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"Page intentionally left blank."

Jan 10, 2012 7:00 AM

I am using FrameMaker 9.0 on Windows, and I'm trying to add the statement "Page intentionally left blank" on the last page of my chapters. I've found some information online about how to do it, but not step-by-step instructions. I tried each of the solutions (adding a reference frame in the reference pages, adding a new master page), but for some reason, I can't get this to work. I also tried just manually typing the line in, but that's risky because I'll probably forget some in the final edit and/or I'll add/delete text and the pagination will change.

 

Sorry if this has been posted before. I did a search and couldn't find it.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 10, 2012 7:10 AM   in reply to meganew

    But then the page wouldn't be blank

     

    All seriousness aside, there are (as usual with Frame), multiple ways to do this.

     

    But before getting into details, do you always need a blank page at end of chapter, or are you just trying to deal with the blank that can result from the "Make Page count Even" on save?

     

    And is each chapter a separate .fm file?

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 10, 2012 7:50 AM   in reply to meganew

    The quick and dirty way to do this is to create an anchored frame that is nearly full page, with the TPILB text inside. Attach the frame to an empty line everywhere you need it. The frame ensures nothing else will be on the page. This is obviously manual.

     

    We insert intentional truly blank (zero content) pages using a paragraph format named "Blank". It is a text color set invisible in Color Views, and is MasterPageMapped to a Master Page named "Blank", using the standard Apply Master Pages A(MP) feature. Manual ops are involved.

     

    I've never tried this, but a more elegant solution, not requiring a 3rd-party app, would be to implement a Left Master Page hack.

    • Create a new Master Page "Left.Used", based on "Left".
    • Put the TPILB text on the standard default Master Page "Left".
    • Run an AMP to create the MasterPageMappingTable in the Reference Pages.
    • In multiple rows, list a generous assortment of normal paragraph names in the Paragraph Tag Name column (Body, Heading2, et.c). List enough to ensure that any page with content will trigger a mapping.
    • In each row, set the mappings to:
      |  Right |  Left.Used  |  Single  |

     

    Now, all left pages without triggering content will be the TPILB page.

    Pages with content get mapped to the real {Left.Used} page.

    If you are already running AMPs to set start-of-chapter pages, there is no extra work in your workflow.

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 10, 2012 9:09 AM   in reply to meganew

    Hi meganew,

     

    I set mine up on a reference page. Created a page size reference frame (See below for instructions on a ref frame.) and then a text box (of course, it has to be placed in the frame correctly for your format.) in it with "This page intentionally left blank." Then created a para format called blank page. In the para designer, click on the advanced icon and select the drop down arrow beside below pgf. Whatever you have named the frame on the reference page will be in the drop down menu. Click on it and apply. Your blank page should show up.

     

    Hope this helps!!

     

    To create a reference frame:

     

    1. With the Reference (1 of 6) page displayed, select Graphics > Tools.

       
    2. Click Graphic Frame tool (Place a Graphic Frame) to place a graphic frame.

       
    3. Draw a graphic frame the size needed. I have used reference pages for several things.

      After you complete the frame, the Frame Name dialog box appears. Name your frame....


     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 12, 2012 7:45 AM   in reply to meganew

    It would be nice if the MasterPageMappingTable feature supported a notation for empty pages in the Paragraph Tag Name column, say: "\blank" (or some other illegal or unwise name never used for a real para fmt name). Then we could tell Frame to map TPILB Master Pages whenever a page would be content-free.

     

    By the way, I tested my hack, with the addition of setting up both Left.Used and Right.Used. It automatically handles both any trailing blank page at the end of the file, and any blanks within the flow resulting from paras with Start on "Top of Left Page" or "Top of Right Page".

     

    The AMP seems to take a little longer to run, but it's worth it to eliminate the need to look for stray unneeded manually inserted TPILBs.

     

    I doubt that I will use my hack, because we don't bother to put TPILBs on normal blank pages. They have a header, footer and page #, which is ample advice to the reader that the page isn't blank due to toner run-out or paper misfeed.

    ______

    PS - There is a caveat to the hack. Mapping other page layouts (like chapter start) requires that the triggering para fmt be the first Flow A text on the page. Frame gives priority to the first format found on the page that appears in the MasterPageMappingTable. The order of that table appears to have no effect.

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 10, 2012 12:45 PM   in reply to meganew

    meganew,

     

    Just to be clear....once you have this set up with the frame after the para format, it should work for you all the time. Just be sure when you copy formats from another document that you include the reference pages. Sometimes I have had it not show the blank page frame, but you just go to the advanced column and click on the blank page frame after para again. Sooo, just saying this is pretty much a template once you set it up.

