Omni Systems, Inc. Mif2Go User's Guide, Version 55

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> 2 Planning a conversion project > 2.1 Naming files, directories, and paths

## 2.1 Naming files, directories, and paths

No spaces or punctuation in file or path names

Book files, chapter files, graphics files, and any other files referenced by your FrameMaker document (or by the configuration file) should have names and paths that conform to the following restrictions:

• No spaces in file or path names (because FrameMaker does not always handle them correctly).

• Only alphanumeric characters in file or path names (even underscores can cause problems).

• Maximum 256 characters in a file name, 1,024 characters in a path name (Windows limits).

• At most one period in a file or path name.

Mif2Go is not the problem!

Although Mif2Go supports file and path names that include underscores and spaces, the output type you choose, or the target operating system where your output will be deployed, might not. For example, Microsoft lists a known defect in HTML Help when you use underscores in file names. Some flavors of UNIX do not like underscores, either. Some Help outputs, notably JavaHelp and Eclipse Help, but even HTML Help, will fail if there are spaces in paths within the project, because the display software is UNIX-based and treats spaces as delimiters. In the interest of compatibility, we advise against file names and paths that are not strictly alphanumeric.

Spaces cause problems in FrameMaker

Spaces in file and path names cause obscure problems for many Windows applications, including FrameMaker itself. For example, if a referenced graphic is missing, the path name FrameMaker presents in the Import dialog ends at the first space. You might have no idea what file FrameMaker is looking for, and there is no workaround. For example, if you have files named Image 200.gif, Image 201.gif, and so on, the dialog would ask for \somepath\Image. All you could do is skip the missing graphics file, then look very carefully for gray boxes once the document is open. A graphics file is probably the very worst kind of file to give a name that contains spaces.

Note: Presence of spaces in file or path names could invalidate requests for Mif2Go technical support.

Single period followed by extension

Use only one period in a path or file name, followed by the correct extension for the type of file. Many Windows programs break because this tiny character is misused. It is best not to challenge the easily confused software on your computer.

Book name must not duplicate a chapter name

If you are converting a FrameMaker book, make sure the base name of the book file is different from the base name of any of the chapter files. This is especially important for generating OmniHelp or DITA XML, where output files with the same name could get overwritten; and for generating WinHelp, where duplicate names could cause unexpected results.

No duplicate chapter names

No two chapter files in a FrameMaker book may have the same base file name. Mif2Go does not support duplicate file names in the same book. If you are using Mif2Go to create on-line Help, make separate Help projects instead, each with only unique FrameMaker file names, and then merge the projects later.