XRef Wizard

(Purchase/Download Trial).

The XRef Wizard plugin provides a variety of functions associated with structured cross-references, including:

• ID control - With the Wizard, you can control the IDs used for your cross-references. For each cross-reference inserted, you can accept the FrameMaker auto-generated ID, or use virtually any other ID you want.
• Bookwide resolution based on IDs alone - Along with ID control, the Wizard can perform bookwide sweeps to resolve cross-references based on ID alone. Normally, a FrameMaker cross-reference is limited by the file reference, such that it will become broken if you move the target to another file. With the Wizard, you can overcome this limitation and look anywhere in a book to resolve cross-references, based on ID.
• Cross-reference search, based on a given target - You can right-click on any potential cross-reference target and search an entire book for cross-references that target it.
• Bookwide ID "uniquification" - The Wizard can sweep an entire book and replace any duplicate unique ID values between files. FrameMaker forces unique IDs to be unique within a file, but not between files in a book. If you have difficulties with unique IDs between files, especially related to XML/SGML export, this feature may be particularly helpful.

The primary vision for the Wizard is to provide tools for cross-reference management within a scheme of granular content reuse. If you frequently move content between files, especially with a plugin such as FrameSLT, you may have problems with broken cross-references. As mentioned earlier, a cross-reference becomes broken if its target is moved to another file, and FrameMaker is not able to resolve that situation with native tools. With the Wizard, however, you can move cross-references and targets between files at will, and resolve them afterwards based on their ID links alone.

Even if you do not engage in heavy content reuse, the Wizard has features that may make cross-reference management easier. To download a free, fully-functional trial version of the XRef Wizard, click here. The trial version has no time limit, but will occasionally "inform" you that it is indeed a trial version.

Note that the Wizard operates on structured cross-references only; that is, cross-references wrapped in structural elements. Also, please note that there is nothing inherently wrong with cross-reference functionality in FrameMaker. This plugin is simply an enhancement tool especially catered to problems associated with content reuse, such as with text insets or FrameSLT activities.