Steps to "de-pod" workspaces in FM 9

Question

In a current thread
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/707908?tstart=0
a user is having problems working with a large file in FM9. I suggested he try "de-podding" the FM workspace to see whether that saved enough RAM and whether that might help to  successfully create the print file without graphics dropping out.
Info about the workspaces is here:
Workspaces in FrameMaker 9
The pods are where FM enumerates variables, markers, cross-refs, conditional text, fonts, and all the other goodies it creates / uses. Even if your particular docs don't use any of these features, my understanding is that FM still has to scan the doc to populate these panels, adding processing time and overhead.
In my own experience, being able to use a "de-podded" workspace is essential to being able to open and work with "large" files. System has 4gigs of RAM, WInXP. In an extreme example, a single chapter of 1800  pages of tables, approx 1.4 million cells total. The symptoms of the problem are that the files either won't open, or they're excruciatingly slow to open, or there is display and system instability to the point where FM has to be closed in Task Manager and the system rebooted. In a typical example, a de-podded workspace opens the file in approx 6 seconds. With the FM workspace called "Authoring" it brings FM to a complete halt. A smaller subset file of this, 83 pages, takes 4 seconds to open de-podded, 1.55 minutes with Authoring workspace.
Following the instructions in the above Workspaces explanation it's possible to create your own workspace files; I will post my own versions of these files in a reply to this message, if anybody would like to test them.
Regarding the "de-podding" process, though, I found that the following was ** essential ** in order to have the pods correctly suppressed.
Two steps are needed in order to get FM to be correctly de-podded for a given user:
1. put the nopods.fws and .cfws into the user’s Documents and Settings location (location varies according to Windows version)
2. have the user open FM, open a new blank FM document, select the "NoPods" workspace, close the new document, and use File > Exit to close FM.
If #2 isn’t done, then the symptom is that FM won’t open existing files (either double-clicking in Explorer or doing File Open in FM’s menu)  with nopods active, even though nopods files exist in the correct Documents and Settings location and even though FM will, however, open a new blank document and have the nopods correctly activated.
Sheila

