Tables of contents and other lists

Know what is a generate file in FrameMaker, types of lists that you can generate from FrameMaker.

Introduction

A generated file is a file FrameMaker creates by extracting paragraphs or marker text from a single source document or from several documents in a book. Each time a generated file is updated, all paragraphs and marker text is updated with the current text from the source documents. This way, FrameMaker keeps generated files, such as tables of contents and indexes current and accurate.

You can generate several types of lists and indexes in addition to a table of contents and standard index. For example, you can generate lists and indexes that contain text from paragraphs or from markers that you inserted in text. The result may be a table of contents based on heading paragraphs, a list of illustrations based on figure titles, or an index based on special author markers. Most lists and indexes fall into three categories: lists of paragraphs (or elements in structured documents), lists of markers, and indexes of markers. A fourth category, lists, and indexes of references, is used less often.

About tables of contents and other lists

Learn about Table of contents and various lists in FrameMaker.

In this topic:

Introduction

In Adobe FrameMaker, tables of contents (TOCs), lists of figures, and other such lists are generated from the text of specified paragraphs in a set of documents. An index is generated from markers you insert in documents.

A table of contents or other generated list is based on the content of its source. The source can be either a single document or a group of documents in a book. In most cases, you must prepare the source documents to get the results you want.

Lists of paragraphs

Lists of paragraphs contain the text of specified paragraphs (those with the tags you specify), with one entry per paragraph (or elements in structured documents). You can generate the following lists of paragraphs (or elements in structured documents):

  • Tables of contents, which contain headings of specified levels, listed in the order in which they occur in the source documents

  • Lists of figures, tables, or paragraphs (or elements), which contain figure captions, table titles, or the text of other specified paragraphs, listed in the order they occur in the source documents

  • Alphabetical lists of paragraphs (or elements), which contain the same information as the other lists but present them in alphabetical order

Note: Tables of contents and lists support the Unicode text encoding standard.

Lists of markers

Lists of markers contain entries corresponding to the markers inserted on body pages in the source document. The markers are manually inserted on body pages in the source document (normally as marker elements in structured documents), and the marker text appears in the generated list. For example, you could create a list of reviewers’ comments on a draft by generating a list of markers of type Comment. In a standard list of markers, entries appear in the order that they occur in the source document or book. You can also generate alphabetical lists of markers.

Indexes of markers

Indexes of markers include standard indexes, author and subject indexes, and indexes of other types of markers. The markers are manually inserted on body pages in the source document, and the marker text appears in the index. You can use syntax (building blocks) in the marker text to specify index levels and special page numbering, sorting, and formatting. Entries are sorted alphabetically, and entries with the same text are merged into a single entry with several page references.

An index of Cross-Ref markers
An index of Cross-Ref markers in FrameMaker

Lists and indexes of references

Lists and indexes of references help you track special categories of information. You can generate lists and indexes of condition tags, external cross-references, unresolved cross-references, fonts, text insets, unresolved text insets, and imported graphics.

Generate a table of contents or list

See how to generate a table of contents or a list of book and TOC for a single document. Know how to generate various other lists in structured documents and add a title or other static text in FrameMaker.

Before you generate a table of contents or other paragraph list, do the following to avoid problems in generated lists:

Note: You usually generate a list of references—such as a list of fonts or unresolved cross-references—for your own use while working with a document. You do not need to prepare the document before generating such a list.

Generate a table of contents or list for a book

  1. Open the book window and select the file below where you want the generated file to appear.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Choose Insert > Create Standalone TOC.

    • Choose Insert > List of, and then choose a type of list from the menu

    The items you see in the dialog box depend on the type of list you’re generating.

  3. Enter a suffix or keep the default one. The suffix indicates the type of generated file. For example, TOC is the usual suffix for a table of contents.

    Note: The suffix is not the same as the filename’s extension. The suffix is used with paragraph tags in the generated lists, and appears as part of the generated file’s filename, such as UserGuideTOC.fm.

  4. In the set up dialog box, Add File drop-down list, specify whether the generated list will appear before or after the current document.

  5. Move items to the Include scroll list. To move an item between scroll lists, select the item and click an arrow, or double-click the item. To move all items from one scroll list to the other, Shift‑click an arrow.

  6. To have each entry in the generated list be linked to its source, select Create Hypertext Links. These links let you jump to the source of an entry by clicking the entry.

  7. Click OK and then click Update. FrameMaker generates the list. You can view the generated list by double-clicking its name in the book window.

