FrameScript

1
FrameScript

• An Introduction

2
What is FrameScript?

• Scripting language that lets you manipulate
  FrameMaker objects
• Add-on that lets you automate FrameMaker
  functions
• Licensed to one copy of FrameMaker

3
What is FrameScript?

• FrameScript files are .fsl files (text files you
  can create using Notepad).
• Script is interpreted by FrameScript, and not
  compiled as a .dll.
• FrameScript is inexpensive (150).
• Focused on high-level users, not programmers.

4
What can you do with it?

• Customize FrameMaker with script commands
• Create new FrameMaker functions
• Combine two or more current functions into one
  command
• Create functions that used to require computer
  programmers

5
What can you do with it?

• You can create commands to
• Create, save, open, and close documents and books
• Create and delete FrameMaker objects (tables,
  anchored frames, variables, markers, etc.)
• Set the properties of FrameMaker objects
• Create menu and menu items
• Automatically respond to an event (run commands
  every time you close a document, or when you
  close FrameMaker)

6
What can you do with it?

• You can create commands to
• Create loops and IF-THEN-ELSE commands for
  testing and controlling a script
• Create scripts that display and respond to
  standard FrameMaker dialog boxes (cutting and
  pasting text objects, inserting or deleting text,
  etc.)
• AND MORE...

7
What can you do with it?

• Use scripts to
• Customize FrameMaker
• Add functions to FrameMaker
• Automate tasks
• Build custom reports

8
What can you do with it?
9
Who can use it?

• Windows
• Version 2.1 for Frame 5.5 7
• Mac
• Version 2.0 for Frame 5.56 7
• Frame Development Kit

10
So, Whats a Script?

• Set Displaying True
• Update ReDisplay
• If (ActiveDoc)
• If (Not ActiveDoc.DocIsViewOnly)
• Set ActiveDoc.StatusLine ''
• EndIf
• EndIf
• If (ActiveBook)
• If (Not ActiveBook.BookIsViewOnly)
• Set ActiveBook.StatusLine ''
• EndIf
• EndIf

11
So, Whats a Script?

• Set Displaying True
• Update ReDisplay
• If (ActiveDoc)
• If (Not ActiveDoc.DocIsViewOnly)
• Set ActiveDoc.StatusLine ''
• EndIf
• EndIf
• If (ActiveBook)
• If (Not ActiveBook.BookIsViewOnly)
• Set ActiveBook.StatusLine ''
• EndIf
• EndIf

This script refreshes the screen after a script
is aborted.
12
So, Whats a Script?

• Scripts can be
• Standalone scripts run as needed (evoke from the
  FrameScript menu).
• Event-driven to enhance FrameMaker (installed as
  scripts, evoke from FrameMaker menu).

13
Scripting Basics

• Begin with a very good idea of the problem the
  script will solve

14
Scripting Basics

• Begin with a very good idea of the problem the
  script will solve
• Develop a basic script that solves part of the
  problem (iterative development)

15
Scripting Basics

• Begin with a very good idea of the problem the
  script will solve
• Develop a basic script that solves part of the
  problem (iterative development)
• Test the script against a sample file

16
Scripting Basics

• Begin with a very good idea of the problem the
  script will solve
• Develop a basic script that solves part of the
  problem (iterative development)
• Test the script against a sample file
• Review the results for accuracy

17
Scripting Basics

• Begin with a very good idea of the problem the
  script will solve
• Develop a basic script that solves part of the
  problem (iterative development)
• Test the script against a sample file
• Review the results for accuracy
• Correct the script

18
Scripting Basics

• Revise

19
Scripting Basics

• Revise
• Test

20
Scripting Basics

• Revise
• Test
• Complete

21
Scripting Basics

• Revise
• Test
• Complete

22
Scripting Basics

• Revise
• Test
• Complete
• Compile

23
Scripting Basics

• Revise
• Test
• Complete
• Compile
• Test

24
Scripting Basics

• Revise
• Test
• Complete
• Compile
• Test
• Deploy

25
Scripting Basics
26
FrameScript Commands

• Add an object to a menu
• Add CmdObject(cmdvar) To(Menuobjectvar)
• Add a member to a list
• Add Member(membervalue) To(listvar)After(memberN
  umber) Before(memberNumber)

