From the FrameMaker Welcome screen, you can perform the following tasks:

• Open recently accessed documents

• Create documents, books, and DITA maps in case of Structured FrameMaker

• Access FrameMaker templates

• Access FrameMaker Help and guides

• Access other resource pages and updates from Adobe

A particular arrangement of elements, such as panels and pods that you use frequently while working on documents, is called a workspace. You can dock, stack, minimize, or make these elements free-floating in your workspace. You can select from several preset workspaces or create one of your own. Once you have arranged the panels and pods, you can save the workspace settings for use later.

The FrameMaker interface has the following components.

• The Application bar across the top contains a workspace switcher, menus, and other application controls.

• The document window displays the file you’re working on. Document windows can be tabbed and, in certain cases, grouped and docked.

• Panels help you monitor and modify your work. Examples include character, paragraph, and table designers; and marker, variables, cross-references panels. You can minimize, group, stack, or dock panels.

• The status bar shows text formatting and pagination information for the current document.

Use this dialog box to specify whether FrameMaker should auto-collapse panels to icons or always open documents as tabs.

 Select File > Preferences > Interface and select the options you want.

Default interface properties

A.

Display hidden panels automatically

B.

On closing, panels are automatically hidden.

C.

Every time you open a document it is tabbed automatically

D.

Hide single tabs in a document

E.

Composite documents like books and DITA maps are also opened as tabbed windows

F.

Use the brightness slider to adjust the brightness of the FrameMaker application

Auto-Show Hidden Panels

When you click UI Visibility  all the docked panels are hidden and gray strips appear at the docked sides. The docked panels appear automatically when you move the pointer near the gray strips. If you deselect this option, all docked panels are permanently hidden.

Hide Panels On Close

When you close panels they are hidden but are still active in memory and may occasionally result in slow FrameMaker performance. For example, a document with multiple broken references to graphic files may take longer to open even if you close the Insets pod.

If you deselect this option, FrameMaker removes panels when you close them. To display them again, you must choose them from FrameMaker menus.

Open Documents As Tabs

Opens all documents as tabbed documents. If you deselect this option, the document windows become floating windows.

Hide Single Tabs In Documents

Floating document windows display the document name only in the title bar. If you deselect this option, the document name appears in both the title bar and the tab bar.

Open Composite Documents As Tabs

Opens composite documents as tabbed documents. If you clear this option, the composite document windows become floating windows.