Need more flexible system variables

Question

Hi,
I looked through several discussions of variables but did not find what I was looking for. I wanted a page # variable for the front matter and then a page # of # for the rest of the manual.
Framemaker 7.0 defines 12 running H/F system variables plus a few others for page numbers but you are limited as to how you can edit them. For example, I was trying to make a variable that displayed current page only. None of the running H/F variables offers a building block called <$curpagenum>.
I have a system variable called Current Page # and I was able to edit it down to just the Page #. I also have two other variables called Page x of x and Page xxx of xxx but they act like user variables. Any editing of their building blocks screws them up. Plus I don't know where they came from, unless from the original installation.
Any suggestions?
Yours,
Michael F
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Answer 1

Typically, doing this is simple:
For the front matter, either put those pages in their own component file of a Book, or use custom Master Pages that are mapped by Apply Master Pages, triggered by paragraph formats unique to the front matter content.
The front matter MPs would have just system variable <$curpagenum> ("Current Page #") in a background text frame.
For the main body pages, use default Left/Right and/or custom MPs as needed, and put "Page "<$curpagenum>" of "<$lastpagenum>" ("Page Count") in the background text frames.
In neither case do you need to create a new variable. Just insert the plain text and system vars as needed.
Using book format simplifies the MP use, and also provides the capability to use different numbering schemes. For example, the front matter could be roman numeral starting with "i", and the body pages arabic starting with "1".