RE: Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book
I practice a version of Laura’s approach for our User Manuals – where I create 8 manuals from one set of files (to be fair, 4 manual are “full manuals” of about 400 letter-sized pages, while the other 4 are subsets of the 4 “full manuals” and contain only about 25% of the full content). To keep everything straight, I have a separate set of Book files for each version. The book files consist of · Manual Name book.book · Manual Name bookTOC.book · Manual Name Cover.fm. The book files are kept in a “Book” directory below the standard content (which in my case is another 21 *.fm files). I copy in only the book files I need as I’ve found that having all 24 book files mixed in with the 21 content files makes for a messy work environment. I also keep a set of what I call “Var Doc” files – one for each of the 8 manuals – in a Var Doc directory. These Variable files allow me to change variables (product names, part numbers, revision numbers, etc) in a matter of seconds in order to produce any manual I need. They also allow me to create Var Doc files for the translation bureau (on a per manual/language basis) so the translators can quickly update translated variables. (Just be sure to keep the Variables names consistent between all the Variable files or you’ll have a real mess on your hands.) Alison Alison Craig | Technical Documentation Lead Ultrasonix | 130-4311 Viking Way | Richmond, BC V6V 2K9 | analogicultrasound.com<http://www.analogicultrasound.com> T 604-279-8550 ext 127 | F 604-279-8559 From: framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Tony Marek (PDF) Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2014 9:24 AM To: framers@lists.frameusers.com Subject: RE: Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book Thanks, you guys! Three good suggestions that I can work with — all rolling in overnight. ~Tony From: Laura Fergusson [mailto:laura.fergus...@exterity.com<mailto:laura.fergus...@exterity.com>] Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2014 6:36 AM To: Tony Marek (PDF); framers@lists.frameusers.com<mailto:framers@lists.frameusers.com> Subject: RE: Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book Hi Tony If I understand you correctly, I would do the following. Keep all your files in the one folder, including three separate book files: Book for Product A Book for Product B Book for Product C Add the chapters you need to each book and conditionalise the content of each file as required. (You CAN exclude chapters from books (in the book file itself), but I personally find this more difficult to maintain.) Hope this helps. If you’d like more information about how we use this, feel free to contact me off line. Laura Laura Fergusson | Technical Writer | Exterity Ltd tel: +44 1383 828250 ext 249 | fax: +44 1383 824905 e: laura.fergus...@exterity.com<mailto:laura.fergus...@exterity.com> | w: www.exterity.com<http://www.exterity.com> From: framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com<mailto:framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com> [mailto:framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Tony Marek (PDF) Sent: 16 December 2014 23:18 To: framers@lists.frameusers.com<mailto:framers@lists.frameusers.com> Subject: Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book I currently need to create a new non-structured book in Frame 12 that will have one of three possible outputs (to .pdf). I’m looking for advice on the best way to create and maintain the project. To simplify the problem: previously we had the Product A user manual and the Product B user manual – maintained and distributed separately. These manuals are each at about 15 chapters and 800+ pages each, with little or no overlapping content. Now, my company has merged the two products into an optional third product, so that we have three possible product permutations (and manuals): Product A, Product B and now the new Product C (which consists of all of the components/chapters from both A+B). So my question is: what is the best way to merge the two document sets so that I can publish Manual A, Manual B or Manual C (A+B), depending on the customer. Should I conditionalize all the chapters under one book – so that I would only display and publish the appropriate chapters based on the customer — e.g. publish chapters set to Condition A, Condition B, or both conditions for Product C? Or should I use the hierarchical book structure and then add/delete the subordinate book depending on the customer release? I have no experience with hierarchical books so I’m not sure what the benefits or drawbacks are. I could also simply add/delete the appropriate A/B chapters from the master book manually – but with 30+ chapters, this seems like it could be prone to mistakes in publishing the correct content. Any suggestion
RE: Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book
