Converting Word documents for use in FrameMaker

Using the Find/Change tool for cleanup

Find/Change is one of the most powerful tools for document conversion. With it, you can identify properties unique to your imported text and change the content or apply the correct formatting. Take some time to play with Find/Change and you will cut down your conversion time immensely.

Numbering

Word often treats automatic numbering as content, which (in my opinion) is why numbering in Word causes so much grief. FrameMaker is different. FrameMaker treats numbers as formatting through the Numbering properties in the Paragraph Designer.

If you import numbered items into FrameMaker, be sure to choose the Reformat Using Current Document's Catalogs and the Remove Other Overrides options (see Figure 2 above). This will remove many of Word's autonumbers upon import.

You can quickly change the ones that sneak through by using the Find/Change command. Identify the common characteristics of the objects to be removed, such as common styles applied and consistent numbering patterns.

For ambiguous styles with numbering

If the Word paragraph style name (such as Normal+) does not match the paragraph format you want in FrameMaker, use Find/Change to locate and convert all similar paragraphs.

1. Start by formatting a paragraph with your desired FrameMaker paragraph format.
2. Select the Edit > Copy Special > Paragraph Format option. You have just copied the paragraph format (not the content) to the clipboard.

3. Open the Find/Change dialog. Search for characteristics unique to your text. The Use Wildcards option helps when searching for numbering. In Figure 3 below, the *.\t searches for any characters followed by a period and a tab. This string will typically, but not always, identify numbering which is content not formatting.

   

   Figure 3. The *.\t searches for any characters followed by a period and a tab

   Tip: FrameMaker's Find/Change will not find numbering applied with a FrameMaker paragraph format.

   Example: In Figure 4 below, the Use Wildcards option allows FrameMaker to use the text string shown to search for numbered items from 10-99, followed by a period and a tab.

    

   Figure 4. The Use Wildcards option in the Find/Change dialog box

4. Use the Change: By Pasting option to apply the proper FrameMaker paragraph format to the text.

   Tip: Use the Change All option with extreme care as Undo will not reverse this feature!

5. The results will likely look odd, since the appropriate FrameMaker style probably has numbering characteristics making the text appear with duplicated numbers. Ignore the FrameMaker numbering for now; it will not interfere with the next section.

   Tip: If you apply a character format that changes color or weight to your FrameMaker autonumbering, you will quickly see which numbers are formatting from FrameMaker and which numbers are content from Word.

For styles containing both Word and FrameMaker numbering

1. Choose Text in the Find field of the Find/Change dialog box. Select the Use Wildcards option.
   
   If you need help with complex wildcard searches, see the Common wildcard strings section .
2. Choose Text in the Change field of the Find/Change dialog box but leave the text field empty. You are telling FrameMaker not to replace the numbering string, but to delete it.
3. Carefully use the Change, Change then Find and Change All options to quickly remove Word numbering without having to read your document line by line.

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