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To: framers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, framers@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: I need input in order to use the F.D.K. to add some nifty features toframe
From: hedley_finger@xxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 10:13:50 +1000
Cc: Ian Hawkins <ihawkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sender: owner-framers@xxxxxxxxx
Ian:
Whoa there, Nelly, before galloping off ...
> Basically, it would be great to enter <$startrange> and corresponding
> <$endrange> tags automatically.
>
> It would happen something like this:
> Most documents have a hierarchy of heading levels (Heading1, Heading2,
> Heading3, . . .) implemented with paragraph tags. If a document doesn't
have
> that, then my proposed tool won't work.
>
> Most of the time, if I want to index a range of pages, the range would
start
> with one of the heading levels, and continue until it hit a heading level
of
> the same or higher position in the hierarchy. [...]
> What I want is the ability to put the insertion point into one of my
header [heading?]
> paragraphs and create a pair of index markers. The <$startrange> marker
would
> be located at the beginning of the paragraph. The <$endrange> marker
would be
> located immediately before the paragraph that starts the next section.
> Obviously, your tool would need to know the hierarchy of paragraph tags.
I
> propose storing them on a reference page, and writing a little utility to
> create and edit the reference page.
The little utility for editing the reference page already exists. It is
called Enhance and is an outliner for FrameMaker that gives you the same
(well, MORE) outlining capabilities than Word does. It already stores the
hierarchy of headings on a reference page.
Wouldn't it be nice if your proposed utility, IXgen, and Enhance were
integrated to the extent that they all shared the same Enhance [hierarchy]
reference page? Perhaps your utility could be integrated with Enhance so
that you could simply select a range of partially expanded or collapsed
headings and subsidiary text before applying the <$startrange> and
<$endrange> markers.
Contact David Lyall at <http://www.sandybrook.com/> to find out more about
Enhance, download a demo, and purchase it. This is a really great plug-in
that I use all the time for navigating long files quickly, restructuring
files, making sure headings are in parallel expression, etc. Perhaps David
will add what you want to the next release of Enhance. It doesn't sound
like a difficult task as he already has access to the document
infrastructure built into Enhance.
Regards,
Hedley
--
Hedley Finger
Technical Communications/Technical communicator and FrameMaker mentor
MYOB Australia <http://www.myob.com.au/>
P.O. box 371 Blackburn VIC 3130 Australia
<mailto:hedley_finger@myob.com.au>
Tel. +61 3 9894 0945
Mob. +61 412 461 558
Ian Hawkins
<ihawkins@telusplanet.net> To: framers@FrameUsers.com (Framers List)
Sent by: cc:
bounce-framers-52045@lists.fram Subject: Re: I need input in order to use the F.D.K. to
eusers.com add some nifty features to frame
20-11-2000 01:23 AM
Please respond to Ian Hawkins
Have you used Ixgen? It's a great tool, but I have one enhancement request
that would be nice. Of course, you can't modify Ixgen, but you could create
a
little tool that could be used standalone or with Ixgen.
Basically, it would be great to enter <$startrange> and corresponding
<$endrange> tags automatically.
It would happen something like this:
Most documents have a hierarchy of heading levels (Heading1, Heading2,
Heading3, . . .) implemented with paragraph tags. If a document doesn't
have
that, then my proposed tool won't work.
Most of the time, if I want to index a range of pages, the range would
start
with one of the heading levels, and continue until it hit a heading level
of
the same or higher position in the hierarchy. For example, part of my doc
might be structured something like this:
<H1>Functions
<H2>Arithmetic operators
<H3>Addition
<H3>Subtraction
<H3>Multiplication
<H3>Division
<H2>Trigonometric operators
<H3>sin
<H3>cosine
<H3>tangent
<H2>Exponential operators
<H2>Geometric operators
<H1>. . .
Assume that each of the sections may span a number of pages. So, I might
want
the following entries in my index:
Arithmetic operators, 22-53
Addition, 23-27
Subtraction, 27-34
Multiplication, 35-45
Division, 45-53
etc.
What I want is the ability to put the insertion point into one of my header
paragraphs and create a pair of index markers. The <$startrange> marker
would
be located at the beginning of the paragraph. The <$endrange> marker would
be
located immediately before the paragraph that starts the next section. So,
in
the example above, there would be a <$startrange> at the beginning of the
<H2>Arithmetic operators
paragraph, and a corresponding <$endrange> immediately before the beginning
of the
<H2>Trigonometric operators
paragraph. All of the <H3> in between are ignored, because they are lower
in
the hierarchy.
Obviously, your tool would need to know the hierarchy of paragraph tags. I
propose storing them on a reference page, and writing a little utility to
create and edit the reference page.
Then, write another utility to enter the ranges. Once the start paragraph
is
known, you can find the end paragraph. Prompt for the text of the marker,
add
the markers in the right locations, and you're done.
Later, you could work on editing existing markers in the same way.
There are some nice advantages to this. First, the text of the index marker
only needs to be entered once. This makes it far more difficult to make
typing mistakes. Second, and almost as important, the end of the range is
found automatically. Your dialog box that prompts for the marker text could
easily show the page range so users get an idea how big the section is.
Let me know if any of this makes sense. I've been thinking about it for a
while, but have not had the time or inclination to learn C++. However, I
think that you might find it a nice, manageable challenge.
Feel free to do whatever you want with the idea. If you do decide to tackle
it, and don't stray too far from my concept, then you could acknowledge me
in
some way. Maybe "Thanks to Ian Hawkins for coming up with the original
idea,
and being far too lazy to do anything about it."
I hope this has been a clear enough explanation, so you can evaluate the
idea
and see if you want to do anything with it. I'd be interested in any
comments
you might have.
Good luck!
Ian Hawkins
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