Answer 1

I don't know whether the forum software will mangle the following content or not, but here's a test.
Save the lines after the two  ====  lines as "NoPods.cfws" in  %APPDATA%\Adobe\FrameMaker\9\WorkSpaces\Unstructured
where %APPDATA% is something like c:\documents and settings\<username>\Application Data
The location varies depending on your Windows version.
==================
NoPods.cfws
==================
<FrameUI version="1">
    <data type="all"/>
    <fm-workspace>
        <workspace version="1">
            <dock anchor="left" content="palette toolbar" is-closed="false"/>
            <dock anchor="right" content="palette toolbar" is-closed="false"/>
            <dock anchor="top" content="multi-control-bar" is-closed="false">
                <control-bar-pane >
                    <control-bar id="00F109AC" origin="0 0" size="551 26" is-closed="false" app-data="#lt;control-bar cb-data=#quot;tb_txt_fmt#quot; minimum-size=#quot;438 26#quot; maximum-size=#quot;1680 26#quot; preferred-size=#quot;551 26#quot;/>"/>
                    <control-bar id="003F0A02" origin="569 0" size="266 26" is-closed="false" app-data="#lt;control-bar cb-data=#quot;tb_tr_ch#quot; minimum-size=#quot;266 26#quot; maximum-size=#quot;266 26#quot; preferred-size=#quot;266 26#quot;/>"/>
                </control-bar-pane>
                <control-bar-pane >
                    <control-bar id="004C0A20" origin="0 0" size="608 26" is-closed="false" app-data="#lt;control-bar cb-data=#quot;tb_qck#quot; minimum-size=#quot;608 26#quot; maximum-size=#quot;608 26#quot; preferred-size=#quot;608 26#quot;/>"/>
                    <control-bar id="002D09F2" origin="626 0" size="460 26" is-closed="false" app-data="#lt;control-bar cb-data=#quot;tb_para_fmt#quot; minimum-size=#quot;445 26#quot; maximum-size=#quot;1400 26#quot; preferred-size=#quot;460 26#quot;/>"/>
                </control-bar-pane>
            </dock>
            <dock anchor="bottom" content="palette" is-closed="false">
                <tab-pane mode="expanded" preferred-iconic-length="0" layout-mode="auto-flow">
                    <tab-group active-palette="014A0A96" is-closed="false">
                        <palette id="00150A32" is-closed="true" preferred-unconstrained-size="998 179" preferred-constrained-size="998 179" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 24 0;1;2;3;4;292;175;175;87;243;0;0#quot; minimum-size=#quot;562 179#quot; pref-unc-size=#quot;998 179#quot; pref-c-size=#quot;998 179#quot; maximum-size=#quot;1920 600#quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                        <palette id="014A0A96" is-closed="true" preferred-unconstrained-size="998 179" preferred-constrained-size="998 179" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 43 0;1;2;292;438;243;0;0#quot; minimum-size=#quot;592 179#quot; pref-unc-size=#quot;998 179#quot; pref-c-size=#quot;998 179#quot; maximum-size=#quot;1920 600#quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                    </tab-group>
                </tab-pane>
            </dock>
            <dock anchor="none" content="palette toolbar" origin="1567 181" is-closed="true">
                <tab-pane mode="icon" preferred-iconic-length="173" layout-mode="manual">
                    <tab-group active-palette="000D0AE8" is-closed="false">
                        <palette id="000D0988" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="350 315" preferred-constrained-size="135 240" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 42 #quot; minimum-size=#quot;80 80#quot; pref-unc-size=#quot;350 315#quot; pref-c-size=#quot;135 240#quot; maximum-size=#quot;960 1200#quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                        <palette id="009D0976" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="204 143" preferred-constrained-size="135 1039" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 17 #quot; minimum-size=#quot;80 80#quot; pref-unc-size=#quot;204 143#quot; pref-c-size=#quot;135 1039#quot; maximum-size=#quot;960 1200#quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                        <palette id="009B0960" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="260 117" preferred-constrained-size="260 117" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 56 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                        <palette id="003D0A42" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="299 159" preferred-constrained-size="299 159" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 52 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                        <palette id="000D0AE8" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="204 143" preferred-constrained-size="204 143" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 51 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                    </tab-group>
                </tab-pane>
            </dock>
            <dock anchor="none" content="palette toolbar" origin="1163 503" is-closed="true">
                <tab-pane mode="expanded" preferred-iconic-length="173" layout-mode="manual">
                    <tab-group active-palette="00150AD6" is-closed="false">
                        <palette id="00600BE2" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="315 393" preferred-constrained-size="315 393" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 54 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                        <palette id="00150AD6" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="212 241" preferred-constrained-size="212 241" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 50 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                        <palette id="000F0B2E" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="249 208" preferred-constrained-size="249 208" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 49 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                    </tab-group>
                </tab-pane>
            </dock>
            <dock anchor="none" content="palette toolbar" origin="1100 238" is-closed="true">
                <tab-pane mode="icon" preferred-iconic-length="173" layout-mode="manual">
                    <tab-group active-palette="00190D32" is-closed="false">
                        <palette id="000D0C9E" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="327 294" preferred-constrained-size="327 294" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 26 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                        <palette id="000A0C80" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="426 361" preferred-constrained-size="426 361" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 25 0;1;2;3;100;100;100;100;0;0#quot; minimum-size=#quot;423 361#quot; pref-unc-size=#quot;426 361#quot; pref-c-size=#quot;426 361#quot; maximum-size=#quot;960 1200#quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                        <palette id="000A0CDC" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="414 358" preferred-constrained-size="414 358" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 48 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                        <palette id="00190D32" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="426 387" preferred-constrained-size="426 436" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 45 0;1;2;104;148;148;0;0#quot; minimum-size=#quot;426 387#quot; pref-unc-size=#quot;426 387#quot; pref-c-size=#quot;426 436#quot; maximum-size=#quot;960 1200#quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                    </tab-group>
                </tab-pane>
            </dock>
            <dock anchor="none" content="palette toolbar" origin="859 212" is-closed="true">
                <tab-pane mode="icon" preferred-iconic-length="173" layout-mode="manual">
                    <tab-group active-palette="001E0C76" is-closed="false">
                        <palette id="001E0C76" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="350 315" preferred-constrained-size="350 315" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 29 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                    </tab-group>
                </tab-pane>
                <tab-pane mode="icon" preferred-iconic-length="173" layout-mode="manual">
                    <tab-group active-palette="000A0D82" is-closed="false">
                        <palette id="000A0D82" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="279 242" preferred-constrained-size="279 242" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 28 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                    </tab-group>
                </tab-pane>
            </dock>
            <dock anchor="none" content="palette toolbar" origin="1372 46" is-closed="true">
                <tab-pane mode="icon" preferred-iconic-length="111" layout-mode="manual">
                    <tab-group active-palette="000D0D62" is-closed="false">
                        <palette id="000D0D62" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="350 315" preferred-constrained-size="350 315" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 20 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                        <palette id="000A0DA6" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="366 164" preferred-constrained-size="366 164" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 15 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                    </tab-group>
                </tab-pane>
            </dock>
            <dock anchor="none" content="palette toolbar" origin="848 342" is-closed="false">
                <toolbar id="000B0F4E" origin="2 25" size-variant="vertical-wide" is-closed="false" app-data="#lt;tool-bar tb-data=#quot;ToolBar_0#quot; vertical-wide-size=#quot;53 380#quot; horizontal-size=#quot;0 0#quot;/>"/>
            </dock>
            <dock anchor="none" content="palette toolbar" origin="1524 77" is-closed="false">
                <tab-pane mode="expanded" preferred-iconic-length="173" layout-mode="manual">
                    <tab-group active-palette="00400F20" is-closed="false">
                        <palette id="00400F20" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="350 315" preferred-constrained-size="350 315" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 19 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                    </tab-group>
                </tab-pane>
            </dock>
            <dock anchor="none" content="palette toolbar" origin="1476 542" is-closed="false">
                <tab-pane mode="expanded" preferred-iconic-length="173" layout-mode="manual">
                    <tab-group active-palette="000A0FBC" is-closed="false">
                        <palette id="000A0FBC" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="266 124" preferred-constrained-size="266 124" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 14 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                    </tab-group>
                </tab-pane>
            </dock>
            <dock anchor="none" content="palette toolbar" origin="1060 104" is-closed="true">
                <tab-pane mode="expanded" preferred-iconic-length="0" layout-mode="manual">
                    <tab-group active-palette="000F10DC" is-closed="false">
                        <palette id="000F10DC" is-closed="false" preferred-unconstrained-size="359 245" preferred-constrained-size="359 245" current-state="1" is-minimized="false" app-data="#lt;palette kit-data=#quot;3 13 #quot;/>" host-cached-sizes="false"/>
                    </tab-group>
                </tab-pane>
            </dock>
        </workspace>
    </fm-workspace>
</FrameUI>