How to get named destinations to work in PDFs

[V***@adobeforums.com]

I've read the message threads on getting named destinations to work in HTML, and while that information is similar, the hypertext link is different, so I have to ask for help. I've specified a named destination in one document (which gets converted to PDF). In another book, I've defined a hypertext link to that named destination as the help indicates:

"To display the linked information in the same window, insert a Jump to Named Destination command. This command uses the following syntax:
gotolink filename:linkname."

So, my hypertext syntax looks like this:

gotolink UsersGuide.pdf:ImportExistingProject

When I convert both books to PDF and click the link, the correct document opens, but it does not jump to that specified destination.

What I did not do is select the "Create named destinations for all paragraphs" option when converting to PDF because I set my own target destination and I didn't think that selection was necessary.

How can I get this hypertext link to not only open the book, but also jump to the place I've indicated? What is the difference between manually defining those named destination targets and having FrameMaker create named destinations for all paragraphs (except for the file size, which could also cause problems)?

Thank you in advance, Virginia

[A***@adobeforums.com]

Virginia,

First, you really have to tell FM to create all named destinations, as
it will include only what it thinks are valid destinations and doesn't
always do a stellar job, i.e. it drops random links - Shlomo Perets
has this has documented on his site
(http://www.microtype.com/FM_bugs.html - search on "named").

When FM creates named destinations, it prepends some code for its own
use, so your "ImportExistingProject" actually is more like
"M8.newlink.ImportExistingProject" for a single file. If it's part of
book, then this becomes something like
"M2.8.newlink.ImportExistingProject", where the number following the
"M" is the file location in the book structure. This is needed if
you're creating your own pdf destination markers using pdfmark codes.

If both the source and target PDFs are generated from FM, then things
should be properly sorted out internally. But if the link only takes
you to the first page of the correct document, then the corresponding
newlink is missing, i.e. FM may have dropped it.

Note: check your names used in both the source and target files as
newlink names are case-sensitive and that no spaces are either before,
after or in the link name (they get converted to periods "."). Any
punctuation (including underscores "_") is discarded.

Make sure that both book files (but you don't have to have all FM
files in the book) are open when you create the PDF and have the
create named destinations for all paragraphs and elements option
enabled. Also, make sure that the generate tagged PDFs option is
turned off.

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Arnis, thank you for this - I'll work on researching the web site as soon as I have some time this week (just got slammed with some projects).

I am having another problem with Distiller too - I installed the upgrade with my FrameMaker 7.2 installation and the Acrobat window indicates it is the Pro version, but it doesn't have the option to create an catalog of index entries (for the cross-document search). I am trying to figure that problem out now, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of help available. The menu is just missing.

Virginia

[A***@adobeforums.com]

In Acrobat, look under the Advanced > Catalog... option. Distiller has
nothing to do with creating indices.

[R***@adobeforums.com]

If I understand your question . . .

I believe HTML links to pages/destinations within a PDF file only work when
the PDF is on a Web server. They won't work if you're opening a PDF that's
local.

Rick

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Thank you both so very much for your replies.

Arnis, in the previous versions, I used Acrobat to create the indices, but after my upgrade to the Acrobat 7.0 Distiller (pro version 7.0.0 3/3/2005) from my FrameMaker 7.2 CD, I can't find the Advanced menu because it is not included. The help system indicates I should have that with the professional version, but I do not, so I don't know what to do. A post to the Acrobat forum has yielded no info and an e-mail to the help desk got me a big runaround that I haven't been able to work through.

Rick (Hi! by the way), I am trying to create hypertext links from one document to another and have the target jump to an identified destination in the document, i.e., not just open it to the first page and trust the user to be able to find the right spot. To that end, I tagged the target PDF by selecting the "Create Named Destinations for paragraphs" and made the PDF. I defined the link from the source document like this: gotolink UsersGuide.pdf:How to Build BizDocuments (so it will open the book and then jump to the named destination as defined by the paragraph marks).

When I build the PDF and click the link, nothing happens. Yes, I'm using a local setup, not a web server.

Previously, I did not select the Create Named Destinations for Paragraphs, but manually created the target destination and when I clicked the link in the source document, the target document opened to the first page.

