Re: Basic question about Structured Frame
Rick Spiegel wrote: My company is considering switching to Structured Frame to solve our current problems with content reuse, and I have a question, the answer to which, to me, holds the key as to whether or not Structured Frame is the answer we're looking for. With all due respect, I would strongly advise that you get someone to help you with this. Structured data may solve your problems, but FrameMaker is only one part of the solution. Basing your data on an application? I've seen organisations lose a year by starting at the wrong end of the problem. The question is this: if our documents were authored in Structured Frame, could we use the same topic at a heading 1 level in one document and at a heading 2 level in another document? If so, in a very general way (no need to write a small book!) how does this work? You might create fragments of XML data in FrameMaker and manage them on your file system (or something more complex if necessary). Then create configuration documents that describes how to combine the fragments. Then pull it all together using XSLT and pour the data into FrameMaker to paginate. In this scenario, FrameMaker plays a significant role, but the critical stuff has nothing to do with FrameMaker. You'll likely be told that DITA will solve your problems because the learning curve is low. In my opinion, you would be better off either getting a consultant in or settling in for some serious learning. There are no shortcuts to doing structured data properly - you just delay the pain. Good luck, Marcus Carr ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send list messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
RE: Basic question about Structured Frame
The question is this: if our documents were authored in Structured Frame, could we use the same topic at a heading 1 level in one document and at a heading 2 level in another document? If so, in a very general way (no need to write a small book!) how does this work? Hi Rick, it depends entirely on your DTD/Schema, but if designed correctly, it's easy to do. For example, assume your DTD has a section element, which contains a title and para: section titleMy Section/title paraSome content./para /section You could allow the section element to be used in other sections, or at the top level of a chapter: chapter section titleMy Section/title paraSome content./para section titleMy Second Section/title paraSome more content./para /section /section Using the level rules in your Frame EDD, you could format the title according to its level. For an example that implements this concept, see the recursive section element in DocBook: http://www.docbook.org/tdg5/en/html/section.html If you have a copy of Frame, you can open a new, blank DocBook document, and play around with nested sections to get an idea. Drew Avis - Technical Writer QNX Software Systems Ltd. Ottawa, Ontario ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send list messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
RE: Basic question about Structured Frame
Rick asked, if our documents were authored in Structured Frame, could we use the same topic at a heading 1 level in one document and at a heading 2 level in another document? The short answer is Yes. The longer answer is yes, if you set up your EDD (and DTD) properly. What you need is to use the same element for all of your headings, for example title or heading. Then, in your EDD, define how that element is formatted based on context. Example (using DITA): If context is: (topic | concept | task | reference | example | section) Count ancestors named: concept | task | reference | example | section If level is: 1 Use paragraph format: Heading1 If level is: 2 Use paragraph format: Heading2 If level is: 3 Use paragraph format: Heading3 Bottom line: Use Heading1 if there is only a single concept or task or reference or example or section element as the parent/grandparent/whatever (ancestor) of the heading. Use Heading2 if the topic is nested in 2 of any of the following: concept or task or reference or example or section. And so on... Example (using a custom DTD/EDD): Count ancestors named: Section If level is: 0 Use paragraph format: Title1 If level is: 1 Use paragraph format: Heading1 If level is: 2 Use paragraph format: Heading2 If level is: 3 Use paragraph format: Heading3 Bottom line: Use Title1 if there are no sections as ancestors of this topic (for example, a Chapter). Use Heading1 if there is only a single section element as the parent/grandparent/whatever (ancestor) of the heading. Use Heading2 if the topic is nested in 2 of sections. And so on... In your example (using the same topic at a heading 1 level in one doc and at a heading 2 level in another doc), you would simply copy whatever parent element that contained the heading and the content, such as a section element or a topic element, into your new document ***in a place where the section or topic element is valid***. Your EDD would then take care of the formatting, not only of the heading, but also of anything else that needed to be formatted differently based on context and your EDD definitions. HTH, M Marsha Lofthouse Motorola, Inc., Public Safety Applications North America Government Commercial Markets Division Boulder Design Center [EMAIL PROTECTED] 303.527.4178 ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send list messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
