Mastering the Art of Complex Auto-Numbering for Print Target

[jdw2465]

As I've had to grapple with a complex book--Parts, Chapters, Appendices within Parts at the same level as chapters within Parts...ugh!--I've been on the phone with MadCap's truly amazing support team. We've pulled a number of tricks to accomplish the auto-numbering of these book components to ensure that they increment correctly.

Alas, my TOC in PDF is still a mess. And the more I dive into auto-numbering, system variables, page layouts, and settings for topics in the TOC outline, the more confused I become and the more it seems as if these various automated components are working against one another. It's likely user error, but a map of some kind detailing the interaction of these components could prove to be a huge time saver. Or even better, a TOC wizard capable of handling simple and complex books.

So needless to say, I've spent a great deal of time truly studying auto-number formats. I've learned the correct syntax for using auto-numbers, including global numbering, styling auto-numbers, inserting system variables, etc. But where I'm left grappling in the dark is how these topic auto-numbers affect (and are affected by) page layout system variables (likely not even a connection between these, I think), and the settings we apply in the outline TOC to individual topics. And maybe there is no interaction between these components. But if there is not, I'm at a loss as to why I can't seem to get my PDF output to increment correctly.

What I'm getting in my PDF document's TOC (the left pane) is this:

Part 1: PartTitle
Chapter 1.1: ChapterTitle
Chapter 1.2: ChapterTitle
Chapter 1.3: ChapterTitle
Part 2: PartTitle
Chapter 2.1: ChapterTitle
Chapter 2.2: ChapterTitle
[here's where we break down...]
TopicTitle
TopicTitle
TopicTitle
Part 2: PartTitle (Note that this is a repeat of Part 2 above...not of the content, just the part numbering auto-number)
Chapter 2.1: ChapterTitle
Chapter 3.1: ChapterTitle
Chapter 4.1: ChapterTitle
Appendix 4.B: AppendixPartTitle (Where did starting with A go???)
Appendix 4.B AppendixPartTitle (Why aren't these incrementing if I'm using GA:Appendix {volnum}.{A+}, which I am since this is the first instance of a part appendix?)
Appendix 4.B AppendixPartTitle
Appendix 4.B AppendixPartTitle
Appendix 4.B AppendixPartTitle
Appendix 4.B AppendixPartTitle
TopicTitle (some reason, this H1 topic is sticking out like the few above and at the same level as Part, though they are tagged with an h1 class with a heading level number of 3)
Part 5: PartTitle
etc.

And within the first page of each Part (which involves a ChapterBreak and a new page layout), I include a number representing the Part. The only problem is that the first number for the first part begins with the number 2, despite the fact that I have set the Volume number in the Properties dialog of the outline TOC for that part to begin at 1.

Other settings: I have configured h1 classes for each of these top-level TOC items and assigned heading levels to each as well as applied auto-numbering using both global and non-gobal auto-numbering. Here are my settings for the h1 classes:

h1.Part = GP:Part {volnum}: (in the outline TOC, wherever this is used, I've included a ChapterBreak and on the first instance of this style, set that topic to begin numbering Volume at 1 (roman numeral).
h1.PartChapter = GH:Chapter {volumn}.{n=1}: (in the outline TOC, wherever this is used, I've included a ChapterBreak and on the first instance of this style, set that topic to begin numbering Chapter at 1 [roman numeral])
h1.AppendixPart = GA:Appendix {volnum}.{A+}: (in the outline TOC, wherever this is used, I've included a ChapterBreak and on the first instance of this style, set that topic to begin numbering Chapter at A [upper-case alpha])
h1.Appendix = GX:Appendix {A+}: (in the outline TOC, wherever this is used, I've included a ChapterBreak and on the first instance of this style, set that topic to begin numbering Chapter at A [upper-case alpha])
h1.Chapter = GC:Chapter {n+}: (in the outline TOC, wherever this is used, I've included a ChapterBreak and on the first instance of this style, set that topic to begin numbering Chapter at 1 [roman numeral])

So by using global auto-numbering, I'm left wondering how the following scattered auto-numbers and system variables play together (or against one another?):
* System variables in page layouts
* Settings in the outline TOC for print output (where we set volume, chapter, and section numbering behavior)
* Auto-numbering living in styles (e.g. h1.Part set to heading level 1 vs. h1.PartChapter with a heading level set to 2, vs. h1.Chapter with a heading level set to 1)

This process is complex enough--especially for complex, printed books like two of ours recently converted from FrameMaker--that some sort of intermediary interface showing all of these relationships would be immensely helpful. For now, I'm considering the use of a spreadsheet to track what is set where. And while it's true that I can change the outline TOC view to Tree View to see how each item in the toc is set, it doesn't tell me about any possible conflicts between styles applied in topics and settings applied in the outline TOC.

My most recent "ah-ha" moment is that my page layouts for part of this complex book uses the system variable, Chapternum and I have created classes for Chapternum to handle numbering for things like appendices that appear within Parts sections of the book. It is a dizzying array of automated settings to correctly apply and keep track of.

Would love anyone's thoughts and experiences related to this issue!

[Doug Eaton]

It is a dizzying array of automated settings to correctly apply and keep track of.

Perhaps I am missing the point here, but we use a multilevel numbering scheme similar to the one you describe, and I think that you may be able to accomplish what you want with much less trouble than you are going through. I build my TOC and set up breaks in the Properties > Printed Output tab. For example, set a Chapter Break and select a Page Layout, etc. Under Page Number, select Reset To, enter {chapnum}-{n} and select text as the Format.

You will have to modify this a bit for Index, Glossary, and special sections if you want a key term to show up instead of the chapter number, but this approach has solved my document numbering issues.

[sperkins]

I feel your pain, Derek!

I have been working for weeks and weeks (surreptitiously) to create a Chapter Title H1 tag for my PDF that will:
1. Increment correctly in the TOC and the PDF
2. Create bookmarks correctly in the PDF
3. Look distinctive--specifically I want a large (72pt) Chapter number on left or right, with the chapter title text stacked beside it
4. The spacing, bottom border, and graphics must remain consistent whether the heading has one, two, or three lines of text.

Here is just one example I played with:

option1.jpg

(I posted recently about it.) Over and over I've gotten so close--I tried creating spans (several) for the autonumber; putting the <chapnum> variable and/or the Chapter title on an underlying page; used two different p. tags, one for the number (in a text box), and one for the Chapter Title (and/or with an invisible autonum to increment correctly); added a small Body frame above the text body frame to enclose the Title, and I forget what else. I have tried attaching the bottom border to the text box, the heading tag, and as a separate tag, and nothing works for all situations. I feel like I've tried all the different combinations of float, clear, and position, and I have to get to work on the doc, so I'm close to giving up.
Good luck!