framers-request (11/08/90)
In article <1990Nov7.192715.2786@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> rr2g@rhonda.ce.Virginia.EDU (Rhonda Gaines) writes: > >We're in a possible transition phase from troff >to framemaker. ... >... We have a separate file with >nothing but troff equation definitions ranging from sigma subscript >...normal procedure is to write the troff file using $$ delimeters and put >in the definition name (not the definition itself) for the equation we >want to use. Can this or a similar (easy) form be done using >framemaker? Or do you have to cut and paste from another document. FrameMaker supports live links to other sources, including SQL database info. There would be no need to cut and paste. Of course, you have to build a database or something. FrameMaker's equation formatter is remarkable, and can dynamically solve equations using values linked to equation elements from other source files. Naturally, you will have to build equations that FrameMaker recognizes, not eqn format. FrameMaker also supports macro replacement in source files, so you can plug in a macro definition file that is read before the file you want to format, substituting values you want for the macro that is there. I don't know yet how extensive or powerful this substitution feature is... Perhaps it can substitute an equation for the macro? I'd certainly call Frame to find out about what you want. They have reason to be proud of their equation facility. (We too are in possible/probable transition to FrameMaker, in part because of the equation facility, and in part because of online documentation tools.) -lar