[Closed] FrameMaker 7.x/8 Feature Requests

Report · Aug 19, 2002

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

Report · Mar 14, 2006

I would like to see "window shade roll-up" features added to the Designer dialog windows. That is, if you double-click in the blue bar, the window would roll up like a window shade, showing only the blue bar with the name of the Designer. Double-clicking it again would pull the window back down so you could use it.

The Designer windows take up too much room on the screen, and it's a bigger pain to close them and then reopen them again from scratch.

Dennis Brunnenmeyer

Report · Mar 16, 2006

I'd like to see an enhancement to paragraph tab formtting so that a graph could be "side closest to binding" or "side furthest from binding" so that sideheads and scholar's margins could be set on either right or left pages automatically.

I think this would also require a change to master pages so that the sideheads area would be smart enough to also be "side closest" or "side furthest."

This would allow a new design paradigm where you'd have sholar's margins on the outsides of pages, rather than only on the left side of the page, as FM currently supports.

Art

Report · Mar 17, 2006

The larger a document gets with 10 or more Chapters and hundreds of graphics, the better chance for FrameMaker to crash if your system becomes unstable. When FrameMaker crashes it tries to create recovery files with your most recent changes. One problem is that there is no way to know which of the Recover files were saved before the crash and which ones were open.

When you reopen files through the book, you are forced to open each Recover file one at a time, To make these files useful, you must do a Save As for each file, rename them the same as the original name used in the book, do a Save All Files in Book, Close All files in Book, and then Open All Files in a Book.

A work around is to delete all file that contains ".recover" except the one you were working on when it crashed, before re-opening your book. Problem here is you better be sure that those files you deleted had been saved before the crash. Adobe suggests that you may also need to check your autosave files, assuming you selected Automatic Save in Preferences is checked.

What would save time when a crash occurs is options in FrameMaker to have button(s) available or some dialog box that opens that allows you to see the file date and time code of all files in the book when a Recover file is asked to be open, then it would allow you to be able to either delete the recover file and open the appropriate file, open an autosave file or use open the recover file.

Unless you experienced having 78 files in a book crash more than once a day due to McAfee VirusSan Enterprise software and network issues, one could see why this suggestion can only help a writer.

Report · Apr 24, 2006

Include one or more previously defined user variables as part of the definition of another user variable. For example:

You create a variable Custom A with a definition of:

ABC

You then define a variable CustomB with a definition of:

123<$CustomA>

When you insert the variable CustomB it appears as

123ABC

Report · Apr 25, 2006

I second that! In addition to the variable inside a variable, I would like to be able to use variables inside markers.

Report · Apr 27, 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.)

Report · Apr 27, 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

Report · May 02, 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.

Report · May 02, 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

Report · May 02, 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

Report · May 03, 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

Report · May 04, 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.

Report · May 04, 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

Report · May 04, 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

Report · May 05, 2006

Ahhh.

Sean

Report · May 05, 2006

Here's one more.......

I would like the ability to add "ImageAltText" tags when I insert an Anchored Frame instead of having to remember to add a text box and marker inside the frame.

Report · May 08, 2006

Make it possible to apply conditional text to the whole of the last paragraph in a flow and then turn display of that condition off without getting a blank line. Our group needs this in tables and text insets. Often, we can work around it by conditioning the pilcrow of the second-last paragraph but that's slow, ugly and very prone to operator error. Sometimes we have to add an unconditioned very thin blank line. That's even more prone to operator error.

Cheers, Rebecca

Report · May 09, 2006

I have used conditional text before... but it would be nice to make a table have conditional text and assign it (easily and quickly) to one or more entire columns or rows in a table.

Report · May 09, 2006

Rows you can - just select the whole row and apply the condition. Columns you can't, and I agree. There've been times I've needed that and had to make multiple tables instead.

Cheers, Rebecca

Report · May 10, 2006

Oh.......conditional rows would be awesome! I've had to make two separate tables to accomplish the same thing too!