If what you've indicated is correct - that the named destinations only work when documents are published to a web server ... I'll have to figure out how to test that now.

If you have other ideas, please share them with me, but I will be trying the web server thing now.

Virginia

[A***@adobeforums.com]

Virginia,

If you only installed Distiller from your FM CD, then nothing should
have changed in your Acrobat application. However, if you have
different release of Acrobat (i.e. v.6 or less) and are using a v.7
Distiller, you may get some complaints from Acrobat about the version
of the PDF file.

How did you create your indices before?

Regarding your links, if you are simply going from PDF to PDF, then
the Web server issue is a red herring. If you are actually going from
HTML pages, then it's a different issue as Rick indicated.

I notice that you have spaces in your named destination names. This
may be the issue. Have you checked the properties (using Acrobat >
Link Tool, Link Properties) of the PDF links to see where they
actually point to?

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Arnis, you are right about the Acrobat version used to create the indices - I used an older version, 5 so I'll be looking into an upgrade. In the meantime, I've installed version 6.0 Standard.

On the hypertext links, yes I am going from PDF to PDF and the help system indicates I need to structure the link like this:

gotolink document.pdf:named destination

Given that I used the "Create named destinations for paragraphs" check box when making the target PDF, I interpreted that I needed to type the paragraph content (it's a heading) as the destination. Yes, there are spaces in the heading, like this:

gotolink UsersGuide.pdf:How to Build BizDocuments

If I build the PDFs with the "Create named destinations for paragraphs" option selected for each, that link opens the document, but does not jump to the named destination.

If I define the named destination myself, like this "BuildBizDocs" using the Special | Hypertext | Specify Named Destinations, update the link by typing it like this:

gotolink UsersGuide.pdf:BuildBizDocs

then, select the "Create named destinations for paragraphs", the link doesn't work at all - won't open the document or jump to the named destination.

In this last scenario, the hyperlink doesn't show as a linked item at all in Acrobat (using the Link Tool).

I realize this is probably user error, I just can't figure it out. Thanks again and again in advance.

Virginia

[A***@adobeforums.com]

Virginia,

Post by V***@adobeforums.com
In this last scenario, the hyperlink doesn't show as a linked item at all in Acrobat (using the Link Tool).

Just as a check, but did you have the "Generate Acrobat Data" option
checked in the FM print dialogue when you created the postscript
file(s) for the PDF?

Did the link work properly in FM, i.e. press ctrl+alt and move the
mouse over the link - it should change to a pointing hand - and click?
Did you get to the correct destination?

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Well, I was using the FrameMaker File | Save As and bypassing the print dialog boxes. Should I not do that?

Also, after checking the spelling of the named destination and the hyperlink text, which looks like this:

gotolink UsersGuide.pdf:BuildBizDocs

and re-PDF'ing both documents, the link above again opens the document, but does not jump to the link in that document. I wonder if it is because I have not linked to the target FrameMaker file in that book but instead named the PDF? (Like I said, the PDF opens, it just doesn't jump.)

If I should name the FrameMaker file instead, should the individual FrameMaker files be renamed to remove the spaces? And would that hypertext link still be able to open the right PDF?

The hypertext marker (except for the 'gotolink' part) content is not selectable from a drop-down option (or else I'm missing it), so it's a real drag to figure all this out and type it.

I'm going to have a weekend soon, and this stuff can just wait until Monday. Thank you again for all your help Arnis.

Virginia

[V***@adobeforums.com]

OK, well, I've worked on this yesterday and today - still to no avail. Whether I manually create the named destinations or not, the hypertext link continues to open the targed PDF but fails to jump to the specified named destination. I've tried re-creating the named destinations and eliminating the spaces. I've selected the "Create Named Destinations" option in the create PDF setup dialogs.

I just don't know what to do to get the gotolinks to jump to their targets. I thought perhaps the selection of "Create Named Destinations" was overriding the manually specified named destinations, but again that worked the same way - opens the right PDF but fails to jump to the target within that document.

Does anyone have this working succesfully in a PDF-to-PDF scenario?

