### 5.1.9 Converting system variables to text

The values of FrameMaker system variables, such as date and time, are not stored in your FrameMaker files; instead, they are read from the system when you load a document into FrameMaker. Therefore, Mif2Go does not find values for system variables in the MIF files. (However, user-defined variables are present in a usable form in MIF).

System variables on master pages

For print RTF output, Mif2Go converts the values of system variables that appear on master pages to their Word field equivalents. Mif2Go does not convert master-page content for WinHelp or HTML output.

System variables on body pages

To get system date/time and file-name variables that appear on body pages into your output, Mif2Go must convert these variables to text. Specify the following setting:

[Setup]

; ConvertVariables = No (default) or Yes (convert to plain text)

ConvertVariables = Yes

Apply this setting conservatively. It is best not to convert system variables to text in all files, because the process requires slow FDK operations that can have unpleasant side effects. The problems are in the FDK, not in Mif2Go, so there is little Omni Systems can do to fix them. However, applying ConvertVariables=Yes to one or a few short files—for example, to the title page of a FrameMaker book—should not hurt. See §33.1 Using a different configuration for selected files.

Note: For system variables to show up in the MIF files, Mif2Go must read your original FrameMaker files. If you specify Use existing MIF on the Export dialog, or in your project configuration file, system variables are not converted.

See also:

§6.6 Converting system variables to text for RTF

§13.6.2 Converting system variables to text for HTML

| 5.1.8 Reordering text flows |  | 5.1.10 Preserving Word-generated cross-reference markers |