27
FrameScript Commands

• Set the text properties for a range of text
• Apply TextProperties Properties(propvar)
  DocObject(docobject) or TextRange(rangevar)
  and/orCondFmt(conditionformatname)
  CondFmt(condname) ...
• Copy the current selection to the clipboard
• Copy Text DocObject(docvar)Interactive
  VisibleOnly

28
FrameScript Commands

• Delete columns from a table
• Delete TableColumns TableObject(tablevar)StartCol
  (startcolumnnumber) NumCols(numberofcolumns)
• Delete rows from a table
• Delete TableRows TableObject(tablevar)RowObject(r
  owvar) NumRows(numberofrows)

29
FrameScript Commands

• Display a dialog box to select from a list from
  the file system
• DialogBox Type(ChooseFile) Directory(dirname)
  Title(dialogTitle)Init(InitialString)Mode(S
  electFile OpenFile SaveFile OpenDirectory)NewVar
  (varname) Button(varname)

30
FrameScript Commands

• Create and inserts a table in the selected
  location
• New Table NewVar(varname) DocObject(docvar)
  or TextLoc(locvar)Format(formatname)NumCols(
  numberofcolumns)BodyRows(num)HeaderRows(num)
  FooterRows(num)

31
FrameScript Commands

• Creates a new FrameMaker document
• New DocumentTemplate(filename)orPortrait or
  LandscapeorWidth(metricvalue)
  Height(metricvalue) NumCols(intvalue)Columngap(me
  tricvalue) TopMargin(metricvalue)Bottommargin(met
  ricvalue)LeftInsideMargin(metricvalue)
  RightOutsideMargin(metricvalue)SingleSided
  FirstPageRight FirstPageLeft InvisibleNewVar(
  docvar)

32
Sample Scripts
33
Sample Scripts

• IF ActiveDoc 0
• MSGBOX 'No Active Document'
• LEAVESUB
• ENDIF
• SET SrcDoc ActiveDoc
• NEW Document NewVar(docvar) Portrait
• // Get paragraph formats for output
• GET Object Type(PgfFmt) NewVar(h1)
  Name('Heading1')
• GET Object Type(PgfFmt) Newvar(bodyfmt)
  Name('Body')
• SET CurrPgf docvar.MainFlowInDoc

This script lists all the Graphic insets along
with the associated file names (if imported by
reference).
34
Sample Scripts

• NEW Paragraph NewVar(CurrPgfNew)
  PrevObject(CurrPgf)
• SET CurrPgf CurrPgfNew
• SET CurrPgf.Properties h1.Properties //
  Apply Heading1 pgffmt
• NEW Text Object(CurrPgf) 'List of Graphic
  Insets'
• SET gph SrcDoc.FirstGraphicInDoc
• LOOP while (gph)
• IF gph.objectname 'Inset'
• NEW Paragraph NewVar(CurrPgfNew)
  PrevObject(CurrPgf)
• SET CurrPgf CurrPgfNew
• SET CurrPgf.Properties bodyfmt.Properties
  // Apply Body pgffmt
• IF gph.InsetFile.objectsize gt 0
• NEW Text Object(CurrPgf) 'Image
  ('gph.InsetFile')'
• ELSE
• NEW Text Object(CurrPgf) 'Image
  (BYCOPY)'
• ENDIF
• ENDIF
• SET gph gph.NextGraphicInDoc
• ENDLOOP

