Mark,
Since your docs are nearly identical, you'll probably use conditional text
or variables in FrameMaker to create and maintain them. I'll let others with
more experience with those offer tips. But here are some other useful tips
for Frame newbies, bearing in mind that you're a stickler for the appearance
of the docs.
Frame will handle this well. You'll be able to print exactly what you
expect. Here are a couple of tips:
1. In maker.ini, set DisplayUsingPrinterMetrics=On
Frame displays fonts two possible ways. If you set the above setting to Off,
it makes the characters fit the pixels on your monitor for clearest display
of the individual characters. But this means it ignores line length, so
lines of text will be of incorrect length (on screen, not in print) and may
overlap borders on screen. I find this a little confusing. It makes it look
like word-wrap is working incorrectly.
If you set the setting to On, preferred by most, Frame makes sure the line
length displays correctly, even if it has to jam characters together a bit
in the display. Again, they will print correctly, but the kerning will look
bad on screen at low magnifications. If you display at 200% or more, the
kerning will display properly on screen, too.
2. Choose a printer before you work in or print a document.
If you run Windows, FrameMaker displays your document according to the
_default_ print driver in Windows, or whatever driver you set _after_ you
load Frame. So, if compose your doc with an HP printer set as default, Frame
will display it the way it would print on that printer, using that printer's
kerning tables and font metrics. If, instead, you pick a different printer
at print time, Frame will reformat the doc according to the settings for
that printer. This is likely to cause text reflow and change the appearance
of your doc. You don't want that.
There are three solutions. Either set a different printer as default before
loading Frame, choose a printer in Frame before opening a doc, or download
the free SetPrint plugin. I could never remember to do the first two, so
SetPrint was a godsend. It sets a default printer for Frame without changing
the default printer elsewhere in Windows. Most of us set AdobePDF as the
default printer in Frame because it has the advantage that, if you create a
PDF instead of printing directly to a desktop printer, you can then print
the PDF to ANY printer without changing it's appearance. Download SetPrint
here:(http://sundorne.com/FrameMaker/Freeware/setPrint.htm)
Mike Wickham
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