Heading Variables

You can insert Heading variables into page layouts or template pages in order to automatically display text based on the mc-heading-level style property, which by default is applied to the h1 through h6 heading styles that you use in your project. Like Running Head variables, they are useful when creating print-based output. It's an easy way, for example, to automatically display a chapter title in the header of a chapter. For Adobe PDF output, you can also use Heading variables to automatically display glossary headings/terms and index headings/terms in a page layout frame.

Heading variables are very similar to Running Head variables. The key appeal of Running Head variables is that they are supported in FrameMaker and help with the transition of authors from FrameMaker to Flare. So people who are familiar with FrameMaker might prefer to use Running Head variables because they are used to them. However, Heading variables are somewhat easier to use and therefore are recommended for people who do not have a FrameMaker background.

When you insert a variable, simply select the Heading variable set to access the available variables. You can then choose the appropriate variable on the right side of the dialog. For more information and explanations of the different Heading variables, see Inserting Heading Variables Into Frames and Inserting Heading Variables Into Template Pages.

Note Although Heading variables can be used in all online and print outputs, there are some limitations. First, the index and glossary variables are not designed for and cannot be used in online outputs. Second, you can use the other Heading variables in online outputs, but they must be inserted into a topic or snippet; they do not work if you insert them into a template page.