Thanks, you guys! Three good suggestions that I can work with — all rolling in overnight. ~Tony *From:* Laura Fergusson [mailto:laura.fergus...@exterity.com] *Sent:* Wednesday, December 17, 2014 6:36 AM *To:* Tony Marek (PDF); framers@lists.frameusers.com *Subject:* RE: Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book Hi Tony If I understand you correctly, I would do the following. Keep all your files in the one folder, including three separate book files: Book for Product A Book for Product B Book for Product C Add the chapters you need to each book and conditionalise the content of each file as required. (You CAN exclude chapters from books (in the book file itself), but I personally find this more difficult to maintain.) Hope this helps. If you’d like more information about how we use this, feel free to contact me off line. Laura *Laura Fergusson* | Technical Writer | *Exterity Ltd* tel: +44 1383 828250 ext 249 | fax: +44 1383 824905 e: laura.fergus...@exterity.com | w: www.exterity.com *From:* framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com [ mailto:framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com ] *On Behalf Of *Tony Marek (PDF) *Sent:* 16 December 2014 23:18 *To:* framers@lists.frameusers.com *Subject:* Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book I currently need to create a new non-structured book in Frame 12 that will have one of three possible outputs (to .pdf). I’m looking for advice on the best way to create and maintain the project. To simplify the problem: previously we had the Product A user manual and the Product B user manual – maintained and distributed separately. These manuals are each at about 15 chapters and 800+ pages each, with little or no overlapping content. Now, my company has merged the two products into an optional third product, so that we have three possible product permutations (and manuals): Product A, Product B and now the new Product C (which consists of all of the components/chapters from both A+B). So my question is: what is the best way to merge the two document sets so that I can publish Manual A, Manual B or Manual C (A+B), depending on the customer. Should I conditionalize all the chapters under one book – so that I would only display and publish the appropriate chapters based on the customer — e.g. publish chapters set to Condition A, Condition B, or both conditions for Product C? Or should I use the hierarchical book structure and then add/delete the subordinate book depending on the customer release? I have no experience with hierarchical books so I’m not sure what the benefits or drawbacks are. I could also simply add/delete the appropriate A/B chapters from the master book manually – but with 30+ chapters, this seems like it could be prone to mistakes in publishing the correct content. Any suggestions will be much appreciated. Thanks, ~Tony ~ ~ ~ __ This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. For more information please visit http://www.symanteccloud.com __ *This message may contain confidential and privileged information. If it has been sent to you in error, please reply to advise the sender of the error and then immediately permanently delete it and all attachments to it from your systems. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, copy, disclose or otherwise use this message or any attachments to it. The sender disclaims any liability for such unauthorized use. PLEASE NOTE that all incoming e-mails sent to PDF e-mail accounts will be archived and may be scanned by us and/or by external service providers to detect and prevent threats to our systems, investigate illegal or inappropriate behavior, and/or eliminate unsolicited promotional e-mails (“spam”). If you have any concerns about this process, please contact us at * *legal.departm...@pdf.com* *.* __ This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. For more information please visit http://www.symanteccloud.com __ -- *This message may contain confidential and privileged information. If it has been sent to you in error, please reply to advise the sender of the error and then immediately permanently delete it and all attachments to it from your systems. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, copy, disclose or otherwise use this message or any attachments to it. The sender disclaims any liability for such unauthorized use. PLEASE NOTE that all incoming e-mails sent to PDF e-mail accounts will be archived and may be scanned by us and/or by external service providers to detect and prevent threats to our systems, investigate illegal or inappropriate
Re: Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book
Hi Tony, Pretty much what Laura said. I maintain multiple guides that can have different chapters depending on whether the information is for one customer or another. I have what I call a "master book file" that contains all the files (this has to do with our CMS and locating stuff, you may not need it), including the separate book files for each version of the book. Chapters in common between books may have conditional text or variables to further customize. Each book has a separate document information file that records the chapters contained in the book, the variables used and their values, and the condition set up for producing a final. When I want to create a specific book, I open the master book file, open the specific book file, open all the files in the book, open the document information file, import conditional text settings and variables from the document information file into all the book files, and generate. Good luck. On Tue, Dec 16, 2014 at 6:18 PM, Tony Marek (PDF) wrote: > > I currently need to create a new non-structured book in Frame 12 that will > have one of three possible outputs (to .pdf). I’m looking for advice on > the best way to create and maintain the project. > > > > To simplify the problem: previously we had the Product A user