Want TOC pages with roman numerals

[etk]

I want the TOC pages to be numbered with roman numerals.
On the TOC page layout footer frame, I edited the style class for PageNumber. At MadCAp|Variable I set the PrinterPageNumbers, mc-page-number-format = lower-roman.
When I build the PDF, the page numbers are 3, 4 and so on. I have also tried setting the AuroNumber = {r}.
Suggestions please.

[LTinker68]

The page number variable is just a placeholder for the page number. The format used for the page number is set in the TOC Editor when you set a chapter break on that topic or book. At that point you can control whether it's numeric, roman numerals, or something else.

[etk]

Lisa, I had tried that, but it does not change.
I have a Licence page (with roman numerals), empty page then the TOC pages start (decimal numbers).
In the TOC (the Project file), I have:
. Licence, Properties, Page Number = Reset to 1, Format= roman (i+
. TOC, Properties, Page number = Continue from previous.
I've even tried setting:
. TOC, Properties, Page number = Reset to 3, Format = roman (i+

The TOC is always in decimals.

[LTinker68]

And did you actually specify a new chapter break at each of those TOC entries, even if you're just specifying the same page layout? Not a section break, but a chapter break. (Oh, and make sure you remove the styles you set on the page number tag that you had tried before.)

You might want to set the TOC Editor to tree view -- it makes it easier to see where you specified the chapter breaks. You can move the columns around to customize the order. I can't remember if there's a column that shows the page number option selected, but you can see where chapter breaks are and what page layouts are assigned to them.

[etk]

Yes, in TOC I have:
. Licence, Chapter Break with its own page layout and Page Number = Reset to 1, Roman. Followed by...

. Contents, Chapter Break and its own page layout, and Page Number = Continue from previous (have also tried Reset to 3, Roman).

And I have got rid of the edit I made to MadCapVariable, PrintPageNumbers, mc-page-number-format = not set.
Cannot think of anything else.
Erika

[LTinker68]

Hmmm. What page types did you define for both of those pages? Are they both set to First or to Normal or to Right? And do you have a corresponding page set up in the page layout. In other words, if you have the First page specified in the TOC entry, then is there also a First page set up in the TOC page layout?

And when you say you had License page, empty page, then the TOC... Is the empty page part of the License page layout? Or did you just select the option to enable ending on an empty page? Because even if you have that option enabled, you might still have to have an actual empty page in the page layout.

Sorry, I'm just throwing out ideas at this point. If you have a maintenance contract with MadCap then you might want to send them the project.

[doc_guy]

I'm running out the door, but I have this working in my Flare v4.1 projects. I can help you with it on Monday if you haven't fixed it by then.

Sorry I can't help now. But let me know if this is still an issue for you next week.

[etk]

I have for:
. Licence (only 1 page of info). In the page layout a Right and an Empty page. In the TOC (Project) the Licence, Properties, Printed Output, Chapter Break, Page Type = Right, Auto-end = enabled, Page Number = Reset to 1, Roman. This is working OK - page number = i.
. Contents. In the page layout a Right, Left and an Empty page. In the TOC(Project) the Contents, Properties, Printed Output, Chapter Break, Page Type = Right, Auto-end = enabled, Page Number = Continue from previous. Not working. Page number = 3 - 5.

Even copied the Page Number variable in the Licence footer and, first deleted the current Page Number then copied the saved one onto the Contents footer. Still no luck.
I must be doing something that is wrong. When I find it, I'm sure to be embarrassed.
Thanks for your help.

[LTinker68]

. Contents. In the page layout a Right, Left and an Empty page. In the TOC(Project) the Contents, Properties, Printed Output, Chapter Break, Page Type = Right, Auto-end = enabled, Page Number = Continue from previous. Not working. Page number = 3 - 5.

Wait, that is doing exactly what you told it to do. You told it to "continue from previous", so it's picking up where it left off. Empty pages still count in the page count, even if there's no page number displayed on them. So the License is page i, the empty page is ii, the Contents then starts at 3 because it's the third page in the document -- just switching page number type doesn't force it back to 1. If you want the Contents to start at 1, then you need to have it start at 1, not continue from the previous.

