FrameMaker Preferences

Learn how to use the Preferences dialog to change various Adobe FrameMaker settings.

Use the Preferences dialog (Edit > Preferences) to change FrameMaker settings. The settings are categorized under the following sections:

Figure 1. FrameMaker Preferences dialog
FrameMaker Preferences dialog

The settings in the Preferences dialog are explained below.

In this topic

Global > General

The following settings are available in this section:

Setting

Description

Product Interface

By default, FrameMaker opens in Structured FrameMaker authoring mode. If you want to switch to unstructured authoring mode, choose FrameMaker from the list of options and restart FrameMaker.

For more information, see Authoring modes.

Automatic Backup on Save

Select this option to create a backup file every time you save a document.

For more information, see Back up and save automatically.

Auto Save Every

Select this option and specify the time in minutes to auto-save file at the specified time intervals.

For more information, see Back up and save automatically.

Show File Translation Errors

Select this option to show error messages while importing a document from some other format such as Word.

Greek Screen Text Smaller Than

Select this option to show small text as gray bars. When text is in a point size smaller than the size you specify, the text appears on the screen as a gray bar.

For more information, see Faster page display.

Checkout HTTP Files on Open

Select this option if you want to check out a file from a WebDAV server while opening the file.

Upload HTTP Files on Save

Select this option if you want to check in a file only once when you close the file.

Image Padding

Specify the default padding (space) value for an image and its containing anchored frame. When you insert an image, FrameMaker adds a gap (padding) between the image and the anchored frame.

The default value is 6.0 pt.

Import Image by Reference

Select this option to set import images by reference as the default way of importing images.

Show Tabbed Welcome Screen

Select this option to show the Welcome Screen as a tabbed document. If you do not select this option, then you will see the Welcome Screen on launching FrameMaker. However, when you open or create a document, the Welcome Screen is closed.

You can then open the Welcome Screen from the Workspace switcher menu.

Do Not Check For Updated Images & Multimedia

If you are working on a network drive, then select this option to prevent FrameMaker from checking for updated images and multimedia files on the network drive. You must deselect this option before publishing, else you might have outdated media files in your published output.

Compatibility

Save FrameImage With Imported Graphics

When you copy a graphic into a FrameMaker document, the FrameMaker document stores the graphic data in one or more facets. Each facet contains data in a specific graphic format. FrameMaker uses facets to display and print graphics.

Select this option to save an image’s data in the form of facet with the imported graphic.

Lock Files on Network

Select this option to lock a file while it is open. This prevents other users from changing the file.

For more information, see Open a document in use.

Remember Missing Font Names

When you select this option, FrameMaker preserves the names of unavailable fonts used in the document. The original fonts reappear when you open the document on a computer that has the fonts installed, even if you save the document with substitute fonts.

For more information, see Troubleshooting unavailable fonts.

Embed in PDF

Adobe Flash File

Select this option to generate the PDF with embedded Adobe Flash files used in the document.

3-D Objects

Select this option to generate the PDF with embedded 3-D object files used in the document.

Multimedia Objects

Select this option to generate the PDF with embedded multimedia object (like MP3, MP4, AVI) files used in the document.

Cursor Movement

Logical/Visual

Select the cursor movement to be logical or visual while you are working in a right-to-left enabled document.

For more information, see Caret location and movement.

Global > Graphics

The following settings are available in this section.

Setting

Description

Image Import
Anchoring Position

Select the default anchoring position to use while importing an image. By default, all images are imported in an anchored frame positioned below the current line.

Alignment Type

Select the default alignment for the anchored frame. By default, the anchored frame is center aligned.

DPI

Specify the default DPI setting to import an image. By default, 72 DPIs are used to import an image.
Auto-Scale Image Along Width (on insertion)

Select this option when you insert an image in a text frame, table cell, heading, side head, or a column. The image automatically scales and fits in.

For example, if the image is larger than the text frame, it will automatically scale proportionally, maintain the best possible DPI, and fit to the frame.

Export Image
Raster Images DPI in HTML Output For the raster images used in your documents, you can specify the DPIs to convert those images. This setting is applicable only when you are generating Responsive HTML5 output.

Global > Interface

The following settings are available in this section.

Setting

Description

Tooltips Appearance

Select the appearance of the tooltip. The possible options are Normal, Fast, and Hidden.

Panels

Auto-Collapse Iconic Panels

Select this option to automatically collapse a panel to an icon, when the focus shifts away from the panel.

Hide Panels on Close

Select this option to hide panels when they are closed. This way, the panels remain hidden from the interface, but they remain active in the system memory. When this option is not selected, the panel is closed and removed from system memory.

Display Menu Path in Command Search

Select this option to show the menu path of a command in the Command Search. For more information, see Command Search.

