Editing user and system variables

Introduction

You can edit the definition of a system or user variable.

A user variable definition can include character styles of the document.

A system variable definition can contain FrameMaker building blocks other than character styles. For example, the default format for the Creation Date (Short) system variable is:

<$monthnum>/<$daynum>/<$shortyear>

You can edit this to any other format such as:

<$daynum>/<$monthnum>/<$shortyear>

Similarly, you can change either the definition and the character style applied to a user variable.

Editing a variable

To edit an existing variable definition, do the following:

1. Select the variable in the Variables panel and click Edit.

   The Add/Edit Variable dialog is displayed.

   Figure 1. Add/Edit Variable dialog
   

   

   
   

2. Edit the definition of the variable.

   User variables

   You can edit the name, definition, or the character style of a user variable.

   Example:

   <i>Adobe FrameMaker<Default ¶ Font>

   You can add additional character style information to it:

   <i>Adobe <b>FrameMaker<Default ¶ Font>

   System variables:

   You can edit the definition of a system variable using the variable definitions available in the Building Blocks list.

   You can add character styles to system variables.

   The Location list in the panel displays the page number in the current document where the variable is used.

   Note: You cannot change the name of a system variable.

3. To save the changes to the variable definition, click Edit.