Basic question about Structured Frame
Rick Spiegel wrote: > My company is considering switching to Structured Frame to solve our > current problems with content reuse, and I have a question, the answer to > which, to me, holds the key as to whether or not Structured Frame is the > answer we're looking for. With all due respect, I would strongly advise that you get someone to help you with this. Structured data may solve your problems, but FrameMaker is only one part of the solution. Basing your data on an application? I've seen organisations lose a year by starting at the wrong end of the problem. > The question is this: if our documents were authored in Structured Frame, > could we use the same topic at a heading 1 level in one document and at a > heading 2 level in another document? If so, in a very general way (no need > to write a small book!) how does this work? You might create fragments of XML data in FrameMaker and manage them on your file system (or something more complex if necessary). Then create configuration documents that describes how to combine the fragments. Then pull it all together using XSLT and pour the data into FrameMaker to paginate. In this scenario, FrameMaker plays a significant role, but the critical stuff has nothing to do with FrameMaker. You'll likely be told that DITA will solve your problems because the learning curve is low. In my opinion, you would be better off either getting a consultant in or settling in for some serious learning. There are no shortcuts to doing structured data properly - you just delay the pain. Good luck, Marcus Carr
Basic question about Structured Frame
Simple answer is to question #1: Yes. BUT: you need to prepare this carefully. For question #2: Maybe look into the DITA. This is not a decision to take before you have looked into the current structure of your manuals and try to see from that standpoint what you would be able to gain from the change. Me, I am using both Structured and unstructure FM depending on the type of manuals. In either type there is very little use for content reuse. We could set it up, but it would probably take much more resources and extra software (and maybe staff) to run. Bodvar On 3/13/07, Rick Spiegel wrote: > My company is considering switching to Structured Frame to solve our > current problems with content reuse, and I have a question, the answer to > which, to me, holds the key as to whether or not Structured Frame is the > answer we're looking for. I would appreciate it if anyone with experience > in using Structured Frame could respond to this question. > > The question is this: if our documents were authored in Structured Frame, > could we use the same topic at a heading 1 level in one document and at a > heading 2 level in another document? If so, in a very general way (no need > to write a small book!) how does this work? > > Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. > > Rick Spiegel > ___ > > > You are currently subscribed to Framers as bodvar at gmail.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/bodvar%40gmail.com > > Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. >
Basic question about Structured Frame
On Tuesday, March 13, 2007, Rick Spiegel wrote: | My company is considering switching to Structured Frame to solve | our current problems with content reuse, and I have a question, | the answer to which, to me, holds the key as to whether or not | Structured Frame is the answer we're looking for. I would | appreciate it if anyone with experience in using Structured | Frame could respond to this question. | | The question is this: if our documents were authored in | Structured Frame, could we use the same topic at a heading 1 | level in one document and at a heading 2 level in another | document? If so, in a very general way (no need to write a | small book!) how does this work? | | Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. | | Rick Spiegel As others have already noted, the simple answer is yes but there are definite "gotchas" involved. DITA is just one approach to structured documentation, DocBook is another, and many more exist. You have to do quite a bit of research to decide what is the best solution for your circumstances. If your documents have the same organization and permitted content for the sections and subsections (e.g., the heading 1 level and heading 2 level), then it is remarkably simple to copy a H1 segment from file A and paste it as a H2 segment in another document. The formatting rules in the structured EDD will handle issues of numbering, indentation, font size and style, etc. If they differ however, it makes sharing/reusing content in the manner you describe much more difficult and if they are significantly different then it may be nearly impossible. EDD's can be set up to use standard paragraph, character, table, etc., tags for formatting (such as "Heading 1" or "Heading 2") or they can use specific format properties (e.g. set the font for this element to 12 pt Times New Roman, ...) based on the context of the element. There are arguments to be made of which is a better approach, but my take is that if you have a well designed template already in unstructured Frame, the format tag approach will help enable a faster transition to structured documentation as you can more quickly build the EDD. Good luck, and feel free to keep asking questions. - Lester --- Lester C. Smalley Email: lsmalley AT infocon DOT com Information Consultants, Inc. Phone: 302-239-2942 FAX: 302-239-1712 Yorklyn, DE 19736 Web: www.infocon.com ---
