Setting Default Custom Arrow Tip Sizes

[kat-eyes]

We use a custom arrow tip in FrameMaker 11, everytime you close Frame you have to set the custom setting again, is there any way to set this so it always stays at our chosen custom arrow tip size?

[Arnis_Gubins]

Use the Object Styles to create & name the custom arrow tip.

[kat-eyes]

This works per file, I am looking for a way to make this a standard FrameMaker preference so that I do not have to import this object style into each book or file.  Just set it once and not have to worry about it again.

OR - Can this be done from a book level?

[Arnis_Gubins]

Put it in a template and then you can import it using File > Import >Formats

You can do this (import formats) from the book level.

[Guest]

Can you use the Object Styles in FM 10? If so, how do you find it? I am not seeing anyting named Object Styles...

Even if I could save my settings for one document, it would be a victory for me!

-Smitty

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I think Object Styles only came in with FM11 - check Matt Sullivan's blog about new FM11 features

[Guest]

Bummer.

I just perused Matt's blog - really good stuff there.

Thanks, Jeff.

-Smitty

[Matt S - Tech Comm Tools]

Glad you liked the blog...!

I believe you can set arrow styles in the maker.ini in earlier versions of FM. Check out the Customizing FrameMaker document that's circa FM 7.1, and on adobe.com in about eleventy-six locations.

-Matt

[Arnis_Gubins]

You can only set the linestyle patterns, not the arrowheads in the maker.ini (all versions).

The only way to be able to save and import a customized arrowhead in FM versions earlier than v.11 (Object Styles), is to draw the custom arrowhead on a named Reference page in a template that only contains that specifc Reference page. Then import that Reference page into the files that need the custom arrowhead.

However, there is one more step required to ensure that the custom arrowhead style gets set as the "Custom" one. You need to select the line with the custom arrowhead on the Reference page and then right-cick to get Object Properties and then click the Set button. This then "sets" that arrowhead style as the "custom" one for the Document.

Note: that you can create a whole library of custom arrowheads on the Reference page and then just Select > Object Properties > Set to change the arrowhead styles.

(@Matt: Another tip for your book )

[Bob_Niland]

If you end up using RefPage arrows, as we have, you might as well make them even more useful with self-masking properties.

Our RefPage has several different arrows, which were based on FM arrows (which is important for getting a useful outline when dragging and rotating).

To those, we added, with the polygon tool, zero border polygons, just larger than the arrows, filled with the named color we use for all masks (which is set to white or knock-out for pub). This makes the arrows easy to see and not be confused with image content.

One variant creates a border all the way around the arrow, which is useful for photos and contone images. Another exposes the tip, which allows the tip to exposes the tip, allowing it to just touch items in line art. Both versions have a slightly expose tail, which allows them to touch callout bubbles and not mask them (the bubbles have their own masks, and need to be sent below the arrows). The arrows are grouped to the mask for easy copy and paste. Although enormously useful, I should note that such masked arrows don't scale acceptably. You will also need to create them at max res, with grid snap off.

For what is supposed to be the premier tech comm app, FM is extraordinarly weak on callouts. Most CAD apps at least have smart c/os, but they tend to be aesthetically unpleasant.

[Arnis_Gubins]

Unfortunately, Object Styles are new to FM11.

You could always create your sample custom arrows on a named reference page in a template and then just import the Reference page to other documents as required.