2.5.6 Producing a single output file from a FrameMaker book
When you convert a FrameMaker book, Mif2Go does not create an output file from the FrameMaker book file itself; nor does Mif2Go combine all the FrameMaker files in a book into a single output file. Instead, each file in a FrameMaker book is converted to one or more output files. Each FrameMaker chapter contains its own formatting information, which can be entirely different from that in other chapters. For this reason, chapters must be converted to separate output files.
To produce one file from an entire book with Mif2Go, you must first combine the chapter files in FrameMaker. This can require reworking links and numbering. You might also have to deal with issues such as differing definitions of formats and variables in different chapters. You have these options:
Use a script to preserve links and numbering
Import chapters as text insets (and lose links).
Use a script to preserve links and numbering
The process of combining book components into a single document can be automated with FrameScript, ExtendScript (FrameMaker 10 or a later version), or the FDK. A script can modify cross references, hypertext links, and numbering sequences so they are internal to the combined file, and resolve differences in variable definitions. FrameScript is available from Finite Matters Ltd:
Import chapters as text insets (and lose links)
Otherwise, to use Mif2Go to produce a single output file from a FrameMaker book:
1. In FrameMaker, create a new file from the chapter template for your book.
2. Import all chapter files into the new file by reference, as text insets.
Whenever you want to produce a combined file, convert the combined FrameMaker file. If you change any content in the original FrameMaker book, the only maintenance required for the combined file is to update insets. This method allows you to:
• select only files you want to include
• add other information as needed
• combine the files only once.
You will not have working cross references, of course, because they reference the individual chapters and not the container. And the numbering, if any, is unlikely to work.
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