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

> C Document and conversion files > C.5 Working with reference files for HTML or XML > C.5.2 Resolving forward references with a second pass

### C.5.2 Resolving forward references with a second pass

Forward links to FrameMaker files that have not yet been processed might not be resolved the first time you run a conversion. This is a problem when macros are involved, but only for cross references to other FrameMaker files (as opposed to hypertext links or URLs, which do not have this issue). The problem can also be caused by latency issues in Windows shell operations.

Mif2Go does not know the final reference while processing for the first time a macro that includes a forward cross reference, because the destination output file does not yet exist. When Mif2Go processes the destination file, Mif2Go goes back to fix up the cross reference; but this does not work if a macro is involved, because in that case Mif2Go does not know exactly where in the source file the unfixed reference is located.

However, if there is an accurate .ref file when Mif2Go processes the original reference, the destination is known, and so no fix-up is needed.

The solution is to run the conversion twice. The first run populates the .ref file correctly, and the second run uses that information to fix up forward references. Of course you must not delete the..ref file in between the two runs.

> C Document and conversion files > C.5 Working with reference files for HTML or XML > C.5.2 Resolving forward references with a second pass

| Mif2Go User's Guide: C.5.1 Understanding how reference files work |  | Mif2Go User's Guide: C.5.3 Using reference files to enable links to other documents |