manual and > the Product B user manual – maintained and distributed separately. These > manuals are each at about 15 chapters and 800+ pages each, with little or > no overlapping content. > > > > Now, my company has merged the two products into an optional third > product, so that we have three possible product permutations (and manuals): > Product A, Product B and now the new Product C (which consists of all of > the components/chapters from both A+B). > > > > So my question is: what is the best way to merge the two document sets so > that I can publish Manual A, Manual B or Manual C (A+B), depending on the > customer. > > > > Should I conditionalize all the chapters under one book – so that I would > only display and publish the appropriate chapters based on the customer — > e.g. publish chapters set to Condition A, Condition B, or both conditions > for Product C? Or should I use the hierarchical book structure and then > add/delete the subordinate book depending on the customer release? > > > > I have no experience with hierarchical books so I’m not sure what the > benefits or drawbacks are. > > > > I could also simply add/delete the appropriate A/B chapters from the > master book manually – but with 30+ chapters, this seems like it could be > prone to mistakes in publishing the correct content. > > > > Any suggestions will be much appreciated. > > > > Thanks, > > ~Tony > > > > ~ ~ ~ > > > > *This message may contain confidential and privileged information. If it > has been sent to you in error, please reply to advise the sender of the > error and then immediately permanently delete it and all attachments to it > from your systems. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, > copy, disclose or otherwise use this message or any attachments to it. The > sender disclaims any liability for such unauthorized use. PLEASE NOTE that > all incoming e-mails sent to PDF e-mail accounts will be archived and may > be scanned by us and/or by external service providers to detect and prevent > threats to our systems, investigate illegal or inappropriate behavior, > and/or eliminate unsolicited promotional e-mails (“spam”). If you have any > concerns about this process, please contact us at * > *legal.departm...@pdf.com* *.* > ___ > > > You are currently subscribed to framers as ljsims...@gmail.com. > > Send list messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com. > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com > or visit > http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/ljsims.ml%40gmail.com > > Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. > > -- Lin Sims ___ You are currently subscribed to framers as arch...@mail-archive.com. Send list messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
Re: Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book
Create "Group" categories, then use the "Include" and "Exclude" functionality John X Posada AML Syst & Ops Supt Data Analyst | US FCC & RC Systems Control & Analytics | HSBC North America Holdings Inc 330 Madison Ave., NY NY ___ Phone Int: 212-525-5483 Ext: Personal cellphone - 732-259-2874 Mobile Company Blackberry - 224-600-0570 Email john.x.pos...@us.hsbc.com ___ Protect our environment - please only print this if you have to! |> | From: | |> >--| |"Tony Marek (PDF)" | >--| |> | To:| |> >--| |framers@lists.frameusers.com | >--| |> | Date: | |> >--| |12/16/2014 06:20 PM | >--| |> | Subject: | |> >------------------------------| |Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book | >--| |> | Sent by: | |> >--| |framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com | >--| I currently need to create a new non-structured book in Frame 12 that will have one of three possible outputs (to .pdf). I’m looking for advice on the best way to create and maintain the project. To simplify the problem: previously we had the Product A user manual and the Product B user manual – maintained and distributed separately. These manuals are each at about 15 chapters and 800+ pages each, with little or no overlapping content. Now, my company has merged the two products into an optional third product, so that we have three possible product permutations (and manuals): Product A, Product B and now the new Product C (which consists of all of the components/chapters from both A+B). So my question is: what is the best way to merge the two document sets so that I can publish Manual A, Manual B or Manual C (A+B), depending on the customer. Should I conditionalize all the chapters under one book – so that I would only display and publish the appropriat
RE: Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book
