FrameMaker Tip – How to Set Up Your INDEX page numbers correctly

FrameMaker, like all powerful tools, can be frustrating if you do not know how to use it properly.

For example, FM has one of the most reliable and versatile book indexing functionalities under the sun. But setting it right might require paying attention to what’s going on in the Reference Pages and one particular paragraph tag within that page.

If you think your Index page numbers do not look right, do the following:

1) Go to your Reference Pages by selecting View > Reference Pages from your main menu.

2) In there, make a search for the Index tags by pressing Ctrl + G to display the GO TO PAGE dialog box.

3) From the Reference Page drop-down list, select “IX” and click the GO button.

4) Once you are in the Index reference page, find the building block(s) with the paragraph tag “IndexIX”. This step is very important. Just place your cursor on the building block(s) and read the corresponding paragraph tag in the status bar, at the bottom of your screen.

If there are no building blocks in the Index reference page with the IndexIX tag, you will not have any page numbers showing up in your Index.

If that is the case, type in <$pagenum>. Launch your Paragraph Designer and assign the IndexIX tag to that building block. That will display your Index page numbers.

If you have just <$pagenum>, your Index entries will be followed only by plain page numbers.

If you would like to have chapter numbers precede the page numbers, then you need to add another building block before the page number building block:

<$chapnum>-<$pagenum>

If you want your Index page numbers in bold and red (let's say), select all the IndexIX blocks, launch your Paragraph Designer, and make the necessary font changes. Apply the changes and you are done.

Note: For all such changes to take effect, you need to save the Reference Pages, go back to your Body Page view, and update your book index.