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pierret18811376
Inspiring
June 6, 2023
Question

What is the best workflow between two persons

  • June 6, 2023
  • 8 replies
  • 433 views

Hello,

I am working with someone that works only on Microsoft Word files, and send its  Word files to me (he has not Frame Maker). On my side I have Frame Maker and I have converted the first version of the Word files sent by him.

As he makes a lot of changes on its Word files, is it a way that this person could work directlly on the converted FM files (converted from Word to FM) that I have made on my computer. Problem : he has not the same computer as me and does not have FM.

The best way would be a cloud sync of my FM files between me and him.

As I have integrated these FM files in a book, it would be great if these FM files from this book could update automatically when he change something on the cloud.

I don't know if all that is possible, and if there are other solutions ?

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    8 replies

    P
    pierret18811376Author
    Inspiring
    June 9, 2023

    Inside the Review panel (inside FM), my goal would be to filter the comments in order to see only the new comments, but I don't know how to filter it inside FM.

    Because, about my reviewers, they first add comments, then they think they have forgotten to add another comment, so they add a new comment (I have seen that they can add comments online, even after I have made the first comment import into FM).

    W
    Community Expert
    Winfried RengCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 9, 2023

    You cannot filter these comments by e.g. date in FrameMaker. You have to do this in Acrobat and delete all comments which you had already imported. Then import the new comments.

    P
    pierret18811376Author
    Inspiring
    June 9, 2023

    I have just tried the PDF Review.

    After having imported the comments inside Frame Maker, I see the comments and make modifications in the FM file.

    Then, I click on the button inside the Review panel (red arrow on the screenshot), so all the comments disappear.

    Then the person who make the comments decides to add a new comment, so I import again and I see all the precedent comments and also the new comment.

    I have a question : As the precedent comments have been processed, how to see only the new comment in my Review panel ? Because actually each time I import the comments I have all the comments (even the processed comments) and also the new comments.

    Jeff_Coatsworth
    Community Expert
    Jeff_CoatsworthCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 9, 2023

    I believe the way it works (& you can learn more if you attend that webinar on June 28) is that you create the review PDF, the reviewers add their comments, you import the comments back into your FM content & then if the reviewers want to continue, you generate a new review PDF for them - they can't go back & add more stuff after you've processed the first round.

      Matt-Tech Comm Tools
      Community Expert
      Matt-Tech Comm ToolsCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      June 7, 2023

      If lots of changes are expected, importing the Word file by reference is probably your best route.

      However, you'll want to make sure your Word editor only uses paragraph and character styles to format text, and you'll want to have those identical paragraph and character style names maintained in your FrameMaker documents and/or template.

       

      A safer workflow would be the PDF review, but it will require your Word author to make edits (comments) in the PDF file, that can then be drawn back into your FrameMaker docs via the collaboration tools.

       

      -Matt

      -Matt

      -Matt Sullivan, FrameMaker Course Creator, Author, Trainer, Consultant
      Jeff_Coatsworth
      Community Expert
      Jeff_CoatsworthCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      June 7, 2023

      I guess it comes down to which end is going to be the source of "truth" in this scenario. If it's you & FM, then any of these FM-centric ideas would work; if it's going to be Word, then doing the linked Word to FM scenario would seem the best.

      Barb Binder
      Community Expert
      Barb BinderCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      June 7, 2023

      Hi @pierret18811376:

       

      Adobe is hosting a review and collaboration webinar on June 28. You can sign up to attend it here:

      https://framemaker-essentials-document-review.meetus.adobeevents.com/

       

      I think the best option is to set up your co-worker with FrameMaker, but you can see all the options in the webinar.

       

      ~Barb

      ~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
      F
      Community Expert
      FrameMaker-dkCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      June 6, 2023

      Now that I think about it again... If you work in structured FrameMaker and use DITA, you could replace Word with a paid or free xml editor like XML Mind.. https://www.xmlmind.com/xmleditor/dita_editor.html. That might work for you. Not that I have ever tried 🙂

      Bjørn Smalbro - FrameMaker.dk
        F
        Community Expert
        FrameMaker-dkCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        June 6, 2023

        Number 1 is definitely working on the same platform, be it Word or Frame. If you are not to do any editing you might link in the word file by reference. But if you do that, you will not be able to edit it. Still, you would be able to see how much space it takes etc. but that is about it. 

        Bjørn Smalbro - FrameMaker.dk
          Jeff_Coatsworth
          Community Expert
          Jeff_CoatsworthCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          June 6, 2023

          Nope - if FM is going to be the "end point" of the content flow, then you're better off using the Review PDF function for further edits from them.

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