FrameMaker 7.0 EDD template

["Lynne A. Price" <lprice@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Text Structure Consulting, Inc. has posted a new version of its
FrameMaker 7.0 metatemplate (template for EDDs) to:
   http://www.txstruct.com/metatemp.htm
This version allows all elements defined in the EDD within the
Comments element. As a result, portions of an element definition
can be commented out.

Notes:
1. This feature successfully allows attribute definitions and individual
   text format rules to be commented out. Other tests have not yet
   been made. Please report any problems to support@txstruct.com.
2. The metatemplate does not change the formatting of subelements of
   Comments. EDD developers who use this feature may wish to use
   the CommentsDisplayColor, CommentsDisplayWeight, CommentsPrefix,
   and CommentsSuffix attributes on the ElementCatalog element of the
   EDD to make sure subelements of Comments are visually distinct from
   active parts of element definitions.

This metatemplate differs from the one that ships with FrameMaker
7.0 in several ways, including: 

1) Comments are permitted throughout an element definition 
   instead of only at the beginning or the end 
2) Numbering of subrules allows for 6 levels of nesting (instead 
   of only 3).
3) "If" and "else if" clauses as well as complete format rules
   are numbered
4) Documentation elements List, Note, and CommentTable are available.
5) Element type SGMLFragment is defined to facilitate use of text 
   insets within an EDD 
6) Section heads are formatted differently for outer sections and 
   nested sections (4 levels supported) 
7) Color is used to distinguish element definitions for containers 
   from those of graphics, tables, cross-references, etc. Instead of 
   assigning colors in the meta-EDD, colors called Table, Marker, 
   Equation etc. are defined in the metatemplate. Users can therefore change 
   the color scheme just by editing definitions of these colors. 
8) Page breaks within an element definition are minimized 
9) Running headers show the tag of the current element definition and head 
   of the current section 

This metatemplate is comparable to the Text Structure Consulting metatemplate
for FrameMaker+SGML 5.5.6 and FrameMaker+SGML 6.0. There is one enhancement.
In a long element definition with deeply nested format rules, it can be 
difficult to find the "if" clause matching a particular "else" clause. This
metatemplate therefore numbers "else if" and "else" clauses as well as entire
rules, using consecutive letters for the different branches of one rule. It
marks the beginning of each rule with a bullet. The following example provides
a skeleton of a typical set of text format rules:

. 1(a)  In all contexts ...
. 2(a)  If context is ...
  2(b)  Else, if ...
  2(c)  Else, if ...
        2.1(a) If context is ...
               2.1.1(a) If context is ...
               2.1.1(b) Else ...
        2.1(b) Else, if context is ...
               2.1.2(a) If context is ...
               2.1.2(b) Else ...
. 3(a)  If context is ...
  3(b)  Else, if context is ...
  3(c)  Else ...

The metatemplate can be downloaded from http://www.txstruct.com/metatemp.htm
or from the Tools and Tips section of www.txstruct.com.

Comments (and any problem reports) are welcome.

	--Lynne

Lynne A. Price
Text Structure Consulting, Inc.
Specializing in FrameMaker+SGML consulting and training
lprice@txstruct.com
http://www.txstruct.com
voice/fax: (510) 583-1505
cell phone: (510) 421-2284


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