Report · Jun 20, 2006

Having just spent the last few hours reading some of Dov Isaac's latest Presentations about PDF workflows (from the InDesign and Acrobat user forums), I'm realising that FrameMaker badly lacks native support for PDF generation - we have to muck about with converting PostScript via Distiller. FrameMaker ought to just be able to generate PDF directly in the same way that all the Adobe Creative Suite apps can - this would give hugely less scope for creating duff PDFs.
But then, I expect Adobe already know this :)

Report · Jun 20, 2006

On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 08:45:26 -0700, david@codefarm@adobeforums.com
wrote:

>Having just spent the last few hours reading some of Dov Isaac's latest Presentations about PDF workflows (from the InDesign and Acrobat user forums), I'm realising that FrameMaker badly lacks native support for PDF generation - we have to muck about with converting PostScript via Distiller. FrameMaker ought to just be able to generate PDF directly in the same way that all the Adobe Creative Suite apps can - this would give hugely less scope for creating duff PDFs.

I don't understand. FrameMaker does have built-in control over PDF
creation -- it's the "Generate Acrobat Data" checkbox in the Print
dialog. You can configure a number of PDF output options, for example
to convert cross-references to PDF hyperlinks.

Sure, the process requires a separate Distiller installation but it's
entirely automatic so I'm not sure why this is not sufficient?
--
http://www.kynosarges.de

Report · Jun 21, 2006

As I understand it, it's cos it involves converting the Frame document to PostScript, and then distilling the PostScript document to PDF.
There are an increasing number of PDF features which PostScript doesn't support (proper colour management, transparency, etc), so this stuff gets stymied in the above scenario.

Of course, Frame doesn't support a lot of these newer features either. But then that's a pain in the ass too!

Report · Jun 26, 2006

Here's a partial wish list, of what I can think of right now:

* Character formats in markers, using a menu. Typing them by hand is such a pain (and this is a longstanding problem).

* Better recovery handling - opening a recovery file should (a) tell you whether it's any different from the autosave file or the main file (b) if it is, allow you to save it as the main file and delete the recover/autosave file, and (c) if not, automatically delete the recover/autosave file. And do this for all files in a book, not one-at-a-time. (This has already been mentioned, so I'm seconding the request!)

* More flexibility in placement of tables and graphics.

* Better tools for handling figures! There should be at least a standard way of creating a figure with a caption (as there is with tables) that is treated as a single entity and can then be positioned wherever you want it. Adding a text frame to an anchored frame just doesn't cut it - it gets converted with the graphic when you convert to HTML; putting it outside the text frame places too many limitations on figure placement.

* Fix the bugs! The ones that annoy me most at present are:
- warnings about color that you get when you do stuff with
conditional text and update a book
- Font metric warnings that keep on coming up with certain files,
even though the files haven't changed.

* Better information about named destinations in the generated PDF, so I can link to specific places in PDF documents from HTML

And I'm not really interested in having to search the web for plug-ins that do the job. These should be mainstreamed. I don't want to have to spend a lot of time looking for plug-ins.

In fact, maybe if Adobe open-sourced FrameMaker, a lot of the plug-ins could be integrated without too much trouble. Adobe could maintain the right to say what went in and what didnt (much like Sun does), but get a whole lot of mileage from people's contributions, and we'd all get a better product.

Is Adobe even listening to this forum? And is there any chance that any of these things will actually make it into the software?

Ken.

Report · Jun 26, 2006

On Mon, 26 Jun 2006 12:40:18 -0700, Kenneth_Dyall@adobeforums.com
wrote:

>In fact, maybe if Adobe open-sourced FrameMaker, a lot of the plug-ins could be integrated without too much trouble.

Availability of source code has nothing to do with the ease of making
plug-ins. Plug-ins are (and should be) written to a stable documented
API, not to some particular state of source code that will change with
every release.
--
http://www.kynosarges.de