Framemaker export and import xml files

[mariovalerio]

Hi to all,

I have a structured FM book in english language.

The client exports all FM files to xml to use in cat tools to translate.

I have one of these chapters translated and I'm trying to open it in FM again.

I want to have the same layout, formatting, rules, xrefs, and so on of the source files in translated ones.

It's enough to:

- open xml in FM

- Import formats (all?) from the correspondent source file

- Import element definitions from the correspondent source file.

Because doing these steps it alerts me with some validation errors (only for some title tags). And the master page usage, some xrefs, etc is not exactly the same.

Other question: Could I change paragraph styles option, like I'm used to do in not structured FM files with translation process? For example, when I open a German translated file, with text longer than English source, could I decide to reduce font size? Because it alerts me than it could be dangerous in structured fm files.

Thanks.

Ciao, Mario

[frameexpert]

The main reason for the warning is that formatting can be done in the EDD so any formatting you do in FrameMaker can be lost if you reimport element definitions. Or, if you have a structured application, a template will be used when you open an XML file; that means any changes to a particular document will be lost if you open the XML file again.

It looks like in your workflow, you are importing formats and element definitions manually instead of using a structured application that automatically applies a template. Any changes that you make to a particular document will need to be applied to any template that you are using so that all of your documents are consistent.

[mariovalerio]

Thanks for your answer.

So, if I'm sure that I not have to reimport element definitions, I could update paragraph styles. Is right?

Beacause, in other way, I have to update styles in EDD, but it's not so simple for me.

Yes, I'm importing formats and elements, manually. How could I use an application? Peraphs specifying Dita application when I open xml files? But text formatting is specified in the EDD of the source document, so how could I import or syncronize styles, master pages, ecc. in opened xml files?

Thanks.

[frameexpert]

What you really need is your client's FrameMaker structured application. That would include their structapps.fm XMLApplication entry and their templates, read/write rules, DTD, etc.

[mariovalerio]

Ok, so it's not enough to have source fm files? From these files I could extract the dtd. It's not enough?

Could you explain me what should be the steps, if I will have all what you tell about?

Or to advice me framemaker help topics about this or other whitepapers, etc?

Thanks.

[frameexpert]

Hi Mario, I don't have time to do it here, but we could schedule a web meeting and I can walk you through it. It would have to be next week. rick at frameexpert dot com