenarios: all book chapters converted to a single, consolidated
>PDF vs book chapters converted to individual PDF files.
>
>The *same* xref/link in FrameMaker could be converted to the
>corresponding Acrobat link in *several different ways*
>(see http://www.microtype.com/resource/htxlinks.pdf for possible
>variations)- only one of which will be valid.
>
>Your link/xref will be valid in Acrobat only if your final PDFs
>match what FrameMaker had in "mind" when producing the PS files.
>
>If you have cross-book links, you must know in advance how are you
>planning to convert the book files which are the target of links
>to PDFs - one large PDF or individual chapters. If you will be
>producing a consolidated PDF for each book, the target books must
>be open when you create the PS files for the other books. You
>don't need to open the book chapters, just the book itself has to
>be open. This signals to FrameMaker to use the book file name as
>the target PDF file.
>
>If the target books are not open, FrameMaker uses the chapter
>names as the target for the links.
>
>
>
>#2 Let FrameMaker be in charge of file names!
>
>When producing PS file, let FrameMaker be in charge of file name.
>Do not type the output PS filenames yourself.
>
>- If you are printing the whole book to a single PS file, accept
>the default file name in FrameMaker's print dialog box.
>
>- If you are printing multiple PS files from a book, just specify
>the path where you want the PS files, followed by a * (not *.ps),
>for example - c:\project\output\*
>Notice that when you re-visit the print dialog box you'll find out
>that FrameMaker added a ".ps", for example  c:\project\output\*.ps
>You have to delete ".ps" again, so that you have the
>c:\project\output\* specification again.
>
>When you follow this method, all PS files automatically have the
>FM file name (without the extension, eg chapter1.fm is printed to
>chapter1.ps, etc.).
>
>When the PS files are prepared this way, all links should work in
>PDF (assuming that they are valid in your FrameMaker source
>files).
>
>
>
>
>#3 are cross-linked books in same directory or in different
>directories?
>
>
>- Book files are in the same directory:
>
>If the link target is a file that is part of a book, and if that
>book is *open*, the filename in the link command is automatically
>changed to the book name.
>
>
>- Book files are in different directories in the same hard disk:
>
>If the path in your hypertext command is *relative* (xrefs to
>files in the same volume/drive are relative), and the target book
>is open, the book name is used as a target, *prefixed by the
>relative path*. The directory structure must be replicated in the
>target environment for such links to work.
>
>If the xref/gotolink is to a file in a different volume/drive,
>then an absolute address is specified for the link; most likely,
>this will not work in other computers or on a CD.
>
>
>What can be done nevertheless, if you have the books are in
>different directories?
>
>
>- Keep all chapters for all books wherever they are, but move
>all book files to the same directory. This involve some work...
>but you don't need to recreate the books with all their settings:
>- move the book file to the common directory
>- add one test file from the directory where your chapters are
>- save the book file as MIF
>- open the book.mif in a text editor, and update the path for
>all chapters, using FrameMaker cross-platform notation as seen
>for the test file you added.
>(MIF files for books are typically small, and the operation is
>usually fairly simple).
>- Open the book.mif file in FrameMaker, remove the test file
>you added and save as normal book file
>
>This way, links and xrefs between the different chapters will
>be valid in FrameMaker, and also valid when the PDFs are created
>- each book as a 'consolidated' PDF.
>
>
>[ Alternatively, pdfmark commands can be used for the jumps,
>without changing anything in your book/chapter locations. ]
>
>
>
>Shlomo Perets
>
>MicroType
>http://www.microtype.com * mailto:info@microtype.com
>FrameMaker-to-Acrobat: TimeSavers / Advanced Techniques Course / Solutions
>
>
>
>
>______________________________________________________
>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________________
> (un)subscribe send an email to majordomo@FrameUsers.com with subject of:
>  Subscribe: subscribe Framers          Unsubscribe: unsubscribe Framers
>             subscribe digest Framers                unsubscribe Framers
>
>    1999 FrameUsers Conference: http://www.FrameUsers.com/conference/
>     Dr. John Warnock Keynote on Adobe and the Future of FrameMaker
>_________________________________________________________________________
>
>
     ====================
     | Nullius in Verba |
     ====================
Dan Emory, Dan Emory & Associates
FrameMaker/FrameMaker+SGML Document Design & Database Publishing
Voice/Fax: 949-722-8971 E-Mail: danemory@primenet.com
10044 Adams Ave. #208, Huntington Beach, CA 92646
---Subscribe to the "Free Framers" list by sending a message to
   majordomo@omsys.com with "subscribe framers" (no quotes) in the body.


** To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@omsys.com **
** with "unsubscribe framers" (no quotes) in the body.   **