Defining File Names
By default, ePublisher automatically assigns file names to your generated output files for topics (pages) and images (graphics). ePublisher assigns output file names using a default naming rule. You can customize this naming convention using one of the following methods:
  • Specifying a different topic (page) or image (graphic) naming pattern for ePublisher to use in the target settings for your output.
  • Inserting Filename markers into source documents that specify the topic (page) or image (graphic) file name ePublisher should use for the file when generating output.
Specifying File Names for Pages Using Page Naming Patterns
By default, ePublisher uses the following values when specifying file names for pages:
$D;.$DN;.$PN
This specifies that ePublisher name the files using the following syntax when it generates page files for a target:
<SourceDocumentName>.<SourceDocumentNumber>.<TopicNumber>
The parts of the default naming rule are defined as follows:
SourceDocumentName
Identifies the name of the source document that the topic came from without the file extension.
SourceDocumentNumber
Identifies the number of the source document in the order it is included in its containing group in the project, such as 1 for the first source document in a group and 2 for the second source document in a group. This value starts at 1 for the first source document in each group in your project.
TopicNumber
Identifies the number of the topic (output page) generated from the source document, such as 1 for the first topic generated from a source document and 2 for the second topic generated from a source document. This value starts at 1 for the first topic in each source document.
For example, if you have a MyFile.fm source document that contains three topics that start with a paragraph style that has a page break priority set in Style Designer, ePublisher generates the following default output file names: MyFile.1.1.html, MyFile.1.2.html, and MyFile.1.3.html. You can change the default file extension for each page style.
You can use the following values to specify a page file naming pattern for a target:
Note: Each value you specify must begin with a dollar sign ($) character and end with a semicolon (;) character. Inserting a period (.) character immediately before the value specifies that ePublisher use a period to separate the values when generating output.
Value
Description
$P;
Includes the name of the project in the file name.
$T;
Includes the name of the target in the file name.
$G;
Includes the name of the group in Document Manager that contains the file name.
$C;
Includes the project to project linking context value of the group in the file name. WebWorks Help and WebWorks Reverb use the context value when generating merged, or multivolume help that includes context-sensitive help. In WebWorks Help/Reverb, you need to include this context and the TopicAlias value in the help call to display the correct help topic. For more information, see Merging Top-level Groups (Multivolume Help) and Opening Context-Sensitive Help in WebWorks Help using Standard URLs.
$H;
Includes the heading text or title of the topic in the file name.
$D;
Includes the name of the source document that the topic came from in the file name.
$DN;
Includes the source document number in the file name. The source document number is the number that identifies the position of the source document in the project.
$PN;
Includes the page number in the file name. The page number is the number of the page that the topic is on in the source document.
You can also specify if you want ePublisher to convert spaces in file names to underscore (_) characters when generating output. If you enable this setting, when you generate output, spaces in file names are replaced with the underscore character. For example, with this setting disabled, file names display as Word1 Word2.html. With this setting enabled, when you generate output file names display as Word1_Word2.html.
To specify a page file naming patterns for a target
  1. On the Project menu, select the target next to Active Target for which you want to specify settings.
  2. On the Target menu, click Target Settings. You must have target modification permissions to modify target settings. For more information, see Working with Target Settings.
  3. Under Files, specify the appropriate values for the page file naming pattern you want to use. For more information about file settings and values, click Help.
Specifying File Names for Images Using Graphic Naming Patterns
ePublisher preserves the original file names for images imported by reference. If images are inserted directly into a source document, or if ePublisher cannot process the image by reference, then ePublisher assigns a file name using a graphic naming pattern.
By default ePublisher uses the following values when specifying file names for images:
$D;.$DN;.$PN;$.GN
This specifies that ePublisher name the files using the following syntax when it generates image files for a target:
<SourceDocumentName>.<SourceDocumentNumber.<TopicNumber>.<ImageNumber>
The parts of the default naming rule are defined as follows:
SourceDocumentName
Identifies the name of the source document that the topic came from without the file extension.
