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Seanb_us
Inspiring
August 19, 2002
Question

[Closed] FrameMaker 7.x/8 Feature Requests

  • August 19, 2002
  • 625 replies
  • 77969 views
Time to start entering these. If you are unsure about whether FM has the feature yet, please do some research and figure it out before posting.

Please don't post requests for assistance in here, either.

Cheers,

Sean
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Seanb_usAuthor
Inspiring
May 5, 2006
Ahhh.

Sean
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_Mike_Hedblom_
Participating Frequently
May 4, 2006
Sorry, I thought I was being clear when I stated that I wanted DITA XML, not just XML. Needs to support DITA maps, etc. I don't want to mess with EDD or DTD; I want native DITA.

Now that I'm no longer needing to produce "books" (e.g., PDF), I do not need FrameMaker except that I am so comfortable using it. Other DITA editors, however, are looking very attractive and will eventually cause me to drop FM entirely.

Mike
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Seanb_usAuthor
Inspiring
May 4, 2006
Using FrameMaker 7.1 or 7.2 you can use native XML files instead of FM binary files.

Non-content, like generated chapters, are unstructured. And, you have to define your formatting somehow, be it in a FM template or in the XML, and FM uses an EDD, so you have to establish the EDD-to-DTD relationship.

But, FM can now let you work your content using XML files with no FM binaries for your content.

Sean
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_Mike_Hedblom_
Participating Frequently
May 4, 2006
Here's an easy one... Store content in DITA XML instead of FM binaries. This will be the main reason I leave FrameMaker in the near future.
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_Steve_Kubis_
Participating Frequently
May 3, 2006
A table format I use has a continuation variable in it. I use Auto-Text to paste in table templates. It's one of the things I most like about the plug-in (but then I'm biased, since I made the plug-in).

You might want to try it. Details can be found at:

http://www.siliconprairiesoftware.com
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_Rebecca_Officer_
Participating Frequently
May 2, 2006
I'll echo Julee's request. Peter, your workarounds would work but they're still a relative pain to do. I'd like to have the Table Continuation and Table Sheet variables and their location stored as part of the table definition. They could be on a separate tab so they didn't clutter up the table designer.

Cheers, Rebecca
P
peter minneapolis
Participating Frequently
May 2, 2006
Hi, Julee:

Have you tried saving an example of each of your table formats with the continuation variable already in place in the title area?

You can store this and other items you need often, either in a text frame on a reference page, or in a separate FrameMaker file with all the "reusable parts" you need often, and copy/paste.

Another approach is to create a MIF code fragment of the table and variable, save it as a text file, and use File > Import > File > Copy Into File to recreate it at the insertion point of the import.

Importing MIF fragments has been discussed recently on FrameMaker forums, I believe. Search the archives of Google for more detail.

HTH

________________
Regards,

Peter Gold
KnowHow ProServices
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_Julee_Bruce_
Participating Frequently
May 2, 2006
I would like to be able to add the Table Continuation variable when I insert a table (or have it inserted automatically - at the end of the line) instead of having to go back and insert it through the Variables menu option.
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_DavidHalko_
Participating Frequently
April 28, 2006
My problem with FrameMaker is that Adobe has made it next to impossible to gain market share. More aggressive means must be taken to stop the losing of market share.

- A CHEAP version of FrameMaker ($50-$100) which skips the whiz-bang features (XML, SGML, HTML, Books) just so normal people can pass around FrameMaker documents and make the FrameMaker standard format more acceptable in every day business.

- Macintosh version so I can take a FrameMaker document to a printer so they can make last minute adjustments before they print it and send me back the adjusted document.

- Option to save all FrameMaker vector graphics as SVG format in Frame documents as well as during export to other formats (Word, HTML, XML, etc.)

- Network clipart (routers, servers, switches, etc.)

- Some Visio-like drawing capabilities to dock connections between objects so you can grab an object and allow the connections to stretch or move around other objects

- Native PDF creation without an additional bundled Adobe product

- Import multiple pages from a PDF via conversion to MIF so it can be edited - even if some of the PDF features are lost.

- Scroll Speed Option, when highlighting text and wanting to go to the next page without scrolling 20 by accident!

