Update Color Definitions from new template

[dfamiglietti]

FM 11.0.1.382:  When I started with FM11, I created a new chapter template from scratch using the FM11 supplied starter template.  Now I am importing the new template into the chapters of the books and select to remove all overrides that may exist.  We want a clean start.  Select to Update the Book and I am getting color definition errors for half of the standard colors supplied in the chapters (forest green through salmon).  The original chapters have a Print As setting of Process and the new template has Don't Print for that value.  I can't change the original values and get the save to actually save the choices.  Without having to actually recreate these chapters (there are thousands), how can I get the standard color settings to reset to the template value?  Additionally, should this process remove old colors that are not in the new template? I had hoped it would, but it is not.

Thanks much!

[DaveDortman]

Try importing just the color definitions from a clean file into all the files in your infected book:

1. Open book with problem files

2. Open a single document that does not have color definition problems

3. Select File > Import > Formats…

4. Check only Color Definitions for Import and Update:

5. Select the clean file from Import from Document

6. Select Import

I’ve had good luck getting the book to run clean then without color definition errors. If that doesn’t get rid of the issue, check to see if someone has modified one the standard 16 colors in one of the problem files.

Hope that helps!
Dave

[Matt S - Tech Comm Tools]

If you really have thousands of files, you're likely going to want to discuss scripting with folks like Rick Quatro and Scott Prentice.

Resetting the colors should be a pretty simple MIF operation, but removing the existing colors is likely to require scripting, as Import Formats can add, but not remove, the colors available.

I believe Rick has a Template Mapping FrameScript that could help with your issue.

-Matt

Matt R. Sullivan
co-author Publishing Fundamentals: Unstructured FrameMaker 11
P: 714.798.7596 | C: 714.585.2335 | matt@mattrsullivan.com

@mattrsullivan LinkedIn facebook mattrsullivan.com

[dfamiglietti]

Thanks to all.  It was not clear the the Import Formats did not remove previous colors, so that clarification will save me many hours of searching to make it work.  I'm not sure which path we will choose to solve this problem long term,  for this deadline of next week, we are ignoring the color errors.

[Arnis_Gubins]

You could also check out Silicon Prairie's Color Tools for FM at: http://www.siliconprairiesoftware.com/Products.html