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DarrenFMc7241336
Known Participant
September 7, 2010
Question

Adobe Framemaker V Indesign

  • September 7, 2010
  • 4 replies
  • 6434 views

Hi,

Probably a daft question, but:

What can Framemaker do that cannot be done in Indesign?

Reason I ask is that I am proficient in Indesign for years now, and I am doing a Masters degree at the moment.

The application that is being used in the course is Framemaker, so I am simply wondering what is the difference between them?

I have installed the trial version of Framemaker and I cannot see what the target audience would be for this application.

Any insight into the intended users of Framemaker would be appreciated so I can understand it better.

Regards

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    4 replies

    Dave Creamer of IDEAS
    Community Expert
    Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 10, 2022

    In general terms, they can do the same thing--it comes down to the feature-by-feature details.

    Frame:

    Book features are much better than InDesign's.

    Setting up the TOC/lists is more complicated but has more features.

    Multiple indices.

    Variables are more flexible.

    Conditional text has more features.

    XML-based features are much better than ID's.

     

    InDesign:

    Stronger typographic features.

    Better table features, inclding importing/linking to Excel files.

    More third-party plugin support.

     

    The list goes on...

    I've attached an old PDF that compares the various DTP apps (I stopped with Frame 11), but many of the comparisons are still valid. One of these days, I'll have to update it...

     

    David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
    F
    Community Expert
    FrameMaker-dkCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 10, 2022

    I believe InDesign can do all of FrameMakers stuff and better and less buggy, but two features is where my choice always goes to FrameMaker. The Book file and speed. InDesign has a book file feature which is super detailed and can handle really complex features, but it is slow. And generally operating long documents/books in InDesign is slow. It works, but slooowly!

    I for one, really wish to have the excellent type rendering,  handling of images, pdf quality, hyperlinking and lots and lots of really nice features in FrameMaker.

    Bjørn Smalbro - FrameMaker.dk
    K
    kim_toronto
    Participant
    June 8, 2022

    This is a good comparison by feature to an ongoing question. 

    FrameMaker vs. InDesign Product Comparison by Adobe 

    P
    peter minneapolis
    Participating Frequently
    September 7, 2010

    Macnimation wrote:

    Hi,

    Probably a daft question, but:

    What can Framemaker do that cannot be done in Indesign?

    Reason I ask is that I am proficient in Indesign for years now, and I am doing a Masters degree at the moment.

    The application that is being used in the course is Framemaker, so I am simply wondering what is the difference between them?

    I have installed the trial version of Framemaker and I cannot see what the target audience would be for this application.

    Any insight into the intended users of Framemaker would be appreciated so I can understand it better.

    Regards

    No problem with the question. However, it raises others you may want to look into:

    * If you're very comfortable in InDesign, why consider changing to a product you're unfamiliar with?

    * Does your project (thesis in this case) require anything that your current version of InDesign can't do with built-in features, free or inexpensive scripts, free or inexpensive plug-ins? If you find that InDesign  CS5 lacks features, you'll have to wait for a new release that might offer them; if you are using an earlier release, CS5 may have them already.

    Have you searched with Google? Here are some good starting points:

    * Search for "framemaker's market" without quotes.

    * Search for "framemaker thesis" without quotes.

    * Search for "framemaker <specific feature name>" without quotes for more information on a feature that's present or missing.

    * Search for "compare framemaker indesign <specific feature name> without quotes.

    * http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=convert+InDesign+to+FrameMaker

    * http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=convert+FrameMaker+to+InDesign

    * http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=differences+between+FrameMaker+and+InDesign

    * http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=compare+FrameMaker+to+InDesign

    After you do your research, if you have questions about specific features present or missing in one or the other application, please start a new thread with the specific question as the topic.
    HTH
    Regards,
    Peter
    _______________________
    Peter Gold
    KnowHow ProServices

    D
    DarrenFMc7241336Author
    Known Participant
    September 7, 2010

    Hi

    thanks for the response.

    I have indeed googled Framemaker etc and even purchased the VTC Video Training on Framwemaker 9.

    That program simply seems to explain the working of the Application and how to use the toolbars etc, but does not explain who would use it or why.

    The reason why I cannot use Indesign, is that the projects must be done through Framemaker, as this is the application being used in the Course.

    I did ask if I could use Indesign but was told no, it must be Framemaker....

    Unless of course there is a way to save Indesign files as .fm??

    I asked the question to ask why would someone use Framemaker over Indesign as they both seem to be Desktop Publishing tools.

    Framemaker seems to target Technical Writing, would that be correct (from what I deduced since I started this thread)?

    Regards

    P
    peter minneapolis
    Participating Frequently
    September 7, 2010

    Macnimation wrote:

    Hi

    thanks for the response.

    I have indeed googled Framemaker etc and even purchased the VTC Video Training on Framwemaker 9.

    That program simply seems to explain the working of the Application and how to use the toolbars etc, but does not explain who would use it or why.

    The reason why I cannot use Indesign, is that the projects must be done through Framemaker, as this is the application being used in the Course.

    I did ask if I could use Indesign but was told no, it must be Framemaker....

    Unless of course there is a way to save Indesign files as .fm??

    I asked the question to ask why would someone use Framemaker over Indesign as they both seem to be Desktop Publishing tools.

    Framemaker seems to target Technical Writing, would that be correct (from what I deduced since I started this thread)?

    Regards

    You're correct that FrameMaker aims at technical writers. There are links to this idea in the framemaker's market query results.

    If the thesis files you submit are required to be in FrameMaker, you have little choice. If the thesis will be submitted in some other format, such as PDF intended for printing on desktop or professional printers, and/or PDF intended for interactive use (links, buttons, etc) you may be able to create in whatever you prefer, providing you meet the requirements for the deliverable.

    If you haven't looked through the first page of links returned by these queries:

    * Search for "framemaker's market" without quotes.

    * Search for "framemaker thesis" without quotes.

    I suggest that you do. There are several links that offer more detail and resources than we can do in these quick forum replies.

    If FrameMaker is the required tool, as you'll see in the results of the framemaker thesis query, there are free templates already available from Adobe and elsewhere. Also, it's likely that the course provider may offer a template, or links to a preferred one.

    Briefly, until CS4,  InDesign didn't offer built-in cross-references, often a requirement of theses as well as technical documents. They can be adapted for use as endnotes, often also a requirement. Text variables for running headers were added in InDesign CS3, but even in CS5, they don't quite equal those that FrameMaker has had for nearly 20 years.

    You might find the best information about reasons for using FrameMaker for your thesis, and how to best employ it, by discussing it with the course provider, as well as current and past degree candidates who are using it and have used it for the purpose.

    HTH

    Regards,

    Peter

    _______________________

    Peter Gold

    KnowHow ProServices

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