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From: cortesi@infmx.UUCP (David Cortesi)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: FrameMaker (was: good DTP packages)
Message-ID: <4879@infmx.UUCP>
Date: 25 Jul 90 19:40:14 GMT
References: <35390@siemens.siemens.com> <1990Jul25.040054.541@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>
Reply-To: cortesi@infmx.UUCP (David Cortesi)
Followup-To: comp.text.desktop
Distribution: comp
Organization: Informix, Menlo Park, Ca. U.S.A.
Lines: 44

>From article <35390@siemens.siemens.com>, by bmh@demon.siemens.com (Beatrice M Hwong):
>> How about the ability to have floating figure references?  More explicitly,
>> will Framemaker allow one to include in the text a reference to a figure
>> number which is then attached to a figure, the binding of that figure number
>> does not happen until print time.

>From article <1990Jul25.040054.541@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> sticklen@cps.msu.edu (Jon Sticklen) writes:
>in fact is there *any* dtp system that allows symbolic referencing
>other than FullWrite - and is still WYSIWYG (ie not LaTeX..)

Frame has two complementary mechanisms. Figures (and other things that
need numbering, e.g. decimal-numbered paragraphs) are autonumbered, and
the numbers are recomputed on the fly.  If you insert a numbered figure
(paragraph, equation, whatever) the other figures (paragraphs, equations)
are renumbered instantly.  The person who designs the document has a lot
of control over the format of numbers, for instance they can be roman,
arabic, alpha; and they can contain constant text such as "Figure ".

Second, Frame has a scheme of dynamic cross-references.  There is a
catalog of xref formats which specify the format of a reference.
When inserting an xref, you choose the place you want it, click the
format name, and then specify the "source," or thing to which you want
to refer.  For example you can design a format like
	Figure <paranum> on page <pagenum>
When you insert an xref using this format, sourcing what is currently
figure 7 on page 32, what shows up in your text is "Figure 7 on page 32."
Another common xref format would be ``<paratext>'' on page <pagenum>;
An xref in this format might look like ``All About Widgets'' on page 89.

If numbers or texts change, the xrefs are not automatically updated;
you manually invoke a cross-reference update for the whole document
when you want, e.g. before printing.  Takes a few seconds typically.
Xrefs can go between documents, for instance between chapters of a book,
and there is a book-level update that will open all the files of the
book and update the xrefs between them. Takes a coffee break to do.

The only thing I have found difficult to do with this system is to get
C-P type numbering ("Figure 3-8 on page 3-29").  The page and figure
numbers are easy but automatic chapter numbers require a kludge too ugly
to be believed. (Literal chapter numbers can be embedded in the formats,
but I needed the ability to reorder chapters without editing formats.)

I see this has gotten very long; followups and other detailed questions
on Frame features should be directed to comp.text.desktop.