Master Page/Delete File issues with PDFs created with scripts

[Becky Raymond <braymond@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I'd like to verify that I've exhausted all of my options before I rip apart my current setup and make big changes. Currently, I've got about 250 .fm files in about 25 books. I use conditional text, variables, and various master pages to get the books the way I want them for our different products/delivery mechanisms. I've got a script set up to create a PDF file for each of the books automatically, using FrameScript to import templates, set variables, print, etc. Everything is working well, except the deletion of blank pages and the application of master pages.

A while ago, when I was doing a lot of the final document generation by hand, I started down the path of having many different master pages all in one template so that I'd only have to import the template once into all documents (I had different master page constructs for different types of pages -- e.g., chapters, indices, title pages, etc. -- and I had different sets of master pages for different delivery mechanisms -- e.g., print vs. pdf). The two problems with this approach are that 1) FrameMaker doesn't automatically delete empty pages when custom master pages are used even though Delete Empty Pages is on (this appears to be a feature, but I don't get it -- to me, blank is blank regardless of the master page used), and 2) FrameMaker by default applies the right and left master pages when a new page is created (although for my needs, it would be really cool if it would alternate between the last two master pages when applying master pages to new pages in a file). Before, I used to finalize page breaks, etc. manually before delivery, so I was able to delete empty pages and fix any incorrect master pages myself. But, now that it's all automated, I need to have these things work without my intervention.

I'm now thinking that I have no other option but to 1) change all of my documents to use only default right/left master pages, 2) use various templates to specify the different types of information I want on the like-named master pages (e.g., one for regular chapters, one for indices, etc.), and 3) change my scripts so that different master pages are imported into different files in each book. This should make FrameMaker apply master pages properly to new pages and delete empty pages automatically when the Delete Empty Pages option is on.

Before I do this work, I'm just wondering if there's something I haven't considered with my current setup -- if anybody else has a method that works using a setup similar to mine.

Thanks in advance,
Becky 


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