Update 5 for FrameMaker (September 2022 release) is now available!

[Nandini Krishna]

Hi All,

We are pleased to share that the Update 5 for FrameMaker (September  2022 release) with Version: 17.0.5.725 is now available.

Update 5 of FrameMaker (September 2022 release) includes critical security fixes, library upgrades, and improvements to the AEM Connector and HTML publishing. 

For a complete list of fixed issues, visit the Fixed issues article.

Updated User Guide - HTML | PDF

Note - Due to library updates, a new  FDK is also being released. Custom plugins will need to be recompiled using this new FDK.  It can be downloaded from this page. 

Please let us know in case of any questions/issues.

Thanks,

FrameMaker Team

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Thank you!.

Just a note--When Frame opens, it lists the version and if it's up to date. Mine always says "Up to date". However, when I go to the Help menu and check for Updates, it shows one is available. I would suggest either fixing the home screen in Frame or removing the version check from it. 

(This is after I manually checked for updates, so the version is the new one.)

[Russ Ward]

Hi. Can you tell us if plugins recompiled for update 5 will function with all previous versions of FrameMaker 2022?

[Russ Ward]

Hi @Nandini Krishna , you offered to take questions and this is an important one. What is the compatibility of plugins compiled with update 5, with regard to update 4 and earlier? Preliminary testing seems to indicate that update 5 plugins work with at least update 4, but given the scope and frequency of these changes, I really think that Adobe owes us some official guidance here. Thank you.

[Nandini Krishna]

Hi

Plugins compiled with update 5 FDK are backward compatible till update 4 only and not with the earlier versions. 

As a best practice, we should use same version of FDK as FrameMaker, so plugins compiled with Update 5 are recommended to be used with Update 5 of FrameMaker. 

@Russ Ward is there any specific use-case where you would compile your plugin with the latest FDK and use it with previous versions of FrameMaker?

[Russ Ward]

Hi, the use case is that I, like several others, produce plugins for the larger user base, not just ourselves. So, we cannot predict what version of FrameMaker a user will be using. It would be easy to say that users just have to update, but that is not reasonable because users stay with various versions for various good reasons. These compatibilitiy changes between updates make this difficult to manage. But in any case, thank you for the information.

Can you advise of the compatibility of FDK update 2 and update 4? For example, is FDK update 4 compatible with FM 2022 update 3 and below, or just update 3?

[frameexpert]

This is not an official Adobe answer, but I think FDK update 4 and 5 would be compatible for both updates, but not for 3 and below. Update 3 allows me to use older versions of FrameSLT and FrameScript but I have to use recompiled versions for Update 4. I am still on Update 3 and haven't tested the recompiled FrameSLT with Update 4 or 5.

@Nandini Krishna This is the first time I have seen a minor update of FrameMaker (4 and 5) require a recompile of plugins that already work for the major version (2022). This is what is troubling to us. As far as I know, there was no warning that update 4 was going to require an update to existing plugins. The developer community should be notified as early as possible that their plugins will require recompiling for a minor update. This would at least allow them to plan ahead.

I installed the update 4, restarted FrameMaker and FrameScript and FrameSLT would not load. Fortunately, I was able to go back to update 3, but some of us work on mission critical projects and can't afford to be without production workhorses like FrameSLT and FrameScript. To have them fail after a minor update is unacceptable.

[Russ Ward]

Well, I just had a user report that he can't initialize a plugin built with FDK update 4 on FM2020 update 2. That is consistent with what you are saying. I'm beating that proverbial dead horse by saying this but it just amazes me that we can't get any official word on compatibility. It is