Adobe FrameMaker 8: Endnotes

Now that you are successfully working with Footnotes (after last week's column), what about Endnotes? Advanced users may be thinking, "What is she talking about? FrameMaker doesn't offer an Endnotes command, does it?" No, but… you can have endnotes, if you are willing to work a little bit.

1. Prepare the list of references at the end of your chapter as a series of paragraphs.

2. Assign a short and concise paragraph format like "EndNotes" to the list.

3. Turn on Auto-number formats for "EndNotes" to number the paragraphs sequentially from 1 to infinity.

4. Create a Character format called "Superscript" that you will use to superscript the reference number in the text.

5. Create a cross-reference format that simply pulls the auto-number from an "EndNote" paragraph. Give it a simple name like "EndNote Reference", and set the definition to <Superscript><$paranumonly> to apply the "Superscript" Character format to just the reference number:

   

6. Whenever you want to add an endnote reference, place your cursor at the position where you want the number to appear and add a cross-reference to the appropriate paragraph. Voila!

   

7. When you click on the Insert button, it looks just like a "real" endnote!

   

This may seem like a lot of work, but when your document goes through substantial revisions and text begins shifting around, this technique will ensure that all numbers will update as you go. That's a real timesaving when you are approaching a deadline.

Want to learn more about Adobe FrameMaker 8? Attend Barb's Introduction to Adobe FrameMaker 8 class. All you need is a computer with fast Internet access, a headset and the current version of FrameMaker (the 30-day trial version of the software works fine). You can ask all the questions you like because all virtual classes are led by a live instructor–this is not pre-recorded content.

Barbara Binder is the president and founder of Rocky Mountain Training. Barbara has been a trainer for nearly two decades and was recognized by Adobe as one of the top trainers world-wide for 2007.