Changing Equations

[MichaelKazlow]

Running FrameMaker 11.0.1.382 under Windows 7 Service Pack 1. In FrameMaker 10, I could change various feature of a Equation using the Grapchis -> Object Properties Dialog box. This doesn't seem to work anymore. I cannot change the size nor the color of equations, when I have forgotten to change an equation before hand. Yes, I can create a new equation with the properties I like and then copy and paste and all is well with the world, but having a working Object Properties dialog box for Equations would be nice.

Can someone check to see if they can duplicate the behavior or is there a new way of doing that which I have always done. It is unfortunate, that it doesn't work because having objects styles for equations would be the cat's whiskers.

[Arnis_Gubins]

Hi Mike,

I can create an Object Style for equations using the Object Designer and then apply that style after the fact. You only need to set items in the Fill and Equations options, The others should be reset to AsIs (a manual task for each set of properties: Stroke, Fill, RunAround, etc.).

[MichaelKazlow]

Arnis,

When I try to do this, it says that the size of the equation has been changed. But the size of the equation is not changed. It remains the same. The Fill sort of works in that the Fill is now changed, but the color of text has not. I am looking for the same white background but blue text. That is the way it used to work.

The other changed behavior, is that the equation object used to be within a frame. Now the frame is the equation object. More logical, but inconsistent with previous behavior.

On a different note, I am not now able to remove paragraph numbering. I can apply a numbering, but cannot unclick the numbering checkmark and get it to stick. I have to apply a style without numbering and then create recreate the style without numbering.

[Arnis_Gubins · Accepted solution]

HI Mike,

I seem to be getting different behaviours. It sounds like you're selecting the equation frame and not the equation itself. Here's what I've done.

1. I've created two styles for equations, where I set the Fill to be green and then blue. I then set the Equation Size to be Large and the other small to give be a "Big_green_equation" and a "Small_blue_equation".

2. I then insert a new medium sized equation using the defaults.

2. I select the equation (which is as before, placed inside the frame) and apply the "Small_blue_equation", which then shrinks the size of the equation and colours the text blue:

3. I then apply the "Big_green_equation" to the selected equation, and I then see larger text in green:

The paragraph autonumbering bug, is a known item. You need to detach the Paragraph Designer from the tools, on the side, and float it first. Then you should be able to change the autonumbers properly.Hopefully, this will be addressed shortly.

[MichaelKazlow]

Thanks Arnis,

This is a change in behavior from previous versions. It used to be sufficient to select the equation. Now you must select the equation object, but not the equation frame. Since we are working with an object properties panel, it makes sense. But in terms of working with equations it does make it harder to work with since you must switch to the select object tool.

Off to the Feature Request form to ask for a change in behavior. I figure it may get fixed sometime around FrameMaker 22.

[Arnis_Gubins]

Mike,

The equation "frame" has always been just an anchored frame. Maybe I'm not understanding what you mean by selecting the "equation". I've always had to (ctrl-)click on the content within the AFrame to get the "equation" (as you can see by the handles in the screen captures I posted) and then apply any of the properties for colour fill and size. Perhaps you're thinking of the situation where the equations are shrinkwrapped?

Also, from the selected equation frame, you can right-click to get the context menu and then pick Select All in Frame to get the equation, without having to switch tools.

[MichaelKazlow]

Arnis,

I didn't have a copy of Frame 10 still on a machine, but I had a machine with Frame 9 on it. To re-check the behavior I was used to. It worked the way I remembered.

I could select an equation, without really selecting the Equation Frame: Click on any element in the equation. Prese the space bar repeatedly until the entire equation is selected--but not the equation Frame. You could go to object properties dialog box under Graphics and change the equation's properties. After applying the changes, yes you would end of with a the graphic frame or object being selected, but you didnot not select the equation Frame/object to apply the changes. In Frame 11, you must select the Frame object to work the changes.

The behavior I would prefer to see is that if you are anywhere in an equation and you click an object style then the entire equation would change to the style in question. This is how the paragraph designer works. The would be a nicer more fluid workflow. In fact, I would like to see:

1. Equation Styles that could be set as default styles for all equations in a document or book.

2. To be able to choose an equation style for a new equation or one you are working with all without using the mouse.

3. Select an equation and go to the graphics pallet and change the equation right from the pallet without going to object properties dialog box. For that matter it would be nice to be able to change individual items within an equation using the graphics pallet.

[Arnis_Gubins]

Mike,

I see the behaviour now that you've described it. Yes it would be much more consistent if the Object Styles worked in the same manner as the paragraph, character, etc. [but that would have been expecting someone to think things all the way through and listen to the pre-release testers... ].

You should know the drill by now for submitting (and waiting through releases) wish list items : FrameMaker Bugs & Wish List