35
Sample Scripts

• DIALOGBOX Type(ChooseFile) Title('Select a
  directory')
• Mode(OpenDirectory) Button(btnvar)
  NewVar(dirvar)
• IF btnvar CANCELBUTTON
• LEAVESUB
• ENDIF
• SET dirpath dirvar
• SET totalFileCount 0
• SET fmFileCount 0
• SET pdfFileCount 0
• LOOP ForEach(File) In(dirpath) LoopVar(fname)
• SET totalFileCount totalFileCount 1
• Find '.fm' InString(fname) Suffix
  ReturnStatus(SuffixFound)
• IF SuffixFound
• SET fmFileCount fmFileCount 1
• RUN OpenAndSaveIt DocFileName(fname)
• ENDIF
• ENDLOOP

This script opens all the FrameMaker files in a
directory and saves them as PDF files.
36
Sample Scripts

• MSGBOX 'Complete 'CHARLFtotalFileCount' Total
  Files '
• CHARLFfmFileCount' fm Files '
• CHARLFpdfFileCount' pdf Files
  created'
• SUB OpenAndSaveIt using DocFileName
• RUN isDocOpenAlready FileName(DocFileName)
  returns DocObj(docVar)
• IF docVar 0
• SET AlreadyOpen False
• SET errorcode 0
• OPEN Document File(DocFileName) Invisible
  FileIsOldVersion FontNotFoundInDoc
  NewVar(docVar)
• IF ErrorCode not 0
• DISPLAY 'Error Opening
  Document-'DocFileName' Msg-'ErrorMsg
• ENDIF
• ELSE
• SET AlreadyOpen True
• ENDIF

37
Sample Scripts

• IF docVar not 0
• RUN GetNewFileSuffix InFileName(DocFileName)
  NewSuffix('pdf') returns OutFileName(ofilename)
• SET errorcode 0
• SAVE Document DocObject (docVar)
  File(ofilename) FileType(SaveFmtPdf)
• IF ErrorCode not 0
• DISPLAY 'Save to PDF Failed
  errorcode'ErrorCode' Msg'ErrorMsg
• ELSE
• WRITE console 'Document
  ('DocFileName') saved as 'ofilename
• SET pdfFileCount pdfFileCount 1
• ENDIF
• IF AlreadyOpen False
• CLOSE Document DocObject(docVar)
  IGNOREMODS
• SET docVar 0
• ENDIF
• ENDIF
• ENDSUB

38
Sample Scripts

• //------------------------------------------------
  ----------------------------
• // This subroutine checks the list of open
  documents to see if the
• // specified document is already open.
• // Format
• // Run IsDocAlreadyOpen Filename(testfilenam
  e) returns DocObj(retdocvar)
• // If it is open, it returns the document
  object
• // and returns zero if it is not open.
• //------------------------------------------------
  ----------------------------
• SUB isDocOpenAlready using filename DocObj
• GET String FromString (filename) Uppercase
  NewVar(tfilename) // Upper case the string
• SET DocObj 0
• LOOP foreach(Doc) In(Session)
  LoopVar(testdocobj)
• GET String FromString (testdocobj.Name)
  Uppercase NewVar(tname) // Upper case the string
• IF tname tfilename
• SET DocObj testdocobj
• LEAVELOOP
• ENDIF
• ENDLOOP
• ENDSUB

39
Sample Scripts

• SUB GetNewFileSuffix using InFileName NewSuffix
  returns OutFileName
• SET SuffixDotPosition -1
• SET SuffixFound 0
• FIND '.' InString(InFileName) Back
  ReturnPos(SuffixDotPosition) ReturnStatus(SuffixFo
  und)
• IF SuffixFound
• GET String FromString(InFileName)
  EndPos(SuffixDotPosition) NewVar(OutFileName)
• SET OutFileName OutFileName NewSuffix
• ELSE
• SETOutFileName OutFileName '.'
  NewSuffix
• ENDIF
• Delete Var(dotpos)
• Delete Var(SuffixFound)
• ENDSUB

