Related tasks
Task 3: Conversion Processing
Task 5: Export Maps and Topics
Related information
Typical Conversion Process

Task 4: Pre-export Validation

All files should be valid before exporting to XML.

Before saving FM binary files to XML, they must be valid. Saving an invalid file to XML may work (with errors reported), but it may also cause FrameMaker to crash. It is always best to do as much cleanup as possible in the FM binary files before saving to XML.

  1. Open the book and all files from Task 3: Conversion Processing.
  2. Validate each file in the book.
    • For each document in the book, use Element > Validate to find and fix any problems.
    • If you run into problems that can’t easily be fixed and want to reconvert a single file, that should be fine; you don’t need to reconvert the entire book.
    • It’s OK that the book contains the element of NoName at the root.
  3. Carefully review files for errors like empty paragraphs or other issues that are valid but may result in less than ideal structure.
    • It is much easier to review as chapter files than after breaking into topics.
  4. Save and optionally close all files in the book.
    • Place focus on book, press Shift and click File > Save All Files in Book
    • Place focus on book, press Shift and click File > Close All Files in Book
  5. Optionally save the out folder to a new name (out-3?) to make it easier to roll back to this point in case something goes wrong.