Re: Merged Project
Art wrote: This probably isn't the kind of advice that you're hoping to get, but the way that you're setting stuff up is so far from the standard way that FM and RH work that you're way off the edge. As you probably know, the normal way to work, and the way the programs work best, is to build a book in FM that contains all the chapter files. IF... it really takes forever to update files and that's your reason for not using a standard workflow, that would tell me that there's something wrong with your setup. I know that I'm working on several books with 500-600 pages and all the files are on a server... and it takes maybe 2-3 minutes to update all insets, graphics, and generate the TOC and Index. Which I can live with. Your note that the system fails when you try to work correctly is another key that you've got basic system or configuration problems. Normal work doesn't cause systems to fail. So the right direction would be to find and fix the underlying problem, rather than look for additional kludges. Which would involve supplying a lot more details about your system, RAM, free space, network config and so on...I have no idea what is standard for setting up FM. It makes sense to me, but if I need to change it somehow I'll be glad to know what the proper way is! Here's what I've done:StructuredFM-Ch1 -Ch2 -Ch3...etc -Graphics-Ch1 -ch2 -Ch3-TextInsets (Sub-files by subject matter) -Books The Books folder contains all books--Full Manual, as well as the smaller chapter books--and their TOC and IX files.There is no network involved anywhere. I'm a lone writer so everything remains on my laptop.My system: Windows XP SP3, Intel Core Duo CPU (2GHz) and 3.49Gb RAM. I have almost 73Gb of free HD space and the current size of that whole StructuredFM folder is only 4.6Gb. My full manual is about 1350 pgs.Also, it's not updating the books' TOC, IX, Xrefs, etc that takes so long. It's updating their references in RH that takes forever.I look forward to hearing your suggestions. Thanks so much for your willingness to help.Judy___ 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.
Merged Project
Art wrote: "This probably isn't the kind of advice that you're hoping to get, but the way that you're setting stuff up is so far from the standard way that FM and RH work that you're way off the edge. "As you probably know, the normal way to work, and the way the programs work best, is to build a book in FM that contains all the chapter files. IF... it really "takes forever" to update files and that's your reason for not using a standard workflow, that would tell me that there's something wrong with your setup. I know that I'm working on several books with 500-600 pages and all the files are on a server... and it takes maybe 2-3 minutes to update all insets, graphics, and generate the TOC and Index. Which I can live with. "Your note that the system fails when you try to work correctly is another key that you've got basic system or configuration problems. Normal work doesn't cause systems to fail. "So the right direction would be to find and fix the underlying problem, rather than look for additional kludges. Which would involve supplying a lot more details about your system, RAM, free space, network config and so on..."I have no idea what is "standard" for setting up FM. It makes sense to me, but if I need to change it somehow I'll be glad to know what the proper way is! Here's what I've done:StructuredFM-Ch1 -Ch2 -Ch3...etc -Graphics-Ch1 ?-ch2 ?-Ch3-TextInsets (Sub-files by subject matter) -Books ? The Books folder contains all books--Full Manual, as well as the smaller chapter books--and their TOC and IX files.There is no network involved anywhere. I'm a lone writer so everything remains on my laptop.My system: Windows XP SP3, Intel Core Duo CPU (2GHz) and 3.49Gb RAM. I have almost 73Gb of free HD space and the current size of that whole StructuredFM folder is only 4.6Gb. My full manual is about 1350 pgs.Also, it's not updating the books' TOC, IX, Xrefs, etc that takes so long. It's updating their references in RH that takes forever.I look forward to hearing your suggestions. Thanks so much for your willingness to help.Judy
Re: Merged project
This probably isn't the kind of advice that you're hoping to get, but the way that you're setting stuff up is so far from the standard way that FM and RH work that you're way off the edge. As you probably know, the normal way to work, and the way the programs work best, is to build a book in FM that contains all the chapter files. IF... it really takes forever to update files and that's your reason for not using a standard workflow, that would tell me that there's something wrong with your setup. I know that I'm working on several books with 500-600 pages and all the files are on a server... and it takes maybe 2-3 minutes to update all insets, graphics, and generate the TOC and Index. Which I can live with. Your note that the system fails when you try to work correctly is another key that you've got basic system or configuration problems. Normal work doesn't cause systems to fail. So the right direction would be to find and fix the underlying problem, rather than look for additional kludges. Which would involve supplying a lot more details about your system, RAM, free space, network config and so on... Art Art Campbell [EMAIL PROTECTED] ... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and a redheaded girl. -- Richard Thompson No disclaimers apply. DoD 358 On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 5:57 PM, Judy Bragg [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'm using Tech. Comm. Suite ( FM8 ver. 8.0p277 RH7 ver. 7.02.001) to generate multiple user manuals (a full manual and 3 quickstarts) as well as CHM Help files. (Windows XP SP3 if it matters.) The manual has 10 chapters, each in its own FM book, complete with TOC and IX. All chapters are added to RH by reference and each is compiled to a CHM. So far so good! The problem comes when I try to merge them. The TOC is OK, but the Index is wrong. Here's what I did: I used the first chapter as the master and merged the other 9 onto the end of it. (In the ch. 1 TOC, I clicked the New Merged Project icon and added the ch. 2 chm. Repeat the process for chapters 3-10.) In the HTML Single Source Layout, I used the merged TOC...what should I do with the IX field? I tried adding IX placeholders to the end of the ch 1 IX, but the result was 10 catenated IX files. They don't merge. Theoretically, I suppose I could generate the full manual in 1 FM book and reference it in RH, but it takes forever to update that many files and I've noticed the system tends to fail one way or another when I attempt to do too much. Also, I have to produce a modular system patterned after the previous one. Changing the help calls in the numerous program modules of our software would be our last resort at this point. This way I can do 1 chapter at a time and the TOC's are easily updated from the FM file. Now if I can just get the index to merge... Can anyone please steer me in the right direction? I would be forever grateful! Judy Bragg Technical Writer Hypack, Inc. ___ 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/art.campbell%40gmail.com Send administrative questions to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. ___ 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.
