I'm fairly new to Mellel, so bear with me...
I'm writing technical documents and often refer to figure captions from the text. Every time I want to add something like "...see figure N..." where "N" is a crossreference to a figure caption, I have to do:
Insert -> cross reference -> insert reference...
then in the dialog box:
- select auto-titles
- find the caption (would be nice to have the captions in their own list, btw, since they can be hard to locate)
- delete the "Page#" element in the bottom box
- select "Auto-title current level number" in the Elements dropdown
- click "OK"
I'm thinking there must be an easier way that I've missed. Some way of storing this setup somehow.
If not, I'll try to fix up a macro in KeyboardMaestro, but thought I'd ask here first.
Is there an easier way to crossreference a figure?
Moderators: Eyal Redler, redlers, Ori Redler
Re: Is there an easier way to crossreference a figure?
Instead of Insert -> cross reference -> insert reference..., you can also just click on the Reference toolbar button.
If I understand you correctly, you want to write, for example:
See figure 1 on page 14.
Enter this in the bottom box:
See figure Auto-title curr# on page Page#.
From the Reference Format drop-down menu select Save Format…
And save under the name See Figure N (or some other meaningful name.)
Next time you need to cross-reference a figure, click on the cross-reference button in the toolbar, select the "caption" (that is, the name of the figure) and then choose See Figure N from the Reference Formats menu. The last action will automatically replace everything in the bottom box with your format.
If you want to make your format the default reference format, then you can do it here: Mellel Preferences > General > Default reference format
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If I understand you correctly, you want to write, for example:
See figure 1 on page 14.
I can't follow you here. The "caption" is the name you have assigned to your figure. And I assume the 'dialog box' you mention above is the one called "Edit Reference." Then the "caption" is in the Auto-titles column, which is the second column in the Edit Reference dialog box. If you have many "captions" (= figure names) then just enter the first few letters of the name into the field next to the small pencil, and all "captions" that do not start with those letters are temporarily removed from the column, thus allowing you to spot immediately the one you are looking for.Every time I […] have to do:
Insert -> cross reference -> insert reference...
then in the dialog box:
- select auto-titles
- find the caption (would be nice to have the captions in their own list, btw, since they can be hard to locate)
Enter this in the bottom box:
See figure Auto-title curr# on page Page#.
From the Reference Format drop-down menu select Save Format…
And save under the name See Figure N (or some other meaningful name.)
Next time you need to cross-reference a figure, click on the cross-reference button in the toolbar, select the "caption" (that is, the name of the figure) and then choose See Figure N from the Reference Formats menu. The last action will automatically replace everything in the bottom box with your format.
If you want to make your format the default reference format, then you can do it here: Mellel Preferences > General > Default reference format
Was this helpful?
Re: Is there an easier way to crossreference a figure?
Yes, indeed. The combination of your steps brought it down to a very much less painful three clicks. Thanks!
Now, the only thing I still wish for is to have a list of figure captions instead of having them hidden among the rest of the auto-titles.
/Martin
