Complex autonumbering structures: the matrix approach & labelling [long]

["Snavely, Deborah" <dsnavely@xxxxxxxx>]

Framers all,

Tom Ekberg's electronic research has returned to me a message I posted some
years back. I've tidied it up some and added a couple of points that I
skipped, and am posting it here for the next generation of Framers.

Note: To improve readability, I suggest setting this article to a
mono-spaced (fixed-width) font like Courier.

Autonumbering, the Matrix Approach to 
Related Number Series in FrameMaker
==============================================
About autonumbering: learn the matrix approach and save your sanity when
dealing with related numbered series. Then understand that, for every series
label, you're working with a completely separate and unrelated numbered
series.

Matrix numbering schemes
---------------------------------------
OK, what's this matrix thing?
(I learned this matrix approach from Sandy Knox of Frame Tech in 1992 and
can never thank her enough; additional understanding came via Karen of
1992-era Frame Tech Support.) 

In the basic autonumbered series, here's a structure for all the
autonumbered strings in the whole series. Placeholders are a critical
element in the matrix approach. More importantly, there are two types of
placeholders, one that resets the counter and one that doesn't: < =0> and <
>. The < =0> placeholders are the key to the magic, like the zero in Arabic
number systems.

TAG: Chapter Section   Subsection  Figure#    Table# 
Ch   <n+>     < =0>    < =0>       < >         < >     
H1   <n>      <n+>     < =0>       < >         < >
H2   <n>      <n>      <n+>        < >         < >
Fg   <n>      < >      < >         <n+>        < >
Tb   <n>      < >      < >         < >         <n+>

Note: insert leading text and punctuation between number symbols as desired
for your local styles.

This method produces the numbered series, in chapter two of a book:
TAG:	Displayed text
---------------------
Ch:	Chapter 1
Ch:	Chapter 2
H1:	Section 2.1
H2:	Subsection 2.1.1
Fg:	Figure 2-1
H2:	Subsection 2.1.2
Fg:	Figure 2-2
Tb:	Table 2-1

Every time you insert a tag that includes < =0> in its autonumber string, it
resets Frames counter for the numbers in THAT PLACE IN THE MATRIX. Make a
table or use grid paper if needed, and plan your autonumbered strategies in
advance. Then make them part of your template, and never, NEVER, muck with
them. (If you need extra numbered series, use a differently labelled series;
see below.)

To include section and subsection numbers in figure and table numbers for a
complex compound-numbering scheme:

TAG: Chapter Section  Subsection   Figure#    Table#
Ch   <n+>     < =0>    < =0>       < >         < >
H1   <n>      <n+>     < =0>       < >         < >
H2   <n>      <n>      <n+>        < >         < >
Fg   <n>      <n>      <n>         <n+>        < >
Tb   <n>      <n>      <n>         < >         <n+>

The configuration above gives you:
TAG:	Displayed text
---------------------
Ch:	Chapter 1
Ch:	Chapter 2
H1:	Section 2.1
H2:	Subsection 2.1.1
Fg:	Figure 2.1.1-1
Fg:	Figure 2.1.1-2
H2:	Subsection 2.1.2
Fg:	Figure 2.1.2-3 
	(Alert! You may not WANT this behavior, 
	see next example)
Tb:	Table 2.1.2-1
Tb:	Table 2.1.2-2

To restart the figure numbers or table numbers, or both (as shown in the
example below) every time a section or subsection comes up: 

TAG: Chapter Section  Subsection  Figure#   Table#
Ch   <n+>    < =0>    < =0>       < =0>     < =0>
H1   <n>     <n+>     < =0>       < =0>     < =0>
H2   <n>     <n>      <n+>        < =0>     < =0>
Fg   <n>     <n>      <n>         <n+>      < >
Tb   <n>     <n>      <n>         < >       <n+>

The configuration above gives you:
TAG:	Displayed text
---------------------
Ch:	Chapter 1
Ch:	Chapter 2
H1:	Section 2.1
H2:	Subsection 2.1.1
Fg:	Figure 2.1.1-1
Fg:	Figure 2.1.1-2
H2:	Subsection 2.1.2
Fg:	Figure 2.1.2-1 
	(Note: now the figure & table series restart 
	after each subsection.)
Tb:	Table 2.1.2-1
Tb:	Table 2.1.2-2

Labelling series
----------------------
Now, about labelling series.  Frame lets you label series (in the autonumber
properties page of the Paragraph Designer) with a letter or number followed
by a colon. And settings for a tag whose autonumber is labelled "A:" have NO
EFFECT on numbering in series whose tag is labelled either "B:" or "a:" or
"3:" or "chapterseries:".  So you can have one interlocking numbered series
(as discussed above) for all your chapters and related tags, and then simply
use separate numbered series for such purposes as procedure steps and
procedure sections.  But you've got to think it through in advance, decide
what you want things to look like, test your template, and then don't fiddle
with it. Using labels, if you need an extra numbered series for a new or
special purpose, you can label it differently to keep it from causing
problems with critical document-structure numbered series.

D. Snavely, 1999 version. 

Deborah Snavely
Senior Documentation Specialist
consulting at Visa
standard disclaimers apply


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