Hi Tony If I understand you correctly, I would do the following. Keep all your files in the one folder, including three separate book files: Book for Product A Book for Product B Book for Product C Add the chapters you need to each book and conditionalise the content of each file as required. (You CAN exclude chapters from books (in the book file itself), but I personally find this more difficult to maintain.) Hope this helps. If you’d like more information about how we use this, feel free to contact me off line. Laura Laura Fergusson | Technical Writer | Exterity Ltd tel: +44 1383 828250 ext 249 | fax: +44 1383 824905 e: laura.fergus...@exterity.com | w: www.exterity.com From: framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Tony Marek (PDF) Sent: 16 December 2014 23:18 To: framers@lists.frameusers.com Subject: Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book I currently need to create a new non-structured book in Frame 12 that will have one of three possible outputs (to .pdf). I’m looking for advice on the best way to create and maintain the project. To simplify the problem: previously we had the Product A user manual and the Product B user manual – maintained and distributed separately. These manuals are each at about 15 chapters and 800+ pages each, with little or no overlapping content. Now, my company has merged the two products into an optional third product, so that we have three possible product permutations (and manuals): Product A, Product B and now the new Product C (which consists of all of the components/chapters from both A+B). So my question is: what is the best way to merge the two document sets so that I can publish Manual A, Manual B or Manual C (A+B), depending on the customer. Should I conditionalize all the chapters under one book – so that I would only display and publish the appropriate chapters based on the customer — e.g. publish chapters set to Condition A, Condition B, or both conditions for Product C? Or should I use the hierarchical book structure and then add/delete the subordinate book depending on the customer release? I have no experience with hierarchical books so I’m not sure what the benefits or drawbacks are. I could also simply add/delete the appropriate A/B chapters from the master book manually – but with 30+ chapters, this seems like it could be prone to mistakes in publishing the correct content. Any suggestions will be much appreciated. Thanks, ~Tony ~ ~ ~ __ This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. For more information please visit http://www.symanteccloud.com __ This message may contain confidential and privileged information. If it has been sent to you in error, please reply to advise the sender of the error and then immediately permanently delete it and all attachments to it from your systems. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, copy, disclose or otherwise use this message or any attachments to it. The sender disclaims any liability for such unauthorized use. PLEASE NOTE that all incoming e-mails sent to PDF e-mail accounts will be archived and may be scanned by us and/or by external service providers to detect and prevent threats to our systems, investigate illegal or inappropriate behavior, and/or eliminate unsolicited promotional e-mails (“spam”). If you have any concerns about this process, please contact us at legal.departm...@pdf.com<mailto:legal.departm...@pdf.com>. __ This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. For more information please visit http://www.symanteccloud.com __ ___ You are currently subscribed to framers as arch...@mail-archive.com. Send list messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book
I currently need to create a new non-structured book in Frame 12 that will have one of three possible outputs (to .pdf). I’m looking for advice on the best way to create and maintain the project. To simplify the problem: previously we had the Product A user manual and the Product B user manual – maintained and distributed separately. These manuals are each at about 15 chapters and 800+ pages each, with little or no overlapping content. Now, my company has merged the two products into an optional third product, so that we have three possible product permutations (and manuals): Product A, Product B and now the new Product C (which consists of all of the components/chapters from both A+B). So my question is: what is the best way to merge the two document sets so that I can publish Manual A, Manual B or Manual C (A+B), depending on the customer. Should I conditionalize all the chapters under one book – so that I would only display and publish the appropriate chapters based on the customer — e.g. publish chapters set to Condition A, Condition B, or both conditions for Product C? Or should I use the hierarchical book structure and then add/delete the subordinate book depending on the customer release? I have no experience with hierarchical books so I’m not sure what the benefits or drawbacks are. I could also simply add/delete the appropriate A/B chapters from the master book manually – but with 30+ chapters, this seems like it could be prone to mistakes in publishing the correct content. Any suggestions will be much appreciated. Thanks, ~Tony ~ ~ ~ -- *This message may contain confidential and privileged information. If it has been sent to you in error, please reply to advise the sender of the error and then immediately permanently delete it and all attachments to it from your systems. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, copy, disclose or otherwise use this message or any attachments to it. The sender disclaims any liability for such unauthorized use. PLEASE NOTE that all incoming e-mails sent to PDF e-mail accounts will be archived and may be scanned by us and/or by external service providers to detect and prevent threats to our systems, investigate illegal or inappropriate behavior, and/or eliminate unsolicited promotional e-mails (“spam”). If you have any concerns about this process, please contact us at * *legal.departm...@pdf.com* *.* ___ You are currently subscribed to framers as arch...@mail-archive.com. Send list messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.