Virginia

[S***@adobeforums.com]

The gotolink marker should have a file.fm:dest format; if you want it to work reliably, it cannot point to a book file or a PDF, so that FrameMaker resolves it correctly when printing to PS. If the target book is converted to a single PDF, the target book has to be open in FrameMaker when you print the other file to .ps (or Save as PDF).

Alternatively, the variable prefix added by FrameMaker can be handled as part of the distilling, using a function in the FrameMaker-to-Acrobat TimeSavers add-on, see <http://www.microtype.com/ImprovePDF.html#12> for more details and sample files.


Shlomo Perets

MicroType, <http://www.microtype.com>
Training, consulting & add-ons: FrameMaker, Structured FM and Acrobat

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Thank you Shlomo,

I've been reading your MicroType site too - thank you for your response, but it does not seem to help me yet.

In the MicroType link you provided, it reads: "If your PDF file is placed on a web site, you can have named destinations in it and use links (in web pages or e-mail messages) which specify the destination ("named view") in which to open the PDF."

* * My PDFs are not placed on a web site - they are included as part of our product installation instead - is that perhaps the source of the problem?

According to my interpretation of instructions, I created this Hypertext link from the source document:

gotolink Building BizViews Short Version.fm:HowtoBuildBizDocuments

* * Notice the name of the FrameMaker file includes spaces - is that the problem perhaps?

Then, with both books open, I created a PDF of the source document using the Save as PDF command from the FrameMaker menu. I left the "Create Named Destinations for Paragraphs" option selected.

After the PDF is created, I opened it and clicked that link. The error reads:

The specified file Building BizViews Short Version.pdf does not exist.

According to this error message, it seems that the gotolink requires a PDF document to open. Both PDFs are in the same directory, so they should be able to find each other.

I'm using FrameMaker 7.2 all patched up it that information helps at all. If you have time, please provide some more hints for me to work on and I'll keep reading too.

Thank you,

Virginia

[A***@adobeforums.com]

Virginia,

Have you tried it yet without any spaces in the (new)link names?

[S***@adobeforums.com]

Spaces in file names and destination names definitely create various problems, and will also prevent FM from validating the marker. -- Shlomo

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Yes, I just tried that - the target FrameMaker file is renamed to remove the spaces and I removed and then re-defined the named destination in that target document to ensure there were no spaces in that destination name.

Then, I updatd the gotolink like this:

gotolink BuildingBizViewsShortVersion.fm:BuildBizDocs

And leaving both books open, I made them into PDFs again. When I open the source document and click the link, this error appears:

The specified file BuildingBizViewsShortVersion.pdf does not exist.

I am beginning to wonder if this feature works. If so, hopefully someone will be able to tell me how eventually.

Thank you everyone for your gracious and kind help, as always ...

Virginia

[S***@adobeforums.com]

In my experience, this feature is fully-functional when used properly.

If FrameMaker looks for the filename.pdf rather than to bookname.pdf, it indicates that the bookname.book is not open in FrameMaker when printing the other book to PS. Also: if you did not rename the file through the book, remove the file from the book and add it again.

To eliminate yet another source of problems, I recommend using printing to .PS and distilling, rather than using "Save as PDF".


Shlomo Perets

MicroType, <http://www.microtype.com>
Training, consulting & add-ons: FrameMaker, Structured FM and Acrobat

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Yes, as I wrote, I suspect it's something I'm doing incorrectly. Yes, I removed the file, renamed it, and then added it back into the book.

When I print the source file - the one containing the hyperlink to a named destination - to .ps and then try to distill it with Acrobat Distiller 6.0, the PDF creation fails.

This is the content of the log file:

%%[ Error: undefined; OffendingCommand: FmDC ]%%

Stack:
6200
200
-mark-
/CropBox
-mark-

%%[ Flushing: rest of job (to end-of-file) will be ignored ]%%
%%[ Warning: PostScript error. No PDF file produced. ] %%

So, I'm going to get the Acrobat 7.0 evaluation install to see if that will help. As always, thank you and all advice is appreciated.

Virginia

[A***@adobeforums.com]

Virginia,

The FmDC error is symptomatic of using an old or wrong printer
instance or having a misconfigured one (i.e. postscript is set for
"Optimize for portability" instead of "Optimize for speed").