  8. Save the generated list in the same folder as the source document or book. If you want to rename the generated file, use the book window to do so—FrameMaker will rename it on the disk and update all references.

    The first time you generate a list (if you don’t use a template), the list uses the page layout (master pages) of the first non-generated document in the book, and all entries look the same.

    If the list already exists in the source document’s folder when you save it, save it in the same folder and don’t change the filename. That way, the list’s formatting is used when you generate the list again. Otherwise, formatting changes won’t be retained when you update the list.

    Tip: To use a template or an existing generated file in a new book file, add it to the book as a generated file. Then put the existing file in the folder that contains the book file, using the name that appears in the book window.

  9. Save any open files in the book. Open files are updated only in your computer’s memory and not on the disk. If a file isn’t open, the changes are made on the disk.

Related information
Formatting lists and indexes

Generate a table of contents or list for a single document

  1. Open the document wherein you want to insert the TOC or list.

  2. In the document window, do one of the following:

    • Choose Insert > Table of Contents > Create Standalone TOC.

    • Choose Insert > List of, and then choose a type of list from the menu

  3. When prompted, specify whether you want to create the generated file as a standalone document or add it to a book.

    If you choose Yes to create a standalone document, FrameMaker will create a generated list in the original document’s folder.

    If you choose No, FrameMaker adds the generated file to an open book, or creates a new book if necessary.

  4. The set up dialog box for the TOC or the chosen list is displayed. Specify the following details in the dialog box:

    Set up Table of Contents dialog box Setup Table of Contents dialog box in FrameMaker
    • Enter a suffix or keep the default one. The suffix indicates the type of generated file. For example, TOC is the usual suffix for a table of contents.
    Note: The suffix is not the same as the filename’s extension. The suffix is used with paragraph tags in the generated lists, and appears as part of the generated file’s filename, such as Chapter1TOC.fm.
    • Move paragraph tags, marker types, or reference types to the Include scroll list. To move an item between scroll lists, select the item and click an arrow, or double-click the item. To move all items from one scroll list to the other, Shift-click an arrow.
    • To have each entry in the generated list be linked to its source, select Create Hypertext Links. These links let you jump to the source of an entry by clicking the entry.

  5. Depending on your selection in Step 3, do one of the following:

    • If you are creating a standalone list (when the choice is Yes in Step 3), click OK. FrameMaker generates and displays the list.

    • If you are adding the list to a book (when the choice is No in Step 3), click OK, and then click Update. If a new book is created, choose File > Save Book As, and then save the book.

  6. Save the generated list in the same folder as the source document or book.

    The first time you generate a list (if you don’t use a template), the list uses the page layout (master pages) of the source document or of the first non-generated document in the book, and all entries look the same. For information on changing the format of a list—changes that won’t be lost when you regenerate the list.

  7. Save the list in the same folder as the source document or book.

Related information
Formatting lists and indexes
Rename files in a book

Generating TOCs and other lists in structured documents

Although the steps for generating TOCs and lists in structured documents are the same as for unstructured documents, consider the following additional points:

  • A generated list is initially unstructured, but you can add structure to it. If a generated list is structured, you’ll lose the structure every time you regenerate it. Do not add structure to a list until it is in its final version.

  • The items in the scroll lists vary depending on the type of list you’re gathering. For example, the element and paragraph tags in the source document appear for a table of contents. (Paragraph tags appear after element tags and are preceded by a paragraph symbol (¶).) For a list of references, the available reference types appear.

  • Some element tags may have context labels that provide information about the element’s location in the structure. For example, if Section elements can be nested within other Section elements, context labels might identify whether the elements are first-, second-, or third-level sections.

Context labels
Context labels to identify the elements

  • If an element uses context labels, a <no label> entry also appears in the scroll list for occurrences not described by the labels. In the example above, Section (<no label>) represents Section elements that are at a fourth level or lower in the document.

  • If an element has more than one paragraph, only text from the first paragraph will appear in the generated list. For example, the first paragraph within a Section element—usually its Head—will appear.

  • The first time you generate a list (if you don’t use a template), it uses the page layout (master pages) of the first non-generated document in the book, and all entries look the same. The list also has element definitions from the source document.

Related information
Generate indexes

Add a title or other static text to lists and indexes

If you want to add a title or other unchanging text in your list or index, add it after you generate the list or index the first time.

You can also add static text to a template and then use the template to format a list or index.

  1. Type the title before the first entry on a body page.

  2. Use the Paragraph Catalog to give the text a special paragraph format for static text; or create a new paragraph format for the title.