Dialogs

Use Windows File Browser

Select this option to use the native Windows file browse dialog while opening or saving files.

Documents

Open Documents as Tabs

Select this option to display open documents in separate tabs. If not selected, then documents are opened in separate windows.

Hide Single Tabs in Documents

When documents are shown in separate window, then the filename is not displayed in a tab.

Prevent Document Tabbing While Dragging

Select this option to prevent document tabbing while dragging.

Open Composite Documents as Tabs

Select this option to open composite documents as tabs.

Open Documents on Drag Drop

Select this option to open documents when they are dragged and dropped onto the document window.

Icons

Grayscale/Colored

Select the Grayscale option if you want to use grayscale icons in FrameMaker's user interface, otherwise choose Colored.

Structure View

Auto-Expand Corresponding to Cursor Location in Document Window

Select this option to synchronize the cursor location in the document window with element selection in Structure View. For example, if you place your cursor anywhere in the document window, then the corresponding element in the Structure View is automatically highlighted. Similarly, if you select an element in the Structure View, the corresponding text in the document window gets selected.

Global > Alerts

The following settings are available in this section.

Setting

Description

Show Warnings While Cleaning History

Select this option to show a warning message while performing any history clearing operation. You can further limit this warning message to appear only once for each kind of operation or for all operations.

File Contains Unresolved Cross-References

Select this option if you want to show alerts when unresolved cross-references are found in the document.

Opening an Old Release Document

Select this option if you want to show alerts when opening a document from an older release of FrameMaker.

Opening an Old Release Book

Select this option if you want to show alerts when opening a book file from an older release of FrameMaker.

File Containing Unavailable Fonts

Select this option if you want to show alerts when the fonts used in the document are not available on the system where the document is being opened.

Dictionary Provider Mismatch

Select this option if you want to show alerts when the dictionary service provider in the document does not match that on the system where the document is being opened.

Note: The dictionary service provider can be set from Preferences > Spelling > Dictionary.

File Unsupported in Mode

Select this option if you want to show alerts when a structured file is opened in unstructured mode.

File Unsupported in View

Select this option if you want to show alerts when a file is opened in an unsupported view.

Automatically Switch to Asian Composer

Select this option to automatically switch to Asian Composer mode.

For more information, see Asian language support.

Show Alerts in Session Restore

Select this option if you want to show alerts on restoring an earlier session. This could happen when you relaunch FrameMaker after a crash.

Show Contextual Tips

Select this option to show contextual tips related to the operation that you are performing in FrameMaker.

For more information, see Contextual Tips.

Global > Launch

The following settings are available in this section.

Setting

Description

Load Adobe Fonts on Startup

This option loads Adobe fonts when FrameMaker starts. Adobe fonts are stored in the <Fm_install_location>\fminit\fonts folder. If you deselect this option, then none of the Adobe fonts will be available for use.

Delay Load Clients

When you select this option, none of the clients such MathFlow and PDF import comments are loaded on startup. This option improves FrameMaker’s launch time, but some of the client applications are not available immediately after launching FrameMaker.

Delay Load Language Providers

Select this option to delay launch of all language service providers until FrameMaker is launched. When selected, this option loads only the English language dictionary services on startup. Other dictionary service providers are loaded after launching FrameMaker.

Don’t Load Startup Scripts

Specify a list of scripts that you do not want FrameMaker to launch on startup. For example, by default S1000D utilities and menu scripts are specified in this list. If you remove the S1000D scripts from this list, they are executed and you will see S1000D menu option.

Global > Dropbox

The following settings are available in this section.

Setting

Description

Currently Selected Dropbox Folder

Specify a folder location to set as the default location to store files from Dropbox.

Delete Files from Dropbox After Copying Locally

Select this option to delete files from the disk after the files are uploaded to the Dropbox folder.

Create Folder Structure for Dependencies While Uploading or Downloading

Select this option to define a folder structure to push all dependent files into Dropbox folder.

CMS > Microsoft SharePoint

The following settings are available in this section.

Setting

Description

On File Upload

Overwrite Existing Object and Save As

Select this option to specify the versioning mechanism. You can choose to overwrite an existing version of the file and set its version number to next major or next minor.

Custom Attributes

Specify any custom attribute that you want to use from Microsoft SharePoint.

For more information, see Add custom CMS attributes.

Checked Dependent Files by Default If your main document has dependent files, select this option to checkout the main document along with the dependencies. This option syncs with the Checkout all dependent files option in the confirmation dialog box. The dialog box appears when you checkout the files from SharePoint server.

CMS > DitaExchange

The following settings are available in this section.

Setting

Description

On File Upload

Overwrite Existing Object and Save As

Select this option to specify the versioning mechanism. You can choose to overwrite an existing version of the file and set its version number to next major or next minor.

CMS > Adobe Experience Manager

The following settings are available in this section.