Basic question about Structured Frame
> The question is this: if our documents were authored in > Structured Frame, could we use the same topic at a heading 1 > level in one document and at a heading 2 level in another > document? If so, in a very general way (no need to write a > small book!) how does this work? Hi Rick, it depends entirely on your DTD/Schema, but if designed correctly, it's easy to do. For example, assume your DTD has a element, which contains a and : My Section Some content. You could allow the element to be used in other sections, or at the top level of a chapter: My Section Some content. My Second Section Some more content. Using the level rules in your Frame EDD, you could format the according to its level. For an example that implements this concept, see the recursive section element in DocBook: http://www.docbook.org/tdg5/en/html/section.html If you have a copy of Frame, you can open a new, blank DocBook document, and play around with nested sections to get an idea. Drew Avis - Technical Writer QNX Software Systems Ltd. Ottawa, Ontario
Basic question about Structured Frame
Rick asked, "if our documents were authored in Structured Frame, could we use the same topic at a heading 1 level in one document and at a heading 2 level in another document?" The short answer is Yes. The longer answer is yes, if you set up your EDD (and DTD) properly. What you need is to use the same element for all of your headings, for example or . Then, in your EDD, define how that element is formatted based on context. Example (using DITA): If context is: (topic | concept | task | reference | example | section) Count ancestors named: concept | task | reference | example | section If level is: 1 Use paragraph format: Heading1 If level is: 2 Use paragraph format: Heading2 If level is: 3 Use paragraph format: Heading3 Bottom line: Use Heading1 if there is only a single concept or task or reference or example or section element as the parent/grandparent/whatever (ancestor) of the heading. Use Heading2 if the topic is nested in 2 of any of the following: concept or task or reference or example or section. And so on... Example (using a custom DTD/EDD): Count ancestors named: Section If level is: 0 Use paragraph format: Title1 If level is: 1 Use paragraph format: Heading1 If level is: 2 Use paragraph format: Heading2 If level is: 3 Use paragraph format: Heading3 Bottom line: Use Title1 if there are no sections as ancestors of this topic (for example, a Chapter). Use Heading1 if there is only a single section element as the parent/grandparent/whatever (ancestor) of the heading. Use Heading2 if the topic is nested in 2 of sections. And so on... In your example (using the same topic at a heading 1 level in one doc and at a heading 2 level in another doc), you would simply copy whatever parent element that contained the heading and the content, such as a element or a element, into your new document ***in a place where the or element is valid***. Your EDD would then take care of the formatting, not only of the heading, but also of anything else that needed to be formatted differently based on context and your EDD definitions. HTH, M Marsha Lofthouse Motorola, Inc., Public Safety Applications North America Government & Commercial Markets Division Boulder Design Center Marsha.Lofthouse at motorola.com 303.527.4178
Basic question about Structured Frame
My company is considering switching to Structured Frame to solve our current problems with content reuse, and I have a question, the answer to which, to me, holds the key as to whether or not Structured Frame is the answer we're looking for. I would appreciate it if anyone with experience in using Structured Frame could respond to this question. The question is this: if our documents were authored in Structured Frame, could we use the same topic at a heading 1 level in one document and at a heading 2 level in another document? If so, in a very general way (no need to write a small book!) how does this work? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Rick Spiegel ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send list messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
Basic question about Structured Frame
My company is considering switching to Structured Frame to solve our current problems with content reuse, and I have a question, the answer to which, to me, holds the key as to whether or not Structured Frame is the answer we're looking for. I would appreciate it if anyone with experience in using Structured Frame could respond to this question. The question is this: if our documents were authored in Structured Frame, could we use the same topic at a heading 1 level in one document and at a heading 2 level in another document? If so, in a very general way (no need to write a small book!) how does this work? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Rick Spiegel
