Can FrameMaker output to a .c file?

Report · Apr 16, 2013

Report · Apr 16, 2013

Hi Debbie...

I think you'll need to provide a bit more information about what you're trying to do. A ".c" file is typically souce code in the C programming language .. is that what you mean? You're trying to save a FrameMaker file to C code? In theory, that's certainly possible, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Give us more info, and we may be able to help.

...scott

Report · Apr 16, 2013

Hi Scott,

Thanks for the reply. My development team wants any content to be "as flat (unformatted) as possible so that we can store it as any other .c file in our configuration management system." We currently produce unstructured FM, but are looking to move into structured, and in doing so I've been asked to ensure that content is stored as flat as possible.

Does this help?

Debbie

Report · Apr 16, 2013

Hi Debbie,you can store any kind of files in a configuration management system. So of course you can store fm-Files to. You can save unstructured documents to MIF if you want to have a text format, but this doesn't make many sense to me. But if you will have structured content in future, it makes many sense to save your FM content to XML and store XML to your configuration management system. In this case you save data without any layout information. I could imaging this is what your development team wants. I don't think file extension cares your developpers. Bye Markus

Report · Apr 16, 2013

Hi Debbie...

It sounds like you want to be able to store the files as ASCII (plain text). The term "flat" doesn't really mean anything to me in this regard. And if you want "unformatted" you might as well just use Notepad. You can save FM files as "MIF" files, which is an ASCII version of a FM file, but that would be a bit of a hassle witout some automation. If you move to structured FM, AND save the files as XML, you'll get ASCII files as well .. perhaps that's what you're trying to do?

XML files aren't "flat" but have an internal hierarchy that defines relationships between the elements within the file, but they are ASCII and may be more friendly to a document repository. I'd spend some time reading up on terminology and the various options. Here are a couple sites taht might be useful ..

http://www.scriptorium.com/category/resources

http://www.publishingsmarter.com/resources

Cheers,

...scott

Scott Prentice

Leximation, Inc.

www.leximation.com

Report · Apr 17, 2013

Thanks to both of you! Very helpful as I sort this out. After further discussions with my team, it was initially desired to store the documentation along with the products source code, but they have decided that is not the way they want to go . . . whew! The XML files from structured FM will work.