I haven't used Flare actively in a year or so... but after several years daily experience, I'd say:
- Fewer bugs -- nope - Better conversion -- depends. I use MIF2Go to get to HTML/RTF/XHTML. Flare isn't better than that. FM 12 is pretty good for exporting. Flare is adequate or better -- better than early native FM export, but not up to MIF2Go, and maybe not as good as FM 12 -- I haven't tried a direct comparison. - Better support -- yes, definitely, *if you pay for it*. You can get someone on the phone and they'll work on the problem until you have a fix. If you don't pay for support... you're relying on peer users, pretty much. Art Campbell art.campb...@gmail.com "... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and a redheaded girl." -- Richard Thompson No disclaimers apply. DoD 358 I support www.TheGrotonLine.com, hyperlocal news for Groton MA. On Thu, Feb 26, 2015 at 4:44 AM, Reng, Dr. Winfried <wr...@tycoint.com> wrote: > Hi, > > > > In my company there are also discussions to choose > > MadCap Flare as a common authoring tool. > > I see different requirements among us. Some need > > HTML or CHM, others only PDF. > > The arguments from MadCap Flare users here are: > > o Less bugs. > > o Better conversion to CHM and HTML. > > o Better support. > > (I do not know if all these are also valid for FM 12 or upcoming FM 13!) > > > > Can those who use or used Flare comment on these? > > Are these arguments valid? > > > > What other experiences do you have? > > Which features do you miss? > > I see that Flare does not allow text on top of graphics. > > I could not find out whether you can enter simple tabs. > > I have problems adjusting table column widths. > > I have even problems to zoom in when I have the print layout selected. > > Flare does not support separate DTDs. > > > > Best regards > > > > Winfried > > > > *From:* framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com [mailto: > framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com] *On Behalf Of *Kevin Ryan > *Sent:* Wednesday, February 25, 2015 9:21 PM > *To:* framers@lists.frameusers.com > *Subject:* Frame vs. Flare for My Needs > > > > Hi, > > > > I could use the advice of some Frame veterans on whether a switch from > Frame to Flare might be a delusion-inspired wrong turn for me, or possibly > the right way to go. > > > > My company's primary documentation output is PDF user/training/reference > guides authored on FrameMaker 7. Not the current Frame version, I know, but > sufficient with our good templates to produce solid, professional-looking > documents we're proud of. Other current deliverables include > context-sensitive HTML topics produced via Mif2go and a limited number of > "Process Assistance" MS Word topics. These latter are a sort of MS-Word > help equivalent that our customers can download from our application, edit > if necessary, and even upload back into our application for others if they > want to. I create Process Assistance MS-Word topics by cutting from Frame > and pasting into Word, followed by manual reformatting (ouch). > > > > Our customers (utilities) have been requesting another MS Word output: > Editable MS Word versions of our 20-300 page PDF manuals so that they can > edit them for their own purposes (such as internal training). > Unfortunately, we've been unable to find a workable Frame-to-Word > conversion process to this end. I can do manual reformatting to Word in > our short Process Assistance topics, but to do it on entire manuals would > give me a nervous breakdown. > > > > So, with better MS-Word output generation as my primary goal, I've been > considering a switch to Flare. Its capability to output in PDF, Word, and > HTML seems as though it might ultimately streamline our processes. As I > test Flare by my 30-day trial, though, I'm reminded of the many things > FrameMaker does really well — things I might be losing if I made the > switch: For example, precise page layouts, complex graphics, robust > tables. To its credit, Flare seems to offer output versatility, excellent > documentation and support, and a lot of Marketing momentum. > > > > Am I misguiding myself? Barking up the wrong tree? > > > > Thanks for any opinions or comments. > > > > *Kevin Ryan* > > *Technical Writer* > > [image: cid:image001.jpg@01C97FA7.A9E51B40] > > Systems & Software, Inc. > > 426 Industrial Avenue > > Suite 140 > > Williston, VT 05495 > > 802.865.1170 phone > > 802.865.1171 fax > > > > > ------------------------------ > > *Save the Date! 2015 Harris Customer Training Conference:* > <http://www1.harriscomputer.com/en/conference/> > October 21–23, 2015, Atlanta, Georgia - Atlanta Marriott Marquis. > > > > ------------------------------ > > This e-mail contains privileged and confidential information intended for > the use of the addressees named above. If you are not the intended > recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that you must not > disseminate, copy or take any action in respect of any information > contained in it. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify > the sender immediately by e-mail and immediately destroy this e-mail and > its attachments. > > _______________________________________________ > > > You are currently subscribed to framers as art.campb...@gmail.com. > > Send list messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com. > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com > or visit > http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/art.campbell%40gmail.com > > Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. > >
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