RE: text insets for chapter TOCs

["Stevens, Ananda" <Ananda.Stevens@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> ...use a text inset to  insert a "mini-TOC" on a chapter page. 

Been there, tried that, had so many headaches with it we chucked 
it and went to a different system. 

We use a list of cross-references. 

Each level 1 heading gets an xref which includes the text of the
heading and its page number. Each xref is in its own paragraph.
The para format for the mini-TOC is not used anywhere else. 

There are a couple of minor disadvantages to this method:
1) Individual level 1 headings need their xrefs created manually.
   NOTE: you could do this with a FrameScript, but we haven't set
   that one up yet. (Rick? :-)
2) If you rearrange the sections in the chapter, your manually-
   created xrefs get out of order. You need to check their page
   numbers before you go to production. (Again, something that 
   could be fixed if you automated the process with a FrameScript.)

The advantages:
1) None of the problems associated with text insets.
2) Cross-references update automatically when you're doing the 
book builds, so you have fewer files to update and NO additional
files to update manually.
3) Fewer files required for the book. 
4) A *lot* less complexity. 


When I was a FrameMaker neophyte, this subject came up on the 
Framers list a couple of times. As I remember it, the consensus
was to use the list of cross-references rather than mucking around
with text insets.


--Ananda Stevens
ananda.stevens@windriver.com



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