- Bundle instructions, sample config files, and open source code to use WebDAV using Apache & TomCat with FrameMaker for very basi & rudimentary document sharing and management for people on multiple platforms (Mac, UNIX, and Windows)

- Add a basic open source TCP/IP discovery engine (fping with nmap) plug-in that can output basic network maps in Frame vector format and stick into a FrameMaker document.

If Frame can do most of the good features with better PDF handling on a Mac, SUN, and Windows for cheaper than MS Office, MS Publisher, SharePoint, and Visio combination - there is a good possibility of gaining back market share in the compound document publishing market.

If Frame can capitalize on basic workgroup and technical features across multiple platforms where it can not be easily done on ONE platform - then the decision is a no-brainer.

Multi-Destination publishing can be done by everyone... multi-source (Mac, Windows, UNIX) and multi-collaborative (Mac, Windows, UNIX) is not easily done by anyone and can be a powerful market differentiator.

No one can say "publish from anywhere (mac, windows, unix) through anywhere (webdav under mac, windows, unix) to anywhere (web & print press on mac, windows, unix)" - but Frame is pretty close.

Full-fledge add-on features can be sold on a license basis (i.e. document change control via CVS in a TomCat or Apache WedDav ; Edit all PDF document features in Frame, etc.)
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_Chris_Nahr_
Participating Frequently
April 28, 2006
On Thu, 27 Apr 2006 20:17:54 -0700, DavidHalko@adobeforums.com wrote:

>- A CHEAP version of FrameMaker ($50-$100) which skips the whiz-bang features (XML, SGML, HTML, Books) just so normal people can pass around FrameMaker documents and make the FrameMaker standard format more acceptable in every day business.

That's pointless. Business sales are not about the one-time
purchasing price but about training costs and having one uniform
document format across the company. That format is Word.

Besides, those "whiz-bang features" are precisely the ones that make
Frame different from Word. What's the point in using a Frame version
that doesn't have them? With the crippled version you suggest you
couldn't even read/edit someone else's book files.

>- Macintosh version so I can take a FrameMaker document to a printer so they can make last minute adjustments before they print it and send me back the adjusted document.

Adobe *had* a Mac version. They deliberately canceled it because the
market was too small for them to bother.

>- Option to save all FrameMaker vector graphics as SVG format in Frame documents as well as during export to other formats (Word, HTML, XML, etc.)
>
>- Network clipart (routers, servers, switches, etc.)
>
>- Some Visio-like drawing capabilities to dock connections between objects so you can grab an object and allow the connections to stretch or move around other objects
>
>- Import multiple pages from a PDF via conversion to MIF so it can be edited - even if some of the PDF features are lost.
>
>- Scroll Speed Option, when highlighting text and wanting to go to the next page without scrolling 20 by accident!

Those are reasonable feature requests but nothing that would make
anyone switch to FrameMaker.

>- Native PDF creation without an additional bundled Adobe product

What's the point? The integration with Distiller works just fine.

>- Bundle instructions, sample config files, and open source code to use WebDAV using Apache & TomCat with FrameMaker for very basi & rudimentary document sharing and management for people on multiple platforms (Mac, UNIX, and Windows)

Mac was canceled and the only Unix version is Solaris so I don't see
where the urgent need for cross-platform document sharing comes in.

>- Add a basic open source TCP/IP discovery engine (fping with nmap) plug-in that can output basic network maps in Frame vector format and stick into a FrameMaker document.

Way too specific IMO.

>If Frame can do most of the good features with better PDF handling on a Mac, SUN, and Windows for cheaper than MS Office, MS Publisher, SharePoint, and Visio combination - there is a good possibility of gaining back market share in the compound document publishing market.

Making Frame better is always nice but if you think Frame is pitted
against Office in the marketplace you're barking up the wrong tree.
Anyone who needs to use Office will continue to do so, or *maybe*
switch to OpenOffice. Attempting to position Frame as a competitor to
these products would be suicidal for Adobe. Their current strategy of
positioning Frame as a structured XML editing & publishing environment
is the only one that makes economic sense.
--
http://www.kynosarges.de
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_Julee_Bruce_
Participating Frequently
April 25, 2006
I second that! In addition to the variable inside a variable, I would like to be able to use variables inside markers.
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