FrameMaker9 introduces new toolbars to the framers. These toolbars are new to the user in the sense that–they have a new look-n-feel and allow more flexibility. Also, the older .ini model of toolbar has been done away with, with the new .XML model. New toolbars could be of great use as they can enhance user’s productivity in an easy way. One may place toolbars nearer to the work-area, or dock them to the nearest dock, or change orientation vertical/horizontal, or choose customized icons for any toolbar or create customized toolbars.
Toolbars Dockable at top and sides:
Graphics, Quick Access Bar (QAB), Table Formatting, Object Alignment, Object Properties, Track Text Edits. When any of these toolbar is docked on the sides and dragged out to float. A small arrow icon 
appears at the top dark-grey area. When this is clicked one may change the orientation of the toolbar from vertical double-column to vertical single-column to horizontal.
Toolbars dockable at top only (control bar):
Text Formatting, Parargraph Formatting Bar
FrameMaker8 had a QuickAccess Bar, Formatting Bar and Track Text Edit Bar. A sidebar above the vertical scrollbar also served as a bar for frequently used icons. With the new design in FrameMaker9 those icons were adjusted in Quick Access Bar (QAB).
Earlier we used to have one .ini file ($FMHOME\fminit\fmtoolbr.ini) to define all the toolbars. Now the fmtoolbr.ini has been changed to a more modular architecture.
- The toolbars now exist in the $FMHOME\fminit\toolbars AND <FM9-User-Area>, i.e. %appdata%\Adobe\FrameMaker\9\toolbars\. The toolbars present in the <FM9-User-Area> supersedes those present in $FMHOME just like the maker.ini. So, multiple users using one FrameMaker build may design their own toolbars by storing the toolbar files in their user area.
- Also if one needs to add a new toolbar, he just can create another XML file and add its entry in fmtoolbar.xml. The usage of toolbars is defined in tag-description.xml.
If one desires some frequently used icons of the toolbar to stand out, one may do so by tweaking the .xml file of the respective toolbar. Here is a small change that is done to make the Enable/Disable icon (first icon in trackchanges.xml) stand out:
- Open the .XML file of the toolbar you wish to change. One may edit the file present in <FM9-User-Area>. The $FMHOME toolbars would serve as a backup.
- In the XML file interchange the “rollover” name with the “normal” name. This would bring the bright image as normal and the grey image on rollover.
- Before: <images normal =”P_EnableTrack_18x18_N.png” rollover =”P_EnableTrack_18x18_R.png” dark_normal=”P_EnableTrack_18x18_N_D.png” dark_rollover=”P_EnableTrack_18x18_R_D.png”/>
- After: <images rollover =”P_EnableTrack_18x18_N.png” normal =”P_EnableTrack_18x18_R.png” dark_normal=”P_EnableTrack_18x18_N_D.png” dark_rollover=”P_EnableTrack_18x18_R_D.png”/>
- If this doesn’t make the desired difference, one may go on to creating new custom icon images. Those icons can be kept at any custom defined path too. Icons can be kept at:
- A custom dll file with the full name being <DLL path>\<image-name>.<extension>. At present the icons are kept in fmcustom.dll present in $FMHOME\fminit. Its entry is present in maker.ini as: AlternateResources=fminit\fmcustom.dll
Some more information:
- User can create any number of toolbars.
- All the menu items\Commands that end up executing an FCODE can be used here
- Only Formatting toolbars cannot be docked in vertical orientation – Text Formatting, Para Formatting. Rest other toolbars may be oriented to vertical or horizontal position.
- Graphics toolbar doesn’t have its .XML file, it was not customizable even in earlier versions.
Utilize the power of the new UI and let us know your feedback about it!
regards,
Amit Agarwal
FrameMaker Engineering