     

    We also use this for Heading 2 continued. The Heading 2 continued para format has included with it a automatic (continued) that has been set up on the reference page.

     

    ls

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 12, 2012 7:30 AM   in reply to meganew

    meganew,

     

    I looked at my copy of the Adobe Framemaker User Guide and they use completely blank pages for even last pages.  How is that for a model? Even one of my technical writing books uses completely blank even last pages.

     

    A few years ago, I worked at an electronics company that required that "blank page" format. A new VP looked at it and said "Get rid of those dumb statements." At which I said hooray, for that was my opinion from the outset, but I got voted down by people who thought we needed to do this "for the customer."

     

    At my current job, I simply insert a page break (Special -> Break -> Top of Page) and let the headers and footers continue.

     

    At the previous job, I created a master page that was blank except for the main content text box. In the center of the page I inserted a text frame with the blank page wording. Whenever I needed a blank left page, I'd apply the blank master page.

     

    If you can rally enough support, the best solution is to talk them out of it.

     

    Yours,

     

    Michael F

    =======

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 12, 2012 7:51 AM   in reply to Michael314

    ... the best solution is to talk them out of it.

     

    I suspect that in many cases the TPILB is required by government or industry document specification.

     

    And in many cases where it's just enterprise spec, it's memorialized in a glossy printed Style Guide that can't get changed without Board of Directors approval.

     

    But sure, otherwise just ask local management: "Have you ever asked any actual customers if they think this is necessary?"

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 12, 2012 8:06 AM   in reply to Error7103

    >>But sure, otherwise just ask local management: "Have you ever asked any actual customers if they think this is necessary?"

     

    Error,

     

    Right on! I remember asking proponents of the blank page notice that same question, and the answer was something like, we haven't done that in years but we think customers need us to tell them where the chapter ends.

     

    This tag line was probably invented by the same people who created other "helpful" sayings like "Remove wrapper before eating."

     

    Yours,

     

    Michael F

    =======

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 12, 2012 8:12 AM   in reply to Michael314

    or "free gift"

     

    ;>)

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 12, 2012 8:40 AM   in reply to meganew

    Has anyone been able to successfully make a case with TPTB for using the magazine technique of ending articles with a graphic symbol, on the last-populated chapter page?

     

    Regards,

     

     

    Peter

    _______________________

    Peter Gold

    KnowHow ProServices

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 12, 2012 10:44 AM   in reply to Michael314

    For our purposes we have to use the "Intentionally Blank Page" with words. Anytime a page is blank, we get emails and questions about them. People think there is something missing. Guess it just depends on the audience you are writing for.

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 12, 2012 12:19 PM   in reply to lsk2002

    Blank Page Sufferers,

     

    I agree with Peter that a graphic or symbol on the blank last page would be better. It would be more aesthetic than that dopey text and you could include it in the front matter where you explain conventions used in the manual.  I think in the news business, I have seen "--30--" used to end a raw story or press release.

     

    I nominate the Greek omega  (which I can't seem to reproduce here), as in "the Alpha and the Omega."

     

    For isk2002's customers, could it be that they may need remedial reading help? I hope not. 

     

    I would love to get e-mail from customers about the documentation. It seems that most complaints are about the product or that the service people never forward documentation complaints to the tech writers.

     

    Anyway, after explaining to a customer that the blank pagea are just that, I would use the opportunity to ask them if they could spare a few minutes to answer some usability questions about the documentation. Now that would be valuable information. After a few such conversations, you could design a pretty effective questionnaire for future calls.

     

    Yours,

     

    Michael F

    =======

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 12, 2012 12:38 PM   in reply to Michael314

    A more appropriate dingbat might be null sign, "\varnothing".

     

    Or how about a large faint watermark saying:

    "No content for this page."

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 12, 2012 1:50 PM   in reply to Error7103

    Error,

     

    I found a writeup in Wikipedia that descibes the symbol we are looking for. It's called a tombstone and originated with magazine articles, and then was adopted by mathemeticians as an end of proof symbol.

     

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tombstone_%28typography%29

     

    Take your pick.

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Halmos.png

    Yours,

     

    Michael F

    =======

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 13, 2012 9:19 AM   in reply to Michael314

    Except that blank pages aren't always the end pages.

     

    We often set "Top of Left" page on content that needs to face the next right page. This has a 50% chance of causing a blank page just prior to the lefty.

     

    TOCs are duplex as a rule here, but may have only one page worth of entries, so the following page is blank.