  3. If you create a new paragraph tag, make sure it does not end with the suffix assigned when you created the generated file, such as IX for a standard index or TOC for a table of contents. When you generate the index again, FrameMaker replaces only the paragraphs that have tags ending with the suffix.

Related information
Format a list or index with a template

Generate a miniature table of contents

Know what a mini TOC is in FrameMaker. Learn how to create, update or delete a mini TOC in FrameMaker.

In this topic:

Introduction

FrameMaker allows you to add a miniature table of contents (mini TOC) at a document level. This feature is currently supported for unstructured documents only. A mini TOC improves the readability and eases the navigation in a long document. The mini TOC feature eliminates the old manual technique of adding cross-references of each heading in your document to mimic a mini TOC. With this feature you can automatically create, sort, and insert a mini TOC at a specified location in your document.

You can change the formatting and style of a mini TOC in the same way as you would do for a regular TOC. For more information about formatting the mini TOC, see Update mini TOC. Once a mini TOC is included in a document, you can publish it in all supported output formats.

If you are working in a right-to-left (RTL) document, then the direction of the mini TOC is based on the direction of the document (Format > Document > Direction). This implies that even if all the content in a document is based in a left-to-right (LTR) language, but the direction of the document is RTL, the direction of the mini TOC will also be RTL.

Create mini TOC

  1. Open the document in which you want to insert a mini TOC.

  2. Click where you want to insert the mini TOC.

  3. Choose Insert > Table of Contents > Create Mini TOC.

  4. Move paragraph tags to the Include scroll list. To move an item between scroll lists, select the item and click an arrow, or double-click the item. To move all items from one scroll list to the other, Shift-click an arrow.

  5. To have each entry in the generated list be linked to its source, select Create Hypertext Links. These links let you jump to the source of an entry by clicking the entry.

  6. Click Set.

    A new mini TOC is created and placed in your document. Once you save the document, FrameMaker creates new paragraph tags with suffix MTOC for all paragraph tags that were used to make up the mini TOC. Also, a new reference page (MTOC) is added in the document.

Update mini TOC

If you update a heading or change the formatting of the mini TOC from the reference page, the change is not reflected until you save or print the document, or manually update the mini TOC.

  1. Make changes to the headings in your document.

  2. Right-click on the mini TOC and select Update Mini TOC from the context menu.

    Note: You can also choose Insert > Table of Contents > Update Mini TOC.

  3. Click OK on the alert message.

Note: If you want to change the headings that make up your mini TOC, then delete the existing mini TOC and recreate a mini TOC.

If you want to update mini TOCs in all documents within a book, you can do so with a single click.

  1. Open the book window and select the book file.

  2. Choose Edit > Update Book.
    Updating mini TOC from the Update Book dialog in FrameMaker

  3. Select the Mini TOC option.

  4. Click Update.

With this single book update operation, mini TOCs present in all document within the book are updated.

You can also update the look and feel of the mini TOC by changing the paragraph formats used to generate the mini TOC. You can simply open the paragraph tag (with MTOC suffix) in the paragraph designer, make the required changes, and update the paragraph tag definition. You can also use the reference page (MTOC) to make the required changes.

If you do not want the page numbers in the mini TOC, then you can use any one of the following two approaches:

  • Remove page numbers from all output formats

    Open the reference page and remove all occurrences of <$pagenum> variable from the MTOC page. Once you have removed the variable, save the document and update the mini TOC. The page numbers would not be shown in the source document as well as in any published output.

  • Remove page numbers from output formats supported by Publish pod

    Create a new character format and apply it on all occurrences of <$pagenum> variable in the MTOC page. Open the Publish Settings (in Publish pod > Settings > Edit Settings), open the Style Mapping tab, and select the character format from the list. Enable the Exclude From Output option for the character format that you have applied on the <$pagenum> variable. The page numbers would be visible in the source document, but they will not be published in any output format supported by the Publish pod.

For more information about the various output formats supported by Publish pod, see Multichannel publishing.

Delete mini TOC

To delete a mini TOC, right-click on the mini TOC and select Delete Mini TOC from the context menu.

Alternatively, choose Insert > Table of Contents > Delete Mini TOC to delete the mini TOC.

Embed TOCs in a document

See how to embed TOC’s in a document by using cross-reference or as a text inset in FrameMaker.

In this topic:

Introduction

If you want a small table of contents embedded at the beginning of the source document instead of in a file of its own, you can set up the table of contents with cross-references. A special cross-reference element should already be defined for structured documents.

