How do I restart a numbered list?

[SueC2009]

Hello all,

First of all, I have to say, I can't believe how long it is taking me to set up my project. It seems like the most basic functionality in FM does not translate easily to RH. The lack of documentation around TCS3 Frame to Robohelp linking is simply unbelievable. Am I the only one who is frustrated and missing deadlines because of this?

Anyway, I have encountered another problem with numbered lists.

My list consists of two Framemaker paragraph tags. One that sets the counter back to 1 (used for the first item in a list), and then another tag for list items 2 and onwards.

Here is the problem:

I am using the Multilevel lists feature to set up my lists, which, for the most part works fine.

The only problem I am encountering is this:

when I have two lists within the same topic, I cannot get the second list to restart at 1!  Has anyone been able to figure this out with the multilevel lists?

I know I can manually reset the counter from within Robohelp, but that defeats the purpose of linking my FrameMaker document. I cannot go and find all my lists in Robohelp and restart the numbering there. There has to be an automated way to do this.

Any ideas?

thanks.

Sue

[Matt S - Tech Comm Tools]

Hi Sue,

I can generally get a project completely mapped in a few hours, and then hand it off to a CSS expert for formatting of the HTML.

If you'd like some help, and learn a bit about the process at the same time, please let me know.

-Matt

Matt Sullivan

Director of Training | roundpeg, Inc.

@mattrsullivan

P: 714.960.6840 | F: 360.230.7269 | matt@roundpeg.com

4590 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 620 | Newport Beach, CA 92660

www.roundpeg.com

[Peter Grainge]

When you open RoboHelp's own help, there is a link to TCS help. I don't know if that will answer your question but maybe the answer is there rather than in RoboHelp's OLH.

The TCS help can also be viewed at http://forums.adobe.com/message/3720120#3720120

---

See www.grainge.org for RoboHelp and Authoring tips

@petergrainge

[Mark_B_]

Did this issue ever get resolved? I am having the same problem with my project.

Anyone else have this issue?

Recently upgraded from TCS 1.3 to TCS 3.5.

Thanks,

Mark

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I solve it by converting my lists as Text instead of the other options offered.

[Mark_B_]

Ok, I guess I should describe my current settings:

Project

FM book to Web Help Conversion

FM

Numbered List Styles:

• Step1 - Autonumber format <n=1>.\t
• Step1+ - Autonumber format <n+>.\t

RH

Mapped both FM Step1 and Step1+ styles to RH style (Step).

Autonumber setting for both Step 1 and Step1+ mapping set to Convert Autonumber to Text.

Excerpt from Framemaker File

Excerpt from RoboHelp Conversion

HTML code shows no difference.

What am I doing wrong? Any ideas?

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I left mine as "[Source]" - maybe try that or create a RH style that starts renumbering at 1 also & map it to that one.

[Mark_B_]

Thanks, Jeff.

I left it at [Source] and the numbering now restarts correctly. Thanks. However, I lose the ability to customize a numbering style in RH. I haven't tried creating a RH style that renumbers to 1. I'm dealing with other weird issues since upgrading to TCS 3.5, so maybe I'll try it once I've resolved these other issues.

[Douglas_Campbell]

Jeff:

I wonder if you had any luck creating a style that starts at one and mapping to it? I tried to do something similar, but ultimately came up against all the same problems I've been experiencing from the beginning linking FM>RH with numbered lists.

If you map to a single Paragraph and associated Multilevel List Style, you get this:

Heading 1

1.

2.

3.

Heading 2

4.

5.

6.

I thought I would be clever and try to duplicate the method for restarting numbered lists in FM (two styles, the initial number with style and <n=1> and subsequent number mapped to one style using <n+>.

I created two RH Paragraph Styles to map over. For each Paragraph Style, I used Autonumber, Create/Edit Custom Sequence to try to mimic this numbering sequence. The first style starts and one, and that works fine. But you run into the same problem when you create the second Autonumber list that starts at 2:

Heading 1

1.

2.

3.

Heading 2

1.

4.

5.

To be more clear, this is only a problem when you have more than one numbered list on the same page using the same numbering style.

This is a huge problem for those linking FM files in RH. Leaving the style as "source" in the mapping is unacceptable. For me it trails off the left side of the page and you cannot even see the number.

The only thing that comes close to a workaround is "convert to text." But the formatting is just terrible. There is no way to control the indentation between the number and the beginning text in the list. Since all of our documentation is task-oriented, with numbered steps, suddenly this shortcoming has just doomed all of our documentation to a terribly sloppy and unprofessional aesthetic.

If anyone has any other insights regarding how this could work, please contact me.

Thanks,

Douglas

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I just use the convert to text option because it looks fine for my purposes. You could also try Matt Sullivan’s approach of running all the FM formatting through a FM template – but I’ve never tried it.

[Matt S - Tech Comm Tools]

Yes, I use a template to clean up a few ends...

One of my blog posts on this is at http://framemaker.mattrsullivan.com/2010/03/25/controlling-robohelp-output-with-a-framemaker-templat...

However, I prefer to do most of the formatting via the RH CSS (mapping FM formats to RH Styles) in the Linking process.

BTW, I LOVE the new RH10 shortcut (Shift-Control-/) to bring up the dialog box!

-Matt

[Douglas_Campbell]

Matt:

I read your blog post. I would have to try the template option to fully understand it, but there are a few things you've mentioned that confuse me and I wonder if you could clarify?

1. Are you suggesting that by using the FM template method or controlling formatting via CSS I could fix this shortcoming/bug that doesn't proprerly reinitiate the numbering of a numbered list when you have two lists on the same page?

2. You also mention control of the HTML in your blog post, but I don't understand what you mean by that. You can tweak the CSS sheet, but how are you suggesting we can use straight HTML to accomplish some of this mapping or fixing the numbering issue?

     Personally, I’d rather see the formatting defined in the CSS. For one thing, it leads to cleaner HTML. It also allows control of theHTML      from the HTML side, which should be faster overall than editing formatting from the FrameMaker side.That should be it…Update your      project and  you should be done.

The shortcut sounds like an improvement, but after having had to deal with this FM>RH linking and mapping scenario for some months now, I can't believe that someone hasn't thought to move the mapping functionality to a pod, instead of having it hidden away and in a menu and requiring you to dig down three levels to reach it for each and every tweak. Bad UX.

[Matt S - Tech Comm Tools]

Hi Douglas,

I don't have the same issue you do, so I am not sure what's causing your numbering to break. I believe I see this when I have nested lists that renumber, but not the first level list. For reference, I map my first level list to BodyLevel1, and Convert autonumbering to > HTML List

RE: control of HTML... Without CSS mapping via the FM and RH styles, there's lots of FM_ names used in the HTML, and lots of inline formatting that is passed through and quite bothersome. Map your styles to CSS entries, and the HTML is cleaner, more predictable, and more controllable via changes to your CSS.

HTH!

-Matt

P.S. Excellent suggestion about moving the linking options to a pod (panel). I pushed for that shortcut in RH10, but I'll be pushing for your improved workflow in RH11, by submitting at adobe.com/go/wish. I suggest you do the same, and that you "tell all your friends"!