Have FM File - Need to Generate EDD to Convert to Structured FM

Report · Aug 15, 2012

My client has a number of FrameMaker 10 files that need to be converted to Structured FM. I've converted and structured files many times, but I have a problem: there's no EDD.

I've done minor editing on EDDs, but never created one from scratch. What should I do?

Report · Aug 16, 2012

Hi Lisa,

Your client must have a spec of the structure of final documents. If they have dtd or schema, you can derive the skeleton edd from them.

Also you can use your structure conversion rules as starting point to develop edd. Simply create new edd (Structure Tools -> New EDD) and start creating element definitions. I usually do it top-down, starting from root element and create elements and their types, attributes and general rules (skipping formatting rules). After the 1. version edd is in decent shape, import the edd to structured documents created with conversion to test edd's functionality. When edd's elements/attributes and rules are ok, i start adding formatting rules to edd.

If your client exports/imports stuff to/from XML, you also need to create corresponding read write rules, dtd/schemas etc. and create the structured application in Frame.

BR, Martti