From FrameMaker Product Management

I still have my old wish-list at

Sadly, most of these have been around since version 3.

And of course my number 1 request: Mac OS X. No, let me rephrase that: My number 1 request is for Adobe to realize that the Mac is a viable and popular computer that is getting more and more popular.

For now, I just have one request:
Expansion of the embedded Index and the index creation.

I currently compose music on notation software, and one feature is what's called 'Dynamic Parts' - you write the full score of music (for all instruments) and the individual parts (for each instrument) are automatically generated. Also if you make a change, whether in the score or parts, the changes automatically flow to the other. Seeing this in Frame with indexes (perhaps Glossary, etc also) would be great. In the document, you put in the Index marker and the Index is automatically generated and any edit (in the document or index) updates the other.

Having the index part of Frame work as some dedicated index software do, would be a huge improvement and will help those who need to write AND generate indexes use Frame for all of their needs.

Sir,

I would like to add a few more items to the whish list:

1. The ability to select any character from the Unicode character list as the "Strike Through" character. This should also be extended to the structured version so that this functionality should be available in the EDD Strikethrough element. The functionality should include subfunctions for over/under, character/block, colour/grade and size)

2. The ability to check the structure for child or descendants occurrences (First child, last child etc.) in the Context Rule element. Something like the the current handling of sibling indicators but in the other direction so to speak. Examples:
> TITLE
would mean if the current element has the TITLE element as a child
{first} > PARA
would mean if the current element has the PARA element as first child
> * > TYPE
would mean if the element TYPE as a descendant of the current element
Etc.

3. The ability to use AND and OR indicators for child occurrences in the ContextRule element.

4. The LastRightIndent function to handle paraagrhs such as this:

1.1 This is a long paragraph in a table of contents that is
so long that it brakes the line ....................... 2

That would be the opposite of the FirstIndent.

4. A genuine unconditional "hide" function that enables you to hide the contents of an element or paragraph. I'm not talking about the current conditional text function.

5. An "Update" function that works something like an automated Save - Open function using XSLT export/import. This could quite easily be creted using framescript but I feel it would be a nice standard feature.

Kind regards,

Åke von Schantz
Senior Consultant SGML/XSL
Sörman Information AB
Växjö
Sweden

My two requests are flexible footnote styles and Anchored frames ABOVE the current line.

The footnote frame at the bottom of the page ought to allow for a different number of columns than the main text frame.

Footnotes themselves should be able to roll back to "1" on any numbered paragraph style, not just when the page increments. E.g, if paragraph 2.3 has three footnotes (1, 2, & 3), pargraph 2.4 should be able to have two footnotes (1 & 2). The notes might look like this:

2.3 1 L. Breznev, "Address to the World", 1990.
2 Carter Center.
3 _Financial Times of London_, _The Economist_.

2.4 1 Department of the Army, FM 11-5, 7.5.6.
2 Trevis Frank, _Blood Feuds_, Hawley: New York, p ix.

Footnote paragraphs should also be allowed to run into the next footnote. It might look like this:

1. op cit. 2. Claybourne, pg 65. 3. Tucker Benson, _Highlines_, Carter Press, 1993, p 662.

An anchored frame above the current line would allow the frame to stay with the figure title 'graf, and allow a frame to be at the top of the page without an "anchor" 'graf or dragging text from the preceding 'graf onto the new page.

1. Uplift the UI -- I don't care what the old FM users say, if you could at least modernize (better 3D looking icons, updated dialogs, and even incorporate the CS3 type of docked panels). Any FM user will say what a pain it is to shift out of the way the most frequently-used paragraph, character, and table modeless dialogs. And also to have the toolbar docked would be an amazing benefit. I have attached a sample TIFF example.

Benefit? Just having the windows automatically resize and stay organized would be a usability and productivity benefit.

2. Ability to render native IL and PS images -- Very important, Illustrator and Photoshop images import without loss of fidelity would really integrate FM with the rest of the mainstream Adobe tools. Otherwise, we're always exporting those graphics into some other format for use in FM. FM apparently now supports Flash so you're on the right track!

Benefit? FM supporting Adobe standard illustration files that don't require conversion to integrate.

3. Layers -- FM has a conditional feature that in many ways is like a palette. It would be great to have some sort of layer palette (modeless that could be docked too) to easily turn on and off this feature.

Benefit? Every graphical app has layers now.

4. Mac Support -- I'm not a MAC user but to get FrameMaker back to be mainstream again, I would agree that a Universal Language binary version would be great.

Benefit? Fits in with Adobe's cross-platform standard.

Lastly, It would be nice to really put out a marketing campaign and raise the visibility of FrameMaker (articles on CreativePro.com, press releases, webcasts). I attended your other Product Manager's excellent webcast on Captivate 3 and FrameMaker. This really helps us FM users not feel out of touch with all the other trends.

Lee the reference list I made and printed for my office wall takes three sheets of A3: there are lots of shortcuts to choose from!

1. Help > Help topics
2. Search tab
3. search for Quick reference

And various users have provided handy charts, though I can't find any links with a forum search.

Keyboard shortcuts for tools pleeease!!

I'd second Todd's desire for a Linux version (post #11, item 1).

FrameMaker under VMware Server, along with Acrobat, are the last two "must have" application programs standing between me and a total divorce from Microsoft...

Cheers, thanks, & hope this helps,
Riley

1. Linux port
2. XML-tag view for structured documents
3. A "Repository" menu item featuring direct access to any arbitrary JCR-supported DMS/ECM (check-in, check-out, etc.)
4. The death of the EDD (change to under-the-hood support for arbitrary Schemas/DTDs)
5. Some kind of Project Manager panel (perhaps incorporate "Repository" functionality into such a panel)
6. Saved GUI workspaces between sessions

Hi, Mike:<br /><br />It sounds as if you're wishing for InDesign to be transplanted into FrameMaker, or the other way around. InDesign 5 (CS3) has almost everything you're asking for; its numbered lists now are on par with FM; running header system variables and user-defined variables are also on par. Cross-references are lacking, but there are several third-party solutions that range from a free script with modest ability to a step or two above FM's abilities.<br /><br />] P.S. About me: I'm a one-person company, laying out graphically rich, unstructured books.<br /><br />ID's structured abilities aren't yet up to FM's, but you're not doing structure. Conditional text also is missing from ID.<br /><br />Is there a reason you need to keep working in FM? There's a third-party tool that converts MIF to ID, now in public beta test from dtptools.com, that you might look into to migrate your existing projects.<br /><br />I'm becoming a "bi-applicational" supporter of both products. They overlap in many areas, but each still has special powers that the other lacks, so one's work requirements dictate the tool choice.<br /><br />Your request for grammar-checking is interesting. I guess this is one of those tools folks love to love or love to hate<G>. Because you find it useful, it's worth asking for; perhaps others who find one useful can register a vote for it here.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Peter<br />_______________________________<br />Peter Gold<br />KnowHow ProServices