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Question

Content Reusability using Structured Frame Maker

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
October 20, 2021
5 replies
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Hi All,

We are currently using Frame Maker (2019 release) ,Version: 15.0.4.751 for unstructured Authoring. We are planning to migrate to Sturctured authoring for maintaining font and alignment and content reusability.

we have a specific requirement, where same content will be used in different User Guides [i.e differenrt Frame maker files] ..so any change to the content at one place should reflect in all the FM files where the content is present.

Example: i have a common procedure for a task with 10 steps in 3 FM files. when i do chagnes in the procedure or add new steps , it should get updated at all the three FM files.

Is this Possible Using Sturctured Frame Maker. Read DITA supports content Reusability .

can anybody help on this?

This topic has been closed for replies.

G

Geetha Gowri5C19Author

Known Participant

Can anyone provide links for begginer session on structured Authoring using Frame Maker

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

Are you looking for recorded training, self-guided books, or live online training?

Recording training

https://learn.techcommtools.com/collections/training/products/framemaker-training?variant=15161025069119

Books

https://learn.techcommtools.com/collections/books

Live, online training

There are a number of FrameMaker instructors this forum. If you claifiy your needs, they can post, and you can message them directly.

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

G

Geetha Gowri5C19Author

Known Participant

Tjank You!!!

Will check on the provided Materials and get back for any Assistance in the forum

G

Geetha Gowri5C19Author

Known Participant

Thank You all for your suggestions.

We are very new to structured Authoring . We are now at beginner level, Learning how to create EDD and DTD.

Please find below details of the type of content in our user guide.

Our Product is a Network Equipment [multiple varaints] with GUI Interface for configuration

We have manual for its Installation procedure in Field with equipment figures in different positions , Configuration procedures from GUI with screenshots for each step .

Common Figures reused - same figure might be used at multiple FM files

Common Content - same configuration procedure used at multiple FM files with different figures [for different variant]

Can anyone Guide on where to start with to migrate to structured authoring with focus on content reusability and maintain content format and alignment during content reuse [ copy and paste ]

Also, is there any option in Frame Maker to control the figure reusability [i.e a list indicating the user about figure change might reflect the changes in the listed places in the same FM file or different File or Book]

R

Russ Ward

Legend

Hi Geena, nobody could really give you any specific advice without a thorough analysis of your content and deliverables. I can say this, though... I do documentation for network equipment as well, which has both an API and a GUI. Basically, two different ways to talk to the equipment. But, while there are some syntax differences, basically the input and the output is fundamentally the same. So, the API Guide and the GUI User Guide have very much the same content. I could never manage it with copy/paste, so I use structured FrameMaker with the plugins mentioned above to single source. For example, all input parameters go into a common file which is like a repository, where they become modules for text insets in both guides. Sometimes, if there are syntax differences, I also use structural attributes to denote conditions. So I have text insets and conditional text working all together, all totally dependent on the structural metadata which makes it much, much cleaner and easier to manage.

For text insets with InsetPlus, there is a tracking feature that allows you to see where any given module is being used. That's important if you edit a module... need to make sure the edits make sense in all destinations.

That was brief. Architectural advice is very difficult from a distance and I want to keep it limited. Hope it helps.

Russ

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Geetha Gowri5C19Author

Known Participant

Thank You Russ ward!!!

Any pre existing Session on migrating to Sturctured Authoring would be helpful.

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Russ Ward

Legend

So, I have strong opinions about this, as some of you might guess. Natively, FrameMaker offers very limited advanced options for single-sourcing based on structural metadata. The native text inset mechanism is incredibly limited and structured Frame offers nothing better, and in fact, makes it even more clumsy. For conditional text, there is a "filter by attribute" feature that leverages attribute metadata for conditional filtering, but it is very limited and poorly implemented, hardly ready for any serious production use.

This is why I wrote the AXCM and InsetPlus plugins... because I needed something better. All this rich, structural metadata and hardly anything to do with it. At the risk of sounding self-promotional, I do not know how anyone could really do any serious single-sourcing without extensions like those, because the native feature set is really a joke. The good news, both plugins are free.

There is the DITA support, which does implement metadata-based conditions and insets using the DITA standard mechanisms. This is certainly a big improvement over what structured Frame natively offers. But the problem is that DITA is so complicated... such a high cost of overhead just to get some metadata-driven single-sourcing. I really do not what DITA is good for, as a whole. Perhaps if you have overwhelming need for topic-level reuse and/or extensive need for content portability, it might find a place. Otherwise, it is this very clever but overwhelming monstrosity that I have never found any practical use for.

So that's my life, a simple structure definition and plugins to drive the cool stuff. It all works very well and the efficiencies that I'm able to demonstrate have made my job very secure. The short answer is that structured FM can give you a giant leap towards single-sourcing efficiency, but it is not automatic. Lots to think about.

Russ