40
Sample Scripts

• IF ActiveDoc 0
• MSGBOX 'No Active Document'
• LEAVESUB
• ENDIF
• // Get all paragraph format names from the
  catalog
• NEW StringList NewVar(plist)
• NEW IntList NewVar(ilist)
• LOOP ForEach(PgfFmt) In(ActiveDoc)
  LoopVar(XPgfObj)
• ADD Member(XPgfObj.Name) To(plist)
• ADD Member(0) To(ilist)
• ENDLOOP
• SET srcDoc ActiveDoc

This script gives you a list of all paragraph
formats in the active document along with each
formats usage counts.
41
Sample Scripts

• // Go through each paragraph in the document and
  update the count
• LOOP ForEach(Pgf) In(ActiveDoc) LoopVar(pgfobj)
• IF pgfobj.Page.ObjectName 'BodyPage' //
  Change only pgfs on body pages
• FIND Member(pgfobj.Name) InList(plist)
  returnpos(rpos) returnstatus(rstat)
• IF rstat not 0
• GET Member Number(rpos) From(ilist)
  NewVar(holdcount)
• IF holdcount lt 0
• SET holdcount holdcount - 1
• ELSE
• SET holdcount holdcount 1
• ENDIF
• REPLACE Member Number(rpos) In(ilist)
  With(holdcount)
• ELSE // Add pgffmt if not already present
• ADD Member (pgfobj.Name) To(plist)
• ADD Member (-1) To(ilist)
• ENDIF
• ENDIF
• ENDLOOP

42
Sample Scripts

• // Create new document for output
• NEW Document NewVar(docvar) Portrait
• SET CurrPgf docvar.MainFlowInDoc
• SET hlistcount plist.objectsize
• // Get paragraph formats for output
• GET Object Type(PgfFmt) NewVar(h1)
  Name('Heading1')
• GET Object Type(PgfFmt) Newvar(bodyfmt)
  Name('Body')
• // Get a list of font names from Frame
• SET tfonts FontFamilyNames
• // Create first paragraph and insert heading
• NEW Paragraph NewVar(CurrPgfNew)
  PrevObject(CurrPgf)
• SET CurrPgf CurrPgfNew
• SET CurrPgf.Properties h1.Properties //
  Apply Heading1 pgffmt
• NEW Text Object(CurrPgf) 'List of Paragraph
  Formats

43
Sample Scripts

• // Go through each member of the list and write
  out the entry
• LOOP LoopVar(tidx) InitVal(1) Incr(1)
  While(tidxlthlistcount)
• GET Member Number(tidx) From(plist)
  NewVar(hname)
• GET Member Number(tidx) From(ilist)
  NewVar(hcount)
• GET Object DocObject(srcDoc) Type(PgfFmt)
  Name(hname) NewVar(XPgfObj)
• IF hcount lt 0
• SET hcount -hcount
• SET hname ''hname
• ENDIF
• NEW Paragraph NewVar(CurrPgfNew)
  PrevObject(CurrPgf)
• SET CurrPgf CurrPgfNew
• SET CurrPgf.Properties bodyfmt.Properties
  // Apply Body pgffmt

44
Sample Scripts

• // Get font name
• IF XPgfObj 0 // Paragraph format is not in
  catalog
• SET hfname '???'
• SET fontidx 0
• ELSE
• SET fontidx XPgfObj.FontFamily
• GET Member Number(fontidx1) From(tfonts)
  NewVar(hfname)
• ENDIF
• NEW Text Object(CurrPgf) tidx'.
  Count'hcount' Name'hname' Font'hfname
• ENDLOOP

45
Where do I get FrameScript?

• Finite Matters, Inc
• http//www.framescript.com/default.htm

46
Other Useful Links

• FrameScript tutorials
• http//www.frameexpert.com/tutorials/
• FrameScript Syntax Definitions
• http//www.techdoc.de/framescript/fs.syn
• FrameScript Resources and Scripts
• http//members.shaw.ca/philip.sharman/FrameScript.
  htm