Known Participant

Question

Differences between 7 and 8 for long books

Forum|Forum|15 years ago
March 11, 2010
3 replies
4573 views

I am considering FM 7 and 8 for producing a long book. The issue with 8 is that it requires SP2 on XP, and I can't put that on my writing system.

So that would favour 7 unless its features are noticably lacking compared to 8. Here are the book requirements, please read carefully --

* There are 4 parallel columns spread across 2 facing pages -- each column has its own text, layout, font and size, different from texts in other columns.

* All 4 columns in the spread (2 on even pages, 2 on odd pages) must retain their positions on the spread, no matter which page of the book you turn to.

* There is absolutely no left to right wrapping of columns in a parallel column layout. This means all columns flow down - even to even, and odd to odd.

* This page flow must be automatic -- I am simply NOT going to draw frames for all pages and manually link them across a 400 page book, it is absurd.

I need to know which one of 7 or 8 supports automatic wrapping of 2 columns on even pages to the next even page, and the two columns on the right odd pages to the next odd page (if you don't understand this requisite column flow, please leave it for other to reply who do -- thank you). If both FM 7 and 8 are more or less the same, that would be very helpful information too. Please give compative capabilities as it relates to parallel book columns.

BTW, another really crucial feature is being able to manually set a FIXED line height in each column -- not in point size, like InDesign does (that does not work for precise alignment) -- I should be able to specify the line height in each column in decimals of an inch. Which one can do this?

Your help on these specific questions is much appreciated. Please no discussion of FM 9. I will not be getting that version. Thanks

This topic has been closed for replies.

Jeff_Coatsworth

Adobe Expert

"I am considering FM 7 and 8 for producing a long book."

This sounds like you don't have a copy of either one of them - short of going through volume licensing, I'm not sure how you can even buy a copy of either of them at this point. Adobe's only selling FM9 these days.

A

Art Campbell

Inspiring

OK, please read:

So if you're using an operating system older than XP SP2, what exactly are you running?

M

Michael_Müller-Hillebrand-basb

Inspiring

ScratchyBoy wrote:
[...] please read carefully --

…are we in school here?

Anyway, the layout engine has not changed since FrameMaker version 5.5 or so. The one major benefit of FrameMaker 8 is Unicode support, which will be of interest if your material is going to be translated to any non-Western or non-Far-East language.

* This page flow must be automatic -- I am simply NOT going to draw frames for all pages and manually link them across a 400 page book, it is absurd.

That is why you are doing it in InDesign, isn’t it?

Well, FrameMaker does support as many text flows as you would like to have, but automatic text flow is supported from page to page, and not from odd to odd or even to even. There are several options to handle the request, for which one would have to discuss further details.

(if you don't understand this requisite column flow, please leave it for other to reply who do -- thank you).

Thank you for this warning.

Sincerely,

- Michael Müller-Hillebrand

S

ScratchyBoyAuthor

Known Participant

Reply to all --

Michael -- sorry for sounding like I am schooling, but you have no idea how many people misunderstand what type of page flow parallel columns require. So are you saying that I cannot setup a page linking (say on the first 2 spreads) that will automatically propagate through the rest of the document as I add text. Or are you saying that I can? With InDesign, it cannot do odd-to-odd and even-to-even page linking automatically, which is exactly why I am looking to Frame Maker, because I was told that it could.

Van -- That is the problem with InDesign -- it allows only points for line height, and although you would think it would line up, the lines in fact do not line up, and I think I know why, but am not going to speculate. It's handling of points does not force an exact line spacing either for lines or white space.

Art -- SP1a, and the differences between system-level resources of SP1a and SP2 are inconsequential for an application like InDesign.

Jeff -- Of course there are versions of 7 and 8 for sale, you just have to check around. I already have 8 and am close to buying 7.

So since you are all now defensive because I tried hard to focus people's attention on the key issue -- let's get back to the key issue if you don't mind. And that is -- can I set up a beginning vertical flow for all 4 columns (by linking 2 columns on p.2 to the next 2 on p. 4 -- and by lining 2 columns on p. 3 to their wrap columns on p. 5) and will FM then continue that vertical flow without me having to manually link every blessed page in the 400 page book -- or is it incapable of continuing the flow I set out on the first 4 pages? I guess that is the crux of the question, because if it cannot, I was also mislead about FM's abilities, as I was with InDesign.

If it can't, what other features does FM have over ID that make it better for long book production?

Also Van, would you be interested in trying 4 columns of different fonts and sizes and attempting to line them all up in FM, and check it for me?

S

ScratchyBoyAuthor

Known Participant

Scratchy,

You may have used other DTP products, but FM is quite a different beast in it's underlying design. Until you start using it, you really won't know what to expect at times. As far as the differences between versions, except for the use of Unicode introduced with FM8 and a whole whack of things on the structured side (XML, DITA and all that other stuff), the underlying page layout engine is the same for all versions (including 9). Consequently, an answer to your question about differences is totally irrelevant to your stated requirements, i.e. all versions have the same capabilities for multi-column layouts.

The caution about older versions should be heeded. The Adobe Licensing Server has a big memory and you may end up out of pocket.

The only way to decide if a tool is applicable for the task is to put it to the task. If you already have FM8, then try out the suggestions and see if you can work with it. If not keep looking. Have you looked at LaTex and its multi-column capabilities?

Thanks Arnis -- again, very helpful information. But I can't "try out" FM8 because of the limitation I stated at the outset, it requires SP2 installed, and my book writing system can't have that -- which is why I am asking you experts this question. I can get a good feel for FM's abilities based on your expert input, and my experience tells me that I will find exactly what you say, except the product will be at first very hostile to deal with, as you've implied. Can Frame Maker handle javascript scripts like InDesign? This is not necessary, but just a question .... BTW, Latex is not feasible for WYSIWYG writing.

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