SourceDocumentNumber
Identifies the number of the source document in the order it is included in its containing group in the project, such as 1 for the first source document in a group and 2 for the second source document in a group. This value starts at 1 for the first source document in each group in your project.
TopicNumber
Identifies the number of the topic (output page) generated from the source document, such as 1 for the first topic generated from a source document and 2 for the second topic generated from a source document. This value starts at 1 for the first topic in each source document.
ImageNumber
Identifies the number of the image in the topic generated from the source document, such as 1 for the first image generated in a topic and 2 for the second image generated in a topic. This value starts at 1 for the first image in each topic.
For example, if you have a source document named MyFile.doc that contains two images in the first topic that generates an output file, and three images in the second topic that generates an output file, and all the images are directly included in the source document, ePublisher generates the following default output image file names: MyFile.1.1.1.jpg, MyFile.1.1.2.jpg, MyFile.1.2.1.jpg, MyFile.1.2.2.jpg, and MyFile.1.2.3.jpg. You can change the default format and file extension for each graphic style.
You can use the following values to specify an image (graphic) file naming pattern for a target:
Note: Each value you specify must begin with a dollar sign ($) character and end with a semicolon (;) character. Inserting a period (.) character immediately before the value specifies that ePublisher use a period to separate the values when generating output.
Value
Description
$P;
Includes the name of the project in the file name.
$T;
Includes the name of the target in the file name.
$G;
Includes the name of the group in Document Manager that contains the file name.
$C;
Includes the project to project linking context value of the group in the file name. WebWorks Help and WebWorks Reverb use the context value when generating merged, or multivolume help that includes context-sensitive help. In WebWorks Help/Reverb, you need to include this context and the TopicAlias value in the help call to display the correct help topic. For more information, see Merging Top-level Groups (Multivolume Help) and Opening Context-Sensitive Help in WebWorks Help using Standard URLs.
$H;
Includes the heading text or title of the topic in the file name.
$D;
Includes the name of the source document that the topic came from in the file name.
$DN;
Includes the source document number in the file name. The source document number is the number that identifies the position of the source document in the project.
$PN;
Includes the page number in the file name. The page number is the number of the page that the topic is on in the source document.
$GN;
Includes the graphic number in the file name. The graphic number is the sequential number of the graphic in the generated output, and it is based on the position of the graphic in the generated output.
You can also specify if you want ePublisher to convert spaces in file names to underscore (_) characters when generating output. If you enable this setting, when you generate output, spaces in file names are replaced with the underscore character. For example, with this setting disabled, file names display as Word1 Word2.jpg. With this setting enabled, when you generate output file names display as Word1_Word2.html.
To specify an image (graphic) file naming pattern for a target
  1. On the Project menu, select the target next to Active Target for which you want to specify settings.
  2. On the Target menu, click Target Settings. You must have target modification permissions to modify target settings. For more information, see Working with Target Settings.
  3. Under Files, specify the appropriate values for the graphic file naming pattern you want to use.
Using Markers to Define File Names
You can use markers and field codes to specify the file name for a topic or image. Writers insert a Filename marker into their source documents and specify the file name they want to assign to the topic of image in the marker.
The default name for this marker type or field code is Filename. You can define your own marker style with a different name in your Stationery and assign the Filename marker type to it. Then, writers can use this marker type or field code to specify the output file name for each topic and included image.
Note: ePublisher uses page and graphic naming patterns to assign file names to all topics and images that do not include a Filename marker type or field code. For more information, see Specifying File Names for Pages Using Page Naming Patterns and Specifying File Names for Images Using Graphic Naming Patterns.
To assign file name behavior to file name markers
  1. Open your Stationery design project.
  2. On the View menu, click Style Designer.
  3. In Marker Styles, select the marker style you want to modify.
  4. On the Options tab, set Marker type to Filename.
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Last modified date: 01/28/2026