change page number between chapter breaks

[pdenchfield]

For localization and legacy template reasons, I need to display a mini-TOC on a right page, copyright on following left, then start actual content on subsequent right. (Each of these three items is its own node in the .fltoc file.)

I would like the actual content to begin on page 1. However, the mini-TOC proxy only works for the current chapter. I don't see a way to change the page number unless I create a chapter break. Help!

[Lydia]

Hi Pamela, if you can't use the system variable 'pagenumber', can you work with autonumbers? I.e. you define the styles p.pagenumberstart and p.pagenumber. The p.pagenumberstart is to reset the pagenumber to {=0} and p.pagenumber would just count up {n+}. p.pagenumberstart would need to appear on the copyright, but be invisible. Maybe you can use a series label like CP to use the autonumber for a chapter and you don't have to reset the numbering then.
Hope this doesn't sound to weird.

[pdenchfield]

Hi Lydia, interesting idea. The project is already in localization so I will come back to this. I do hope it's easy to change page numbers within a chapter!

[pdenchfield]

I'd love to know the steps for using autonumbers to show different page number ranges within a chapter. Following are details for my project setup.

chaptertoc-pagei-pageii-page1.png

pagenumbervariable.png

[LTinker68]

I believe you have to use either a chapter break or a page layout break at the point where you want the page numbering to change. So try it with a page layout break, even if you're using the same page layout. So where you want it to start with "page i", you set a chapter or page layout break (probably chapter, since it's the first one), specify the page layout to use, then set the page number to roman and start with 1. Then on your Introduction TOC entry, you again select either chapter or page layout break, specify the page layout to use (even if it's the same one), set it to alpha numbering, and to start at 1.

[pdenchfield]

Thanks, Lisa, but unfortunately, Flare does not allow me to restart page numbering with a page layout break. The whole section is grayed out unless I choose "Chapter Layout Break."

pagelayoutbreak-cantchangepagerange.png

[Lydia]

Pamela, you are right, the page break won't give you the option to change the page numbering. I think, I would try the autonumber styles. Or check with MadCap support if they have some ideas.

[pdenchfield]

Thanks, Lydia. Can you tell me the steps for using autonumber styles? Is it a different "page number" variable in the page layouts?

[LTinker68]

I don't think there's any need to use auto-numbers. Simply use the chapter break option in the TOC at the points where you want to change the page numbering format. If you're worried that it will screw up the {chapnum} variable used in auto-numbers and cross-references, then you can manually specify the chapter number in the TOC Properties screen for each chapter, or at least the first one and set the rest to auto-increment. (Or do like I do and don't use {chapnum} and instead use a global counter placeholder.)

Sorry, to clarify... When I was referring to auto-numbers, I was referring to the auto-number feature via the stylesheet, not the Auto-numbers tab of the TOC Properties screen, but that Auto-numbers tab is where you'd go to manually set the chapter number if you need to, and the options in that tab only work when you specify chapter breaks.

[pdenchfield]

Hi Lisa, I can't use the chapter break option because I have a mini-toc proxy that depends on all of the nodes being in the same chapter. Eager to hear additional suggestions!

[doc_guy]

I don't think the mini-TOC proxy cares about chapter breaks set on topics in the TOC. I think the min-TOC proxy only cares about what chapters are descendants of a topic in the TOC file. The mini-TOC proxy would show all topics that are below a specific topic.

Have you tried this and it doesn't work? I've never heard that the mini-TOC proxy cares at all about chapter breaks, though, I suppose it kind of makes sense if it does.

[pdenchfield]

Thanks, Paul. I tried chapter breaks among descendants of a mini-toc proxy node and it broke the mini-toc. Tech support told me that the mini-toc proxy was intended for a chapter only.

[pdenchfield]

Looking at my project again, I don't want unique page ranges after all. The whole idea is to create a single PDF containing all languages, with a TOC listing each localized guide title and its page number. So scratch this whole post. I was thinking that the mini-toc and copyright pages should be separately numbered, but that setup doesn't work if we want a continuous range of pages on the main TOC. Thanks!

[doc_guy]

Thanks, Paul. I tried chapter breaks among descendants of a mini-toc proxy node and it broke the mini-toc. Tech support told me that the mini-toc proxy was intended for a chapter only.

Huh. Learn something new every day.

[LTinker68]

I'm with Paul -- I thought it was children topics of a parent topic that were picked up by the mini-TOC. I always put my mini-TOC proxy in the topic that I use as the "chapter"/book, so it was always one and the same.