Merged project
This probably isn't the kind of advice that you're hoping to get, but the way that you're setting stuff up is so far from the standard way that FM and RH work that you're way off the edge. As you probably know, the normal way to work, and the way the programs work best, is to build a book in FM that contains all the chapter files. IF... it really "takes forever" to update files and that's your reason for not using a standard workflow, that would tell me that there's something wrong with your setup. I know that I'm working on several books with 500-600 pages and all the files are on a server... and it takes maybe 2-3 minutes to update all insets, graphics, and generate the TOC and Index. Which I can live with. Your note that the system fails when you try to work correctly is another key that you've got basic system or configuration problems. Normal work doesn't cause systems to fail. So the right direction would be to find and fix the underlying problem, rather than look for additional kludges. Which would involve supplying a lot more details about your system, RAM, free space, network config and so on... Art Art Campbell art.campbell at 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 On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 5:57 PM, Judy Bragg wrote: > I'm using Tech. Comm. Suite ( FM8 ver. 8.0p277 & RH7 ver. 7.02.001) to > generate multiple user manuals (a full manual and 3 quickstarts) as well as > CHM Help files. (Windows XP SP3 if it matters.) > The manual has 10 chapters, each in its own FM book, complete with TOC and > IX. All chapters are added to RH by reference and each is compiled to a CHM. > So far so good! > The problem comes when I try to merge them. The TOC is OK, but the Index is > wrong. > Here's what I did: > I used the first chapter as the master and merged the other 9 onto the end of > it. (In the ch. 1 TOC, I clicked the New Merged Project icon and added the > ch. 2 chm. Repeat the process for chapters 3-10.) In the HTML Single Source > Layout, I used the merged TOC...what should I do with the IX field? > I tried adding IX placeholders to the end of the ch 1 IX, but the result was > 10 catenated IX files. They don't merge. > Theoretically, I suppose I could generate the full manual in 1 FM book and > reference it in RH, but it takes forever to update that many files and I've > noticed the system tends to fail one way or another when I attempt to do too > much. Also, I have to produce a modular system patterned after the previous > one. Changing the help calls in the numerous program modules of our software > would be our last resort at this point. This way I can do 1 chapter at a time > and the TOC's are easily updated from the FM file. Now if I can just get > the index to merge... > Can anyone please steer me in the right direction? I would be forever > grateful! > Judy Bragg > Technical Writer > Hypack, Inc. > > ___ > > > You are currently subscribed to Framers as art.campbell 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/art.campbell%40gmail.com > > Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. > >
Merged project
I'm using Tech. Comm. Suite ( FM8 ver. 8.0p277 RH7 ver. 7.02.001) to generate multiple user manuals (a full manual and 3 quickstarts) as well as CHM Help files. (Windows XP SP3 if it matters.) The manual has 10 chapters, each in its own FM book, complete with TOC and IX. All chapters are added to RH by reference and each is compiled to a CHM. So far so good! The problem comes when I try to merge them. The TOC is OK, but the Index is wrong. Here's what I did: I used the first chapter as the master and merged the other 9 onto the end of it. (In the ch. 1 TOC, I clicked the New Merged Project icon and added the ch. 2 chm. Repeat the process for chapters 3-10.) In the HTML Single Source Layout, I used the merged TOC...what should I do with the IX field? I tried adding IX placeholders to the end of the ch 1 IX, but the result was 10 catenated IX files. They don't merge. Theoretically, I suppose I could generate the full manual in 1 FM book and reference it in RH, but it takes forever to update that many files and I've noticed the system tends to fail one way or another when I attempt to do too much. Also, I have to produce a modular system patterned after the previous one. Changing the help calls in the numerous program modules of our software would be our last resort at this point. This way I can do 1 chapter at a time and the TOC's are easily updated from the FM file. Now if I can just get the index to merge... Can anyone please steer me in the right direction? I would be forever grateful! Judy Bragg Technical Writer Hypack, Inc. ___ 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.
Merged project
I'm using Tech. Comm. Suite ( FM8 ver. 8.0p277 & RH7 ver. 7.02.001) to generate multiple user manuals (a full manual and 3 quickstarts) as well as CHM Help files.? (Windows XP SP3 if it matters.) The manual has 10 chapters, each in its own FM book, complete with TOC and IX.? All chapters are added to RH by reference and each is compiled to a CHM.? So far so good! The problem comes when I try to merge them.? The TOC is OK, but the Index is wrong.? Here's what I did: I used the first chapter as the master and merged the other 9 onto the end of it.? (In the ch. 1 TOC, I clicked the New Merged Project icon and added the ch. 2 chm.? Repeat the process for chapters 3-10.)? In the HTML Single Source Layout, I used the merged TOC...what should I do with the IX field?? I tried adding IX placeholders to the end of the ch 1 IX, but the result was 10 catenated IX files.?? They don't merge. Theoretically, I suppose I could generate the full manual in 1 FM book and reference it in RH, but it takes forever to update that many files and I've noticed the system tends to fail one way or another when I attempt to do too much.? Also, I have to produce a modular system patterned after the previous one.? Changing the help calls in the numerous program modules of our software would be our last resort at this point. This way I can do 1 chapter at a time and the TOC's? are easily updated from the FM file.? Now if I can just get the index to merge... Can anyone please steer me in the right direction?? I would be forever grateful! Judy Bragg Technical Writer Hypack, Inc.