[etk]

Sorry, Lisa, the problem is that I want the page number as lower case Roman. The Licence page is numbered i, and the third page, the Contents, is 3 - not iii. There lies my problem.

[LTinker68]

. Licence (only 1 page of info). In the page layout a Right and an Empty page. In the TOC (Project) the Licence, Properties, Printed Output, Chapter Break, Page Type = Right, Auto-end = enabled, Page Number = Reset to 1, Roman. This is working OK - page number = i.
. Contents. In the page layout a Right, Left and an Empty page. In the TOC(Project) the Contents, Properties, Printed Output, Chapter Break, Page Type = Right, Auto-end = enabled, Page Number = Continue from previous. Not working. Page number = 3 - 5.

You specified Roman for the License page, but you didn't specify Roman for the Contents page. Did you just leave it out of your post or is set to something else? Again, even though you have "continue from previous", that refers to the page number, not its format. Try specifying Roman for the Contents page, if you haven't already. I can't remember if that field has a "default", but default might refer to numeric format, not continue from the previous. Basically, anywhere you put a page break, you need to specify the number format and whether it continues the numbering or restarts the numbering.

[etk]

Yep, tried that many times.
Tried setting Contenct Page Number to:
. Reset to: iii, Format Roman.
. Reset to: 3, Format Roman.
. Continue from previous.
But, still, Licence = i and Contents = 3.
It's just TOO hard! Something has got out of kilter!

[McCarthy]

This would be better to see if possible. Can you post a screenshot of your TOC and a screenshot of the properties (Printed Output and Autonumber sections) for each of the problem topics?

[LTinker68]

She sent me some of the files, and we determined it was because she had two body frames in the Contents page layout. As soon as the smaller body frame (she was using it as a header) was removed, the page numbering appeared as it was supposed to. And now that I think about it, dang it, I think that did come up before.

If anyone is thinking about using two body frames in your page layouts, I suggest you not do that. This is about the third problem that's come up as a result of having two body frames. I know the Flare Help gave an example of using two frames, but they either didn't see the other problems or just didn't mention the side-effects of using that setup.

[KevinDAmery]

If anyone is thinking about using two body frames in your page layouts, I suggest you not do that. This is about the third problem that's come up as a result of having two body frames. I know the Flare Help gave an example of using two frames, but they either didn't see the other problems or just didn't mention the side-effects of using that setup.

And if that isn't a candidate for a bug report, I can't think of what would be. If you want to be able to lay pages out with as much power and flexibility as FrameMaker, you have to be able to place two or more text frames on a page (how else are you going to do sidebars?)

[etk]

I used two body frames in my TOC page layout because I was getting the word Contents (the header) printed on the first page, and the actual list of contents on the second and subsequent pages. Using a Body frame for the header solved this problem, but would not display the page numbers as Roman numerals.

I have submitted a bug report on the two Body frame/Roman numerals problem:
Case (9555) Flare 4.2 Bug Submission

Deleting the header Body frame now results in my original problem - the word Contents appears on the first page and the contents on subsequent pages! Ugh! But, I do have Roman numeral page numbers!

Thanks for all your help.

[doc_guy]

Can you use a decoration frame instead?

Decoration frames can have Text, so the word Contents can appear in the decoration frame.

You'd only want to include a body frame if the content is coming from the TOPICS themselves. You want to use a decoration frame for other kinds of content. So my "Chapter 1" text, or my "Appendix B" text is in a decoration frame, rather than a body frame, because the text "Chapter 1" doesn't come from the topic. It is just part of the page layout.

[doc_guy]

It turns out I'm using heading and decoration frames together. Here is the page layout for the first page of a chapter:



So I have a decoration frame with a background gradient and a header frame with the text.

My body frame is reserved for content that comes from the topic.

[etk]

Many thanks for your help, Paul