You may wish to have a look at the following PDF presentation by Dov
Isaacs at
http://www.planetpdf.com/planetpdf/pdfs/pdf2k/01W/isaacs_reliablepdfcreation.pdf
and closely go through the postscript printer driver setup section.
This describes the tweaks required for the printer instance to get the
optimum postscript output for distilling.

[V***@adobeforums.com]

The same error occurs in Acrobat 7.0. Virginia

[G***@adobeforums.com]

Virginia,
1) I don't believe that anyone has clarified the issue of indexing a set of documents (creating an index.pdx file). This indexing can still be done w/Acrobat Pro 7.0, but it's not really needed now because Acrobat offers Full Text Search for all files in a location (In Acrobat Pro or Reader, it's Edit>Search, or click the down arrow on the Find button and choose Open Full Acrobat/Reader Search). Thus, users can fully search all PDFs in a document set at a given location (no index file is needed).

I think I read that if you have a <really, really huge> number of documents, the .pdx file can help speed the search. To create the index file, choose Advanced > Catalog, as Arnis mentioned. But unless you have a gigantic set of books, this step is no longer needed.

2) We, too have had problems making named destinations work properly. Our goal was to have an interface element (such as a Help button) in a Web application or other application, open a PDF to a particular section in a document. We were successful in making them work when the PDFs were on a Web server and accessed via a URL (as Rick stated). Carl Young (Acrobat whiz) said that a UNC should also work.

3) We can also get named destinations to work PDF-to-PDF, by following these steps:
a. FileA (destination file): In the destination heading, added a named destination marker (Special > Hypertext > Specify Named Destination).
b. FileB (link file): Created hypertext marker as follows: Special > Hypertext > Jump to Named Destination. The marker content was as follows: gotolink filename.fm:destinationname
c. Saved both files, then created PDFs from both files, taking care to use the same file name for the destination PDF as was used for the destination .fm file.

Note that no book files were involved, no spaces existed in file names or destination names, and the destination markers were manually added (not added by Frame).

4) We never got to making this work in book files - the prefixes that Arnis says "work themselves out," do so only partially. The destination specified in the link is M8.newlink.destname, while the destination created in the dest. file (that is part of a book) is M2.8.newlink.destname. What is being done wrong???

[A***@adobeforums.com]

Gloria,

Re - 4) You must have *both* (source and target) book files open in
order to create the correct named destinations when the PDF files are
generated from FM.

Note: all of this depends on the final deliverables. If you are making
a single PDF of each book file, then this will work. If you are making
individual PDFs of the book's component files, then the links will be
to the individual filenames and not the book file (even if it is
open).

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Gloria, thank you for your thoughtful reply - it describes what I'm experiencing very well. I am converting books to PDFs and each book has multiple .fm files, so your description of creating the .fm to .fm instructions won't work for me. (It does clear up, however, why the error message indicated it was looking for the file name as a .pdf instead.) As you noted, I'm trying to create links from specific chapters (.fm files) in each book to specified headings in another book's .fm file. As I noted, I can get the right PDF to open, but the jumping to the named destination does not occur.

This is quite a dreadful mess and I hope that Adobe will come to their senses and make this work with the direct-to-pdf conversion that finally made PDFs so very easy to accomplish. Even Dov's presentation indicates that direct-to-pdf trumps the distillation from .ps (although right now, I can't remember the reason), so this is a step back in ease of usability for my writing team.

I will reinstall my Acrobat Distiller 7.0 from the FrameMaker 7.2 installation CD and attempt Dov's tweaking, as recommended by Arnis. I'll let everyone know how that works out for me, but if I can't make it work today or tomorrow, I'll have to give up and note it as an Adobe limitation.

Thank you everyone for all your help!

Thanks, Virginia

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Arnis, is there an updated presentation from Dov for later versions?

