Dennis and Scott make great points. I found the Adobe FrameMaker Classroom In A Book to be a great introduction, but it wasn't really until I started converting Word docs to FM docs and creating templates that I started to feel comfy working in the FM environment.
One important thing for newbies with Word background to note is that the multi-undo in FrameMaker gets reset a lot by stuff that you can normally undo in Word. The only thing I'd advise is, don't be afraid to try any hairy idea...just be sure to try it on a COPY that you can scrap before doing it on the "real" project files. ;-) ONWARD! :-) Rene L. Stephenson ----- Original Message ---- From: Scott White <swh...@alamark.com> To: framers at lists.frameusers.com Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 9:08:57 AM Subject: Re: Learning curve for FrameMaker I found the Framemaker manual to be very confusing at first. It was not until I used the program and figured out things myself did the manual then make more sense. Now the manual is the first place I go and can now make sense of what is being explained. Scott White Media Production Manager Implementation Coordinator 210-704-8239 swhite at alamark.com On Apr 29, 2008, at 5:09 PM, Dennis Brunnenmeyer wrote: > The learning curve for FrameMaker can be steep or relatively shallow, > but it depends how how deep you involve yourself and whether its an > avocation or a full-time effort. My recommendations: > > 1. Go for it with intensity and determination; dabbling won't work. > 2. Get the previously recommended book by O'Keefe. It's extremely > good. > 3. Find and use a copy of Classroom in a Book for FrameMaker 7. eBay, > Amazon and Abebooks.com are places to look for used copies. See eBay > item No. 310027856687, for example. > 4. Join the Adobe FrameMaker forum and follow the FrameUser's mail > list. Read every posting whose topic is of conceivable interest. > Begin contributing as soon as you feel like you can answer someone > else's question. Post your own questions after trying your best to > figure them out for yourself. > 5. Find another user in the same boat or one in a slightly larger > ship. Trade experiences and share knowledge to accelerate your > understanding as well as theirs. > > Don't get discouraged. It may take several weeks to a month to get to > where you fathom the program and can use it with some degree of > self-confidence, six months until you feel pretty comfortable with it > and it may be one or two years (or more) before you consider > yourself a guru. > > Once you understand the basic concepts, you'll find that the basic > features are very intuitive and logical. > > Dennis Brunnenmeyer > Cedar Ridge Systems > ******************************************************************* > At 02:17 PM 4/29/2008, Linda G. Gallagher wrote: >> Most are called plug-ins. They extend FM's capabilities and are >> very handy. >> I use quite a few. >> >> There are also scripts that you use or create that let you do more >> customized things with your FM documents and books, usually using >> FrameScript. >> >> >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> Linda G. Gallagher >> TechCom Plus, LLC >> lindag at techcomplus dot com >> www.techcomplus.com >> 303-450-9076 or 800-500-3144 >> User guides, online help, FrameMaker and >> WebWorks ePublisher templates >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com >> [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Deirdre >> Reagan >> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 3:09 PM >> To: framers at lists.frameusers.com >> Subject: Re: Learning curve for FrameMaker >> >> Also, one other thing: FrameMaker has a lot of add-ons -- what are >> these called? Scripts that peope have written that you can buy and >> use with the program. I think I am understanding their purpose >> correctly. The equivalent of a macro in Word, I believe. Anyway, >> there are loads of them and many people use them often. >> >> Framers, is that correct? >> >> Deirdre >> _______________________________________________ >> >> >> You are currently subscribed to Framers as lindag at techcomplus.com. >> >> Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com. >> >> To unsubscribe send a blank email to >> framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com >> or visit >> http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/lindag%40techcomplus.com >> >> Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit >> http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> >> You are currently subscribed to Framers as dennisb at chronometrics.com. >> >> Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com. >> >> To unsubscribe send a blank email to >> framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com >> or visit >> http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/dennisb%40chronometrics.com >> >> Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit >> http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. > > Dennis Brunnenmeyer > Director of Engineering > CEDAR RIDGE SYSTEMS > 15019 Rattlesnake Road > Grass Valley, CA 95945-8710 > Office: (530) 477-9015 > Fax: (530) 477-9085 > Mobile: (530) 320-9025 > eMail: dennisb /at/ chronometrics /dot/ com > _______________________________________________ > > > You are currently subscribed to Framers as swhite at alamark.com. > > Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com. > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com > or visit > http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/swhite%40alamark.com > > Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. > > _______________________________________________ You are currently subscribed to Framers as rinnie1 at yahoo.com. Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/rinnie1%40yahoo.com Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.