I have to agree about the 'FrameMaker 7 - The Complete Reference Book'. It is still a great resource. Also, you should check out the FrameMaker wiki on the Scriptorium site. http://wiki.scriptorium.com/tiki-index.php Both of those resources have helped me tremendously too, and we are using FrameMaker 9.
Steve Steven P. Gaghan Technical Writer Tech Pubs MEDRAD, INC. One?MEDRAD Drive Indianola, PA 15051 (412) 767-2400 x3062 -----Original Message----- From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jim Collins Sent: Monday, July 12, 2010 11:23 AM To: framers at lists.frameusers.com Subject: RE: FM9 Newbie looking for best self training tools I do not have the book from Scriptorium for Frame 8 but based on the great reviews it always gets here in this list, I strongly recommend it. Everyone goes through a fairly long learning curve with Frame - probably an indication of how powerful it is. It took me several weeks to get comfortable with it too (7.0) even with the help of a friend who had been using it for years. Though it is undoubtedly better to get the newest book on Frame 8, if you can find a cheap copy of FrameMaker 7 - The Complete Reference (also by Sarah O'keefe), it is my current reference and so far has covered any questions I have while trying to use Frame 9 (unstructured). Jim Jim Collins JC Write jim at jcwrite.com http://www.jcwrite.com 209-566-0935 -----Original Message----- From: N Collins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2010 9:24 AM To: framers at lists.frameusers.com Subject: FM9 Newbie looking for best self training tools Hi! I'm still using the trial version and need to make a recommendation to a client on if FrameMaker is the right tool for their system instruction manuals. Client has a job shop and sells many unique system configurations made from standard components to private and government clients. The idea is to quickly assemble a unique manual for each system order shipped. If I recommend FM, then client will buy FM and pay for training for several users. The client is biased against Word, and frankly for any document larger than 50 pages, I agree. Word gets tangled on itself over large files. I've never used FM before and trying to learn 9.0. I'm an advanced user of Word, in Windows 7 (technical writer using Word for over 15 years). I bought and went through most of "Classroom in a Book" for FM9, but I'm stumbling over the vocabulary (things like Headings versus Markers don't seem to be 1:1 meanings, for example). Dummies books have always given me a great head start, but the only one out there I can find is Framemaker 5.5 for Dummies. My thought is that Dummies/FM 5.5 could at least help me understand how FM "works/thinks", achieve a rudimentary glossary, so then I can use other FM training tools. What I'm tasked to do is to create multiple individual files with unique content, and create various manuals with different file combinations - each manual with a table of contents and index and automatic page numbering. I think I'm supposed to learn unstructured first in order to do this? Or do I need to learn structured first and make some master templates? Any suggestions or perhaps anyone care to send me an example to play with? Maybe I should forget about FrameMaker and try something else? I'm open to your suggestions. Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks! Corrie in Tempe, AZ _______________________________________________ You are currently subscribed to framers as jim at jcwrite.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/jim%40jcwrite.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 sgaghan at medrad.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/sgaghan%40medrad.com Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