This is what I have currently loaded:

FrameMaker 7.2 with the b144 and b158 patches installed
Acrobat Distiller 7.0 Pro from my FrameMaker 7.2 installation CD

With these components installed, I do not get an Acrobat Distiller Printer in the Windows | Printers dialog. Instead I get an Adobe PDF, so I tried Dov's instructions up to page 55, where it controls the interface between the PostScript driver and the background Distiller, on the Adobe PDF driver.

When I used FrameMaker to print the .fm file to a .ps (I'm using just one file instead of the whole book because it's quicker) file, I had the target book open too. Then, I opened the .ps in Distiller and I still get the same basic error with a few additions:

Acrobat Distiller 7.0
Started: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 at 9:48:34

Adobe PostScript software version: 3016.102
CID support library initialization completed.

Start Time: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 at 9:48:35
Source: Building EJB BizComponents.ps
Destination: G:\XA-Suite 4.3\docs\Building EJB BizComponents.pdf
Adobe PDF Settings: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Adobe PDF\Settings\Standard.joboptions
%%[ Error: undefined; OffendingCommand: FmDC ]%%

Stack:
6200
200
-mark-
/CropBox
-mark-

%%[ Flushing: rest of job (to end-of-file) will be ignored ]%%
%%[ Warning: PostScript error. No PDF file produced. ] %%
Distill Time: 0 seconds (00:00:00)
* *** End of Job ****

If you have access to updated instructions to set up the printer driver that I get installed with the installation CD, please let me know. Using previous versions of Acrobat, I used to get the Acrobat Distiller printer listed in the Windows | Printers window, but I do not now.

This seems incredibly difficult given all I want is to create a link from one book that is converted to PDF to a specific heading in another book that is converted to a PDF.

Thank you again,

Virginia

[A***@adobeforums.com]

Virginia,

The "Adobe PDF" printer instance is the Distiller printer starting
with v.6 of Acrobat so pretty much most of what he says is still
applicable. There are some more recent papers by Dov posted in the
InDesign forum.

The "FmDC" postscript command is defined in your header.ps and
headerPDF.ps files located in the \fminit folder. From the sounds of
things, you're somehow not getting these header files into the
postscript stream (as the Distiller reports the command as undefined),
i.e. something is now hosed in your FM setup. Check to see that these
two files are there in \feminist and that they are also referenced in
your maker.ini [Files] section. Look for:

EPS Header=fminit\header.PS
PDFPS Header=fminit\headerPDF.ps

Also, double-check to make sure that you have "Optimize for speed" set
in your Adobe PDF Printing Preferences (Layout tab > Advanced...
button > Document options > Postscript Options > Postscript Output
option).

[G***@adobeforums.com]

Arnis,
Thanks much for the reply. All the files in this test are open. This test was link within a single FM file, to a destination in a file in a book. For the file name in the gotolink definition, I have used book file name (with .book extension and without), and the PDF was named the exact same thing as the book file.

I updated the book file, saved the book file, then saved book file to PDF. Then do this with the file w/link (incl. updating references in it). Also tried distilling to .ps, then PDF-ing, each file (file w/link and book file). The link to the dest. never "gets" that the dest. is M2.8.newlink... It thinks it is M.8.newlink...

Maybe Frame just stopped updating some of the link/dest. details correctly after I tweaked various aspects of these files. I will try deleting everything and starting over.

One other thing - The link includes full file path info, is there any way to make it relative?

Again, this is FM 7.1p116 with Acrobat Pro 7.0.8 on WinXP.

Thx again. --Gloria Mc

[A***@adobeforums.com]

Gloria,

See the reply to Virginia. The links always have to be to the specific
FM file that the target is located in - don't use the book filename.

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Arnis, thank you for your reply.

- Checked the header.ps and headerPDF.ps files in the \fminit folder - files are loaded in the correct places.
- Checked the maker.ini and the fminit files are listed exactly as you show here.
- Checked the optimize for speed option - it is correct as you show here.

I can't find anything in Dov's PDF files in the InDesign forum that describe settings I should make for Acrobat Distiller 7.0 that I haven't done already.

I opened the source and target files (including the book) and printed the source file (the one containing the link to the target file and destination) to a .ps using the Adobe PDF driver. Then, I opened that .ps file in Distiller to create the PDF and the FmDC errors disappeared and a PDF was created. Then, I did the same steps - print to .ps with Adobe PDF printer, then distill to PDF with the target book.

