Error! Bookmark not defined

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NigelBennett
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Posts: 68
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Location: Oslo, up north
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Error! Bookmark not defined

Post by NigelBennett »

Hi
I updated an existing documentation set, and when I built the Word output, for "no apparent reason" a number of cross-references suddenly presented as Error! Bookmark not defined. These same x-references appear fine in HTMLHelp and WebHelp outputs. A small proportion of the x-refs in the output are affected. I've tried replacing some of the x-refs in the documents; sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. Any suggestions as to cause and solution will be gratefully received.
Thanks.
Nigel
Confirmit, Oslo
Nita Beck
Senior Propellus Maximus
Posts: 3667
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:57 am
Location: Pittsford, NY

Re: Error! Bookmark not defined

Post by Nita Beck »

I've seen this when the xref points to a bookmark within a topic, rather than to the topic itself. I haven't figured out a workaround, I'm afraid. Given that I use Word output only for review purposes, I've trained my reviewers not to fret about what appears to be a broken xref in the Word doc. Sorry I can't offer any advice. :(
Nita
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RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
Curlyshell
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Posts: 65
Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2019 9:14 am

Re: Error! Bookmark not defined

Post by Curlyshell »

I go through this regularly. It's one of the reasons I'm actually looking forward to working entirely in Flare...should I ever master the mess.

In Word, most people work with the codes hidden, as it would be very distracting to have them show. Also, we usually view field codes as their output, not their codes. The downside is that you can sometimes delete or mess with a code without realizing. This goes for bookmarks, index entries, and numbered headers.

For example, if you position the cursor at the end of the last word in a heading, and press <enter> to get a new line, and add whatever content—you might be bringing an index entry down there with you. Or you might be messing with a bookmark or other reference. Same goes for any time you move text or whole sections around.

After I reindex in Word, I always do a search for error! and, in my particular case, Section 0 (because that catches MY references to numbered headings I've moved incorrectly or deleted).

You can also accidentally move text into a section you've bookmarked for the sake of a mini TOC, and then find more in your mini TOC than you bargained for.

Before exporting, importing, PDFing, publishing, etc., I suggest you do the following:
  • <ctrl>-A to select the whole document and reindex.
  • In File > Options > Advanced, scroll down to Show Document Content.
  • Under Field Shading, choose Always so you'll see all field codes in gray.
  • Now, zoom way out in your document (if it's long) and start scrolling through. Pass your eye over any fields you see. Are they weird or just weirdly long? Then it's possible you are referencing a bookmark that has more stuff inside it than you meant to put.
  • Once you've fixed anything broken, <ctrl-A> to select the entire document and reindex again.
  • do another quick search for error! and your equivalent to Section 0 (whatever will tell you there's no there there).
  • If you had to fix anything, do a final reindex of the whole document.
I hope this is helpful! It's nice to have something to contribute. I don't know much about Flare, but I know lots about Word!

Shelley List
"I'm a technical writer, not a developer," she said...
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