Participant

Question

i'm trying to learn FM, AND inherited a very COMPLEX project created on an older version

Forum|Forum|6 months ago
December 10, 2025
5 replies
439 views

Hello.

As the subject of my post explains: I'm not only learning FM, but I inherited a project created in an older version of FM. (I usually am using the basics of RH to create webHelp.)

Is there anyone out there willing to help me understand - at the very least:

-interpret the existing Master Pages? (they don't seem to resemble what Ms. Binder's Master Pages look like in her hour long videos.)

-understand how to fix the errors in the ErrorBookLog I ran?

Barb Binder

Community Expert

Hi Julie:

I'm oddly (I guess) surprised that you all responded

We are all here to help. We can't train you via forum posts, but we can address individual questions. As an example, Rick asked to see the book error log. If you haven't yet met with him directly, posting a screenshot will allow us to address the specific errors.

Unfortunately, I do not work for a company that would offer that.

As I have said so many times (here, in my classes and on those videos): FrameMaker is not hard to use but it is hard to teach yourself. It is a disservice to you and your document not to send you to formal training. The free videos (and the outdated books on the market) will only take you so far. I suspect that any of the trainers on this thread would be happy to have this discussion with the decision-makers on your behalf. I know I would.

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

First, check to see if the project is structured or not. You need to be careful how you edit it if it is.

A number of us offer custom FrameMaker training, including Barb Binder, FrameExpert (Rick), and myself*. You may want to see if your company is willing to invest in some training/consultation. Depending on how the original project was built and then edited over the years, it could be clean, a total mess, or somewhere inbetween.

*Back in the day when Adobe had Adobe Certified Instructors, there were only four listed in the USA and nine worldwide.

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

J

julie_4206Author

Participant

Thank you for replying. On top of everything else, this is the first time I've posted and I'm oddly (I guess) surprised that you all responded. So, thank you very much. I'm processing all of your responses and trying to formulate a strategy to 1) communicate my questions here more specifically and 2) find the best way to approach learning. Unfortunately, I do not work for a company that would offer that. W/ that in mind, I'll be back. Again, thank you for your replies.

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

I'd be happy to look at your files and give you my opinion on how well they are built. Poorly built files can make your job twice as difficult. If you are interested or allowed to share, click on my name to DM me and we can figure how to take a look.

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

Almtuna

Inspiring

Having myself taken over a legacy project as a complete beginner, my first advice would be to avoid upgrading the FM version if possible. It will save you from unnecessary complexity while you’re still learning the basics.

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

Having myself taken over a legacy project as a complete beginner, my first advice would be to avoid upgrading the FM version if possible. It will save you from unnecessary complexity while you’re still learning the basics.

By @Almtuna

Frame hasn't changed that much over the years. Master pages should be the same for the last few versions.

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

Almtuna

Inspiring

My personal experience is that FrameMaker is very compatible between versions when pdf publishing. But when it comes to my other formats (windows chm, responsive html5), it's far from easy to upgrade.

Jeff_Coatsworth

Community Expert

In addition to taking Rick's excellent offer, maybe start with some basics - what exact version of FM are you using? Is it Structured or Unstructured FM? What version was the original project from? Have you upgraded it already or are you trying to use the older version?

frameexpert

Community Expert

Hi Julie, welcome. Your questions are kind of broad. For example, you should post a screenshot of the Book Error Log so we can see what you are getting. If you want a jump start on getting help, I can meet with you via Zoom or Teams for an hour (no charge). Please contact me offlist at rick at frameexpert dot com. Thank you.

www.frameexpert.com

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