The problem? The targeted PDF opens when the hypertext link is clicked, but it still does not jump to the named destination.

In the source file, this is the hypertext marker (Jump to Named Destination): gotolink UsersGuide.fm:BuildBizDocs

* * Notice I used the UsersGuide.fm even though that is the name of the book, not the target file. I tried the target file name (no spaces) but then the error reads the name of that file converted to a .pdf, so I thought perhaps this would work. (It doesn't.)

In the target file, this is the hppertext marker (Specify Named Destination): newlink BuildBizDocs

Virginia

[A***@adobeforums.com]

Virginia,

The links *always* have to be to the specific FM file. When you create
the ps file by printing from the book, then FM will sort it out.

Note: you should always test your links in FM by holding down the
ctrl+alt buttons (the mouse pointer changes to a pointing hand) and
then click on the link. If it doesn't go where it's supposed to in FM,
then it certainly won't in the PDF.

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Arnis, thank you again for your reply. I realize this has been a long and arduous response effort for you.

Here's the thing: when I recreated the link from the source document to the specific file like this:

gotolink BuildingBizViewsShortVersion.fm:BuildBizDocs

and then test it using the Ctrl+alt and mouse click, the error indicates that it cannot find the file named:

G:\XA-Suite 4.3\BizComponent Reference Guide\BuildingBizViewsShortVersion.fm

Which makes sense because that is not where the target file is stored. The target file is stored here:

G:\XA-Suite 4.3\User's Guide\

This is where that book resides with all it's relative chapter files.

Does all of this reasearch mean that I have to:

1) remove all the spaces from all the directories and file and book names, then

2) put all of the files for all of the books into the same directory

before the individual FrameMaker files can implement hypertext links that work when the books are ultimately converted to PDFs?

... and as I write this, I am having terrible pains in my stomach as I contemplate the level of mind-numbing work required to accomplish this over a document library that includes 15+ books and over 5,000 pages of content.

Tell me gently please - is that what I have to do?

Virginia

[A***@adobeforums.com]

Virginia,

You just have to get your Pathname:Filename correct.

If the target file is not in the same folder as the file that you are
making the link from, then you also have to specify the pathname
(relative or absolute).

In the example shown, it should be something like:

gotolink ../User's Guide/BuildingBizViewsShortVersion.fm:BuildBizDocs

Note: in FM you must use the slash(/) for folder separation and you
can use the spaces in the *filenames*, but not the link names. The
(..) means go up a level from the current folder (relative path).

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Well, there's no need to tell me gently Arnis, I just proved it to myself. It's unbelievable quirky and painful, but in the end - it does work.

Here is what you have to do to make a cross-document hypertext link from one PDF to a named destination in another PDF work.

- all the .fm files and book files have to be in the same directory
- there can be no spaces (and I guess no non-alphabetical characters) in the names of the directories, books, or .fm files
- the named destination must be manually defined using Special | Hypertext | Specify named destination and that title can have no spaces in it (i.e., not "Building BizDocs", only "BuildingBizDocs" will work)
- all files involved with the link (the source and target books in my case) have to be open in FrameMaker when you print the book to .ps
- printing to postscript and then converting it to PDF must be done with the exact settings documented in Dov's presentation (see earlier posts)

All of this has to be done without any selectable drop-downs, so when you type the name of the target file and named destination, you better have both files open so you can switch back and forth and verify the accuracy. It would be nice if the named destinations in the target file would list for selection, but no such luck.

Interesting note: these hypertext links work perfectly even when the hypertext link is contained in content that is inserted by reference (single-sourced content, that is) as long as I follow all of the above rules.

After all this, the links between the books work as expected.

Thank you again and again Arnis, Gloria, Shlomo, Rick and anyone I forgot to list here for all your help. Over and out - I'm going to go figure out how to get all of this done now.

Virginia

[R***@adobeforums.com]

Post by V***@adobeforums.com
It would be nice if the named destinations in the target file would list
for selection, but no such luck.

That is possible if you are using FrameScript . . .

rh

[V***@adobeforums.com]

... reaching out in hope. FrameScript?