     

    Such pages, if they need anything at all, need an "empty" glyph rather than a "That's All, Folks" glyph.

     

    We do always use the enterprise address block as the last element on the bottom of the last actual page, which is always a left page.

     

    Some older manuals omitted that, and you could never tell if that was intended to be the end, or if some content didn't get rendered (and that happened).

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 13, 2012 9:06 AM   in reply to Michael314

    For what it is worth...

     

    Our manuals are printed duplex. All pages have a header and a footer. The last page in a chapter may or may not have content, but it always has a header and footer.

     

    To my knowledge, no customer has ever enquired whether something is missing from the page.

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 13, 2012 1:52 PM   in reply to Van Kurtz

    Van,

     

    lolol....that is a good thing I guess.   We definately have people that ask about things you wouldn't imagine...lol

    I actually had someone call because the manual update pages weren't correct......come to find out they only looked at the front of pages, not front and back of pages....so you never know....

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 17, 2012 6:46 AM   in reply to lsk2002

    lsk2002,

     

    I think comedian Bill Engvall (http://www.billengvall.com) would say to those customers who can't understand a blank page, "Here's your sign."

     

    There are just too many common sense things you can't include in a manual.

     

    Yours,

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 17, 2012 6:57 AM   in reply to Michael314

    lolol!!! Yeah you would think...that doesn't work in our world..... There are many common sense things we have to include that most people would think "Here;s your sign."

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 17, 2012 10:27 AM   in reply to meganew

    Megan,

     

    For the military, huh?  Then the sign, er, notice should be:

     

    Page intentionally infiltrated by misleading counter-intelligence.

     

    If anyone asks what that means, tell them it's classified.

     

    Yours,

     

    Michael F.

    Here's Your Sign

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 17, 2012 10:31 AM   in reply to meganew

    No further content for this page.

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Apr 11, 2012 5:19 AM   in reply to Error7103

    Dear all good morning,

    this is my third post in this forum. I need for help regarding the problem "TPILB text".

    In our publications we must use the sentence "INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK" in the pages without chapters. We are using the Framemaker 7.2 and we are not able to insert the TPILB in the last blank page when it is left and even.

    I have followed the suggest in the Error7103 post (without success) until the point described below:

    • Create a new Master Page "Left.Used", based on "Left".  DONE
    • Put the TPILB text on the standard default Master Page "Left".  DONE
    • Run an AMP to create the MasterPageMappingTable in the Reference Pages.DONE
    • In multiple rows, list a generous assortment of normal paragraph names in the Paragraph Tag Name column (Body, Heading2, et.c). List enough to ensure that any page with content will trigger a mapping.  I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES IT MEAN
    • In each row, set the mappings to: I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES IT MEAN
      |  Right |  Left.Used  |  Single  |

    Would you be so kind to explain the point marked as I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES IT MEAN.

    Thank you in advance for your help and cooperation.

     

    Luca

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Apr 11, 2012 9:07 AM   in reply to meganew

    Interesting procedure, and I will take a close look to see if I benefit more by performing these steps than by using my present procedure, which goes like this:

     

     

    1.    When formatting a book, I set all sections for even-numbered pages.

     

     

    2.    The last page of each section is always a left-hand page.

     

     

     

    3.    If section contents end on a right-hand page, I simply add “This page intentionally left blank.” to the middle of the last page—using the Body tag.

     

    Ron Tillotson

     

    Technical Writer

     

    P Please consider the environment before printing this email.

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Apr 12, 2012 2:27 AM   in reply to meganew

    Hi meganew, all

    I am doing all items described in your last post, but I have a problem yet.

    The " Intentionally left blank" appears both in case it is necessary and in case it isn't requested.

    The "Intentionally left blank" appears as last even page and it is added when the compiled (from database) pages stop at number e.g. "11". The system, with your procedure, add the "ILB page" at page number "12". It is right.

    But, and it is wrong, the system adds the "ILB page" when it isn't requested. E.g. my document, compiled with data from my DB, stop at page number "12". In this case it should stop, on the contrary the system adds the page number "13" with the sentence "ILB". I don't want this.

    I am sure that I have a setting that give a "bad" command to the system, in order to add the last odd page with the famous ILB, but unfortunately I dont know it.

    May be that I have a wrong setting on the Unstructured masterPage Maps?

    The configuration of that table , in my document, is:

     

    Paragraph Tag Name          Right-Handed Master Page (or Single-sided Master page)     Left-Handed Master Page     Range Indicator (Single, Span pages, Until changed)     Comments

    intentionally blank                                                                                                          Left

     

    As you wrote I left the second column blank.

