IMHO roundtrip means: With two or more applications, changes made to a project in one application are reflected in both, and it implies that each application offers some exclusive functionality, and that there is some translation of some sort that transpires between the applications so that the changes reflected in the "other" application are rendered in that application's native method. So stated, roundtrip does not mean "When I press the W key here, make a W in both places."
This is purely speculative, but I bet the origin is in the UML world. That's the only place I've heard the term used where it actually makes sense. In UML, roundtrip describes a development environment functionality that enables a user to create a code block in one application that is rendered as a graphic element in another application, and create a graphic element that is rendered as a block of code. In UML, it's handy to see a graphic model of your modeling language code. It's likewise handy to create a new object in the graphic model, connect the new object to the existing structure, and have the development environment add the basic code AIBM. Roundtrip means that you are working on one thing that is rendered in more than one way. Apparently, Adobe marketing got hold of the term roundtrip. RoboHelp is an authoring and a limited-functionality publishing tool combined, where FrameMaker is an authoring tool. When you point RoboHelp to a FrameMaker project, RoboHelp creates it's own copy. The integration of the two is incomplete. The term roundtrip should not be used to describe the current functionality...Kelly. > -----Original Message----- > From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Combs, Richard > Sent: 2008-05-21 11:57 > To: bhechter at objectives.ca; framers at lists.frameusers.com > Subject: RE: roundtrip documentation and help (Framemaker/Robohelp - chickenoregg? > > Ben Hechter wrote: > > > If you had to design roundtrip documentation and help > > (Framemaker/Robohelp) for a constantly evolving product, would you: > > > > a) begin in Framemaker and export to Robohelp > > b) begin in Robohelp and export to Framemaker > > c) prototype in both and iterate as you go > > I'd pick (a), but I wouldn't try to (or _want_ to) roundtrip. I've never > understood the attraction of this "roundtripping" concept. To me, it > implies that you have not one, but two "source" files for your content. > I want just one. > > I've used WebWorks (Publisher Pro in my case) and Mif2Go in the same > manner that Linda Gallagher described. My source files are in FM, and > WWP or M2G are tools for creating specific output/deliverables from them > (just like Acrobat Distiller). I have to configure those tools for the > output I want, but all content changes are made in FM. If I had the new > Tech Comm Suite, I'd expect to work the same way. > > I wouldn't expect to edit in RH and "roundtrip" those changes back into > FM any more than I'd expect to touch up text in Acrobat and "roundtrip" > that back to FM, or make changes to WWP's .htm files and "roundtrip" > those to FM. > > Even if the FM-RH integration supports that kind of workflow, it just > doesn't strike me as a good way to work. Maybe because I'd almost > certainly lose track of which "source" file is the most current. :-} > > If Jim Owens is right, and there are desirable help features that can't > be implemented via FM, then these are shortcomings in the tools that > ought to be put on the enhancement request list. But, IMHO, "make the > HTML roundtrippable" should not be one of those requests. > > BTW, if you want to see what it takes to make HTML "roundtrippable," > have a look at the stuff MS Word creates. <shudder /> > > Richard > > > Richard G. Combs > Senior Technical Writer > Polycom, Inc. > richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom > 303-223-5111 > ------ > rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom > 303-777-0436 > ------ > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > You are currently subscribed to Framers as kmcdaniel at pavtech.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/kmcdaniel%40pavtech. com > > Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