Virginia

[R***@adobeforums.com]

If you have FrameScript, you could probably create a script that would do
the following:

* Prompt you for the file that you want to link to

* Provide a list of named destinations in that file

You could select the text where you want the link, run the script, and
select the file/destination and have the script automatically insert the
hypertext marker and apply the character tag. (I have something similar that
my writers use to create URL links and mailto links so they don't have to
run to the user's guide for the correct syntax every time.)

rh

[P***@adobeforums.com]

Hi, Virginia:

I hope I'm not testing your great patience for traveling the inner FrameMaker corridors of knowledge with these suggestions:

* You can collect the hypertext marker information for a book with Add > List of > Markers. Move Hypertext to the Include list box on the left, click Set.

* You can save FrameMaker files as MIF, open them either in a text editor, or in FrameMaker as text (see below), then use Find/Replace to fix the link text.

* ** To open a MIF file as text in FrameMaker, use File > Open, select the .mif file, press and hold Shift -or is it Ctrl?- and click Open. In the dialog box, choose Each Line is a Paragraph. Carefully do the fint and replace, then save the file as Text Only, with the .mif extension. Open the file normally with File > Open, and save as a normal .fm file.

* ** An alternate approach is to search Google for markerworker, a freeware FrameMaker marker-manipulation plugin from Cudspan. It writes marker content to a separate file, where you can edit, find/replace, etc, then you can write the separate file back into its source file.

* This still leaves the requirement of manually fixing directory names and filenames.

HTH
________________
Regards,

Peter Gold
KnowHow ProServices

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Arnis,

While I was originally interested in the relative references, I'm afraid that they are not working as I expect them to. Here is what I did: I renamed the directories and books and .fm files to remove the spaces. Each book and its associated files are in their own directory at the same sibling level in the directory hierarchy, like this:

directory
/BizComponentReferenceGuide
/UsersGuide

I updated the links from the BizComponent Reference Guide files like this:

gotolink ../UsersGuide/BuildingBizViewsShortVersion.fm:BuildBizDocs

With both books open, I printed them to .ps and then converted them to PDF so that each .ps and .pdf are in their separate directories. When I open them in Reader and click the hyperlink, I get the same error:

Cannot find BuildingBizViewsShortVersion.pdf.

Any advice on what's wrong?

Virginia

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Rick and Peter - thank you. I'm trying to research your suggestions as well right now. Virginia

[V***@adobeforums.com]

Wait a minute, I think I get more of this ... there's always more isn't there?

If the .ps and .pdf are created within sub-directories (or folders), then the references are relative to that structure. In the first working conversion, I saved the .ps and .pdf files into the same folders where the books and .fms were stored. The hyperlinks work that way.

If I then relocate the PDFs to their target delivery directory, then the links are broken because I did not maintain the folder structures.

... *sigh* back to experimenting.

Virginia

[A***@adobeforums.com]

Virginia,

That's correct. If you move the PDF files *after* you create them,
then the links usually break.

It's best to target the output to the deliverables directory in the
first place and have everything relative to there.

[G***@adobeforums.com]

Whew - all of you are posting so fast and furiously on this topic! In my case, Arnis, I changed the gotolink to point to the name of the file (not the book-file name), and the result was mixed.

The destination identifier was corrected (yea-a-a-a!), but the book path became hosed. It defined the path as going to "My Documents" folder, instead of the project folder where all of these files reside together (in one folder - the .fm, .book, and .pdf files all in one folder - not My Documents). Now that's just weird.

Despite that oddity, thank you Arnis, for clarifying the gotolink filename info.

BTW, I added a plain cross ref. in the test "link" file for kicks, and on the generation of the PDF again, the named dest. link included the correct path. Go figure.

Virginia, regarding your path problems (final delivery path being diff. from your development environment path, Frame has long had problems with cross ref's to external books, because it hard codes (expletive) complete path info and gives no opportunity for the author to define an alternative (relative) scenario. This issue w/gotolinks is just an extension of it all, I suppose.

Any-who, this thread has been most informative and I thank everyone who contributed to it. I learned quite a bit.

--GMc