Setting

Description

CMS

Close File on Checkin

Select this option to close a file when it is checked back into AEM.

Use UUID based referencing Select this option to download files that use the UUID (Universally Unique Identifier)/GUID (globally unique identifier) based file referencing system. You can publish these files in FrameMaker to generate the required output.

Open File on Checkout

Select this option to open a file when it is checked out from AEM.

Auto-Checkout
Enable Auto-Checkout

Select this option to automatically check-out file on opening or saving. When you select this option, the On File Save and On File Open options are enabled. The Show Prompt option can be combined with On File Save or On File Open options.

If you are using a combination of check-out On File Open and Show Prompt, then you see a prompt on opening a file from the AEM repository. If you choose to check out the file, you get an exclusive lock on the file and you can edit the file. If you choose not to check out the file, then the file is opened in read-only mode.

If you are using a combination of check-out On File Save with Show Prompt, then you see a prompt to check out the file on save. If the file is not checked out and you try to save the file, then you are prompted if you want to check out the file. If you choose not to check-out file, then the updates are not saved.

Proxy

Proxy Type

If you are behind a proxy server, you need to specify the proxy server details here to connect with your AEM server. Select the server protocol that is used by your AEM server. Possible options are HTTP and HTTPS.

Server/Port

Specify your proxy server’s IP address or domain name and the port on which it is listening.

Debugging Info
Extensive Logging

Select this option to store detailed logs that can be used for debugging any issue.

Spelling > Dictionary

Use these preferences to specify Proximity or Hunspell dictionaries for Spelling, Hyphenation, and Thesaurus for various languages. For German language variants, you can choose to use the Duden dictionary.

Spelling > Smart Quotes

Use the Smart Quotes settings to specify the single or double quotes to use for the supported languages. The quotes that you specify here are automatically picked up when you use them in your document.

Spelling > Spelling Options

The following settings are available in this section.

Setting

Description

Auto Spell Check

Spell check the words in a document as you type. If a word is misspelt, a red squiggly appears below the word.

Find

Repeat Word

Select this option if you want the Spelling Checker to find any repeated words in your document.

Unusual Hyphenation

Select this option if you want the Spelling Checker to find any unusual hyphenations in your document.

Unusual Capitalization

Select this option if you want the Spelling Checker to find any unusual capitalization (like GReen) in your document.

Two in a Row

Select this option and specify characters that should be flagged by the Spelling Checker if they are found in continuation.

Straight Quotes

Select this option if you want the Spelling Checker to find any straight quotes in your document.

Extra Spaces

Select this option if you want the Spelling Checker to find extra spaces in-between two words.

Space Before

Select this option and specify characters that should be flagged by the Spelling Checker if a space is found before them.

Space After

Select this option and specify characters that should be flagged by the Spelling Checker if a space is found after them.

Get Default

Click this button to revert the Spelling Options to its default selection.

Ignore

Single Character Words

Select this option to ignore any single character word to be flagged by the Spelling Checker.

Words That Are All Uppercase

Select this option to ignore words that are written in uppercase to be flagged by the Spelling Checker.

Words Containing

Select this option and specify characters, if found in a word, should not be flagged by the Spelling Checker.

Roman Numerals (NA for Hunspell)

Select this option to ignore any Roman Numerals be flagged by the Spelling Checker.

Words With Digits

Select this option to ignore any word containing digits be flagged by the Spelling Checker.

Smart Quotes in Space Before and After Select this option to include the smart quotes specified under the Smart Quotes settings to be included in the space before and after rule.

XML

The following settings are available in this section.

Setting

Description

Syntax Colors

Select the colors for displaying attributes, comments, entities, element names, and other objects in XML View.

Display Line Numbers

Select this option to display the line numbers in XML View.

Word Wrap

Select this option to wrap words in the XML View.

Font Family

Select the font family to use to render XML code in the XML View.

MathML

The following settings are available in this section.

Setting

Description

MathFlow

Installation Path

Browse to and select the install path of MathFlow on your system.

License File Path

Browse to and select the path of MathFlow license file on your system.

Editor Type

Select the type of MathFlow editor you want to use. Possible options are Style editor and Structure editor.

For more information, see Create equations using MathML.

MathFlow Settings

DPI

MathML equations are inserted in your document in the form of an image. Specify the DPIs for the MathML equation images.

Embed Inline

Select this option to embed the equation image inline with the enclosing paragraph.

Apply Paragraph Style

Select this option to apply the formatting of the enclosing paragraph on the MathML equation.

Export As PNG Select this option to export the MathML equations as PNG images in the PDF output.

Font Size

Specify the font size in pixels for the MathML equation. The default font size is set to 14 px.

Alert

Show Trial License Alert

Select this option to show an alert if you are using a trial license of MathFlow.