A TOC embedded at the start of a document
Embedding a TOC in a document

FrameMaker does not automatically maintain this type of table of contents. If you change the order of references or delete a heading while editing the document, you’ll need to rearrange the entries or delete an entry in the table of contents yourself.

You can also generate a separate table of contents and then import the generated file by reference at the beginning of the source document. In this case, the text inset with the table of contents is automatically updated when the table of contents changes.

Create a TOC in a document with cross-references

To embed a TOC in a document with cross-references:

  1. Create a cross-reference format that formats text the way you want the table of contents entries to look. Typically, this format would contain the <$paratext> and <$pagenum> building blocks.

  2. At the start of the document, set up a cross-reference to each paragraph you want to appear in the table of contents. Use the cross-reference format you created in the previous step.

Create a TOC in a structured document with cross-references

For each item you want to appear in the table of contents, insert a cross-reference element. The document may also have paragraph elements defined for formatting. See your application developer for information.

Note: Make sure that the sequence of entries in the table of contents reflects the sequence of source elements in the document. This isn’t automatic as it is with a generated table of contents.

Embed a TOC in a document as a text inset

To embed a TOC in a document as a text inset:

  1. Generate a table of contents.

  2. Import the table of contents into a document.

Maintain a TOC embedded in a document

To maintain a TOC embedded in a document, do the following:

  • If you change the order of paragraphs or source elements while editing the document, rearrange the cross-references to be in the same order. Then update the cross-references.

  • If you delete a paragraph or source element, delete the cross-reference to it.

Update and edit TOCs and lists

Learn how to update and edit TOCs and lists in FrameMaker, see how to add or remove paragraph tags from a TOC, find and update list entries in FrameMaker.

In this topic:

Introduction

You update entries in a list by editing their corresponding paragraphs or markers in the source document and then regenerating the list. If you edit entries by typing directly in the list, your changes will disappear when you regenerate it.

For example, if you fix a typing error directly in a table of contents, that error will reemerge the next time you generate because it still exists in the source paragraph. To permanently fix an error, you must correct it by changing the paragraph or marker text in the source document and then regenerating the list.

Important: If a generated list is structured, you’ll lose the structure every time you regenerate it. Do not add structure to a list until it is in its final version.

Update a TOC or list that is part of a book

To update a TOC or list that is part of a book:

  1. Make changes to the source documents as needed.

  2. In the book window, choose Edit > Update Book.

  3. Move the lists you want to update to the Generate scroll list, make sure Generate Table Of Contents, Lists, and Indexes is selected.

  4. Click Update.

Add or remove paragraph tags from a TOC or list that is part of a book

  1. Select the generated file (such as the table of contents) in the book window.

  2. Choose Edit > Set Up Table Of Contents or Set Up List of type.

  3. Move items between the list boxes as desired.

  4. Click Set.

  5. Click Update.

Update a TOC or list that is a stand-alone document

To update a TOC or list that is a stand-alone document:

  1. Make changes to the source document as needed.

  2. In the source document, choose Insert > Table Of Contents. When prompted to create a standalone document, choose Yes.

  3. Move items between the list boxes as desired.

  4. Click Set.

Find the source of list entries

When you need to revise an entry, you trace the entry back to the corresponding paragraph or element in the source document.

  1. If you did not select Create Hypertext Links when you generated the list or index, select it now and regenerate the list.

  2. In the generated list, Alt-Control-click an entry in a list.

FrameMaker opens the source document to the page that contains the corresponding paragraph and selects it. If the element is a marker, the marker text appears in the Marker pod.

Find and select a paragraph by using Find/Change

To find and select a paragraph by using Find/Change:

  1. If you’re revising a marker element in a structured document, choose View > Pods > Marker so you can see the marker text.

  2. In the source document (not in the generated list), choose Edit > Find/Change.

  3. Choose Paragraph Tag (unstructured documents) or Element (structured documents) from the Find pop-up menu. Enter the tag or element you want to find, and then click Find.

Warning: When a marker element is selected, the marker text appears in the Marker pod. Don’t click Change in the Find/Change dialog box to change the marker text. If you do, FrameMaker replaces the marker itself. Instead, change the text in the Marker pod, and then click Edit Marker.

Edit and delete list entries

To edit and delete list entries:

  1. In an unstructured document, edit or delete the paragraph text.

  2. In a structured document, select the element, and do either of the following:

    • Change the text in the Marker pod, and click Edit Marker.

    • Press Delete.

April 29, 2020

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