Shading table rows in FrameMaker when importing XML data

[Pspubs -at- aol -dot- com]

Hello all,

I was asked tell how I solved the issue of automatically shading rows in 
FrameMaker, so here it is. Thank you to those people who gave hints on how to get 
started!

Here's the scenario: I'm importing XML data into FrameMaker. Most of the data 
is within 350 tables, and the data is updated frequently. The tables have 
subhead rows, which appear intermittantly and which must be shaded. It would take 
much too long to shade all the subhead rows by hand, so they must be shaded 
automatically. Here's how I did it. (If anyone else has a better way, please 
let me know!)

These steps assume you know the basics of importing XML into FrameMaker, and 
working with EDD files and FrameMaker paragraph formats. If you don't, I'd be 
happy to explain -- just e-mail me (Becky Scott) at pspubs -at- aol -dot- com or 
beckyrps -at- comcast -dot- net -dot- 

The first step is to create a paragraph format with a Frame Below Pgf of a 
filled bar. The filled bar, which is a graphic frame on the Reference Page, 
should be about the height of the row you want to shade, and shaded as desired. To 
keep the filled bar from being truncated by cell margins, in the Paragraph 
Designer's Table Cell tab, change the Left and Right Cell Margins fields to -6 
pt. (Later you may also want to change the Top and/or Bottom Cell Margins to -6 
pt as well, but for ease of troubleshooting, don't do this at first.)

After this, you have a choice of methods: 1) use the paragraph format you 
just created for the shaded text, and edit the text position using the FrameMaker 
template in MIF format, or 2) use two paragraph formats to create the desired 
effect. The MIF method is simpler but works only when the subhead text is 
just one line. The second method is complicated but is more reliable.

MIF METHOD 
Save the template as a MIF file and open it with a text editor. Change the 
<FDY y%> value of the paragraph format to around 140%. Save the file, and update 
the Application Definitions (structapps file) to define the template to be 
the .MIF file you just created.
    WARNING: This method doesn't work if there are multiple lines of text in 
the cell, because it will only show the last line...the filled bar covers up 
the other lines for some reason. Also, if you use FrameMaker to edit the 
template later on, the FDY value in the MIF file will be deleted and you have to put 
it back manually. So I didn't use this method.

TWO-FORMAT METHOD:
Give negative line spacing (about -12pts per row) to the paragraph format 
with the filled bar, then call it something like "Bar". Then create another 
paragraph format for the text itself (e.g., called "CellHeading"). 
    Within each XML cell you want to shade, insert a container element ( e.g. 
<Shading>) that contains two paragraph elements -- an empty element for the 
paragraph with the filled bar, and after that, one containing the cell text. 
(See the second row in the example below.)
EXAMPLE:
<Table COLS="2">
    <TableBody>
        <Row>
             <Cell>nonshaded text column 1</Cell>
             <Cell>nonshaded text column 2</Cell>
        </Row>
        <Row>
            <Cell>
                <Shading>
                    <p/>
                    <p>Text to be shaded column 1</p>
                </Shading>
            </Cell>
            <Cell>
                <Shading>
                    <p/>
                    <p>Text to be shaded column 2</p>
                </Shading>
            </Cell>
          </Row>
 ...(more rows here)
      </TableBody>  
  </Table>

    Update the DTD, EDD, and RW files to add the <Shading> element and list 
it as one of <Cell>'s children.
    In the EDD file, set the attributes of the <Shading> container element so 
that the first paragraph uses the 'Bar' format and the last paragraph uses 
the 'CellHeading' format.
    After importing the XML file, tinker with settings for Bar line spacing, 
and the settings for space above and below the CellHeading paragraph. When the 
display is as desired, import these paragraph settings into your template 
file. Now you're set for the next time, if you ever have to import the XML data 
again.

I know it's also possible to do shading by writing a VB script, but I didn't 
have that expertise. If anyone does, I'm very anxious to talk to you!

I hope this is of use to someone! Thank you again to all who helped me!

--Becky Scott
  PS Publications
  (517) 485-2975
  Lansing, Michigan
  pspubs -at- aol -dot- com or beckyrps -at- comcast -dot- net 

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