    Have you (anybody) any ideas about it?

    Thank you.

     

    Luca

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Apr 12, 2012 5:48 AM   in reply to RonTheWriter

    Ron,

     

    As you pointed out, you should always go for the simplest solution. I fortunately do not have to deal with clueless people of the Dilbert kind, so I just leave the left pages at the end of a chapter blank.

     

    For fun, I did create a master page called "Dumb Blank Page" and added a text block in the middle of it that stated:

     

                                     This page has been intentionally left blank because the section ended

                                      on the previous page, but -- now that we’ve stated the obvious -- it isn’t

                                      blank any more, is it?

     

    I will never use this master page, but it is somehow deliciously sarcastic.

     

    Yours,

     

    Michael F

    =======

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Apr 12, 2012 6:26 AM   in reply to Michael314

    Michael,

    your sarcasm is contagious. I have proposed the statment in your post to my boss, that accepted to insert the complete sentence on our publication. there is only a request from him and is:

    It must appear only on the even last page (left). have you any ideas in order to avoid the problem described in my previous post?

    Thank you in advance for the answer.

     

    Luca

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Apr 12, 2012 6:48 AM   in reply to orfanello68

    Luca,

     

    You might be able to avoid blank even last pages by carefully reviewing the chapter and

    1. Adding a paragraph here and there or enlarging a graphic here and there to force the content to flow into that blank even last page, or

    2. Tightening up the text or shrinking some graphics here and there to pull the content back to the even last page.

     

    It depends on whether that last page is mostly empty or mostly full.

     

    Yours,

     

    Michael F

    =======

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Apr 12, 2012 7:27 AM   in reply to Michael314

    Michael,

    I can't enlarge a paragraph here and there, or enlarge a graphic here and there. Consider that my agency make two publications each month.

    The tables within the document are filled with data stored in a DB. There are a lot of changes every time that we make a publication and a lot of pages are published (only the changed ones). Our system check the changes between the new version and the previous one compliling a check list of pages. So the easy way to do this is automatically. And we MUST compile the publication automatically in order to follows the rule that is imposed to publish our informations.

    Then I need for a solution that follows the items described in Meganew post. They work properly but give us the problem described for the odd pages.

    If I solve the odd last page problem it would be wonderful.

    Thanks

     

    Luca

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Apr 19, 2012 6:02 AM   in reply to meganew

    Hi Meganew, forum's members

    regarding your last post I have some questions.

    First of all we ( I and my collegue) aren't able to apply what you wrote.

    We are not able to identify the last line of our document. The last thing in our document is the paragraph "intentionally left blank" and it appears after we performed the bullets (from 1 to 15) described in your previous post.

    The questions for you or for the forum's members are:

    1) Where we must identify the last line of the document? Body page, Master page or Reference page?

    2) What is the way to identify the last line?

    3) What is the way to change the last line tag from "intentionally left blank" to "body"? Is it necessary that we use the tag "body" or we are able to use another one? Consider that we haven't the paragraph tag "body".

     

     

    We are next to the solution but we haven't reach it yet.

    Thank you in advance to everybody for the answers.

    Ciao

     

    Luca

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Apr 19, 2012 6:50 AM   in reply to orfanello68

    Hi Luca,

     

    I personally just place mine manually as in the answer I gave above. Although it would be nice I guess for it to work automatically when pages are odd or even. I don't find it hard to add the blank page para when I know it is needed though.

     

    I also tryied meganews answer and I guess I didn't understand it completely. It didn't work for me either.

     

    Meganew,

     

    Would you be more specific in the following step?

     

    11.   Type Body|leave blank|Left

     

    I tried this...but it didn't work....but again, I may not have applied it correctly.

     

    Paragraph Tag Name          Right-Handed Master Page (or Single-sided Master page)     Left-Handed Master Page     Range Indicator (Single, Span pages, Until changed)     Comments

    intentionally blank                                                                                                           Left

     

     

    Thanks,

     

    ls

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    May 17, 2012 11:45 PM   in reply to meganew

    Hy Meganew,

    sorry for the late answer.

    Thank you very much for your suggestions. Your procedure , described in more posts, is wonderful. It work properly .

    Now we have the left right page automatically added to the documents when it is necessary.

    We have only an error during the document compilation but it depends on our software (a kind of "documents compare" different and more complex than the Framemakers's one).

    We are solving it.

    Thank you very much for your valid cooperation.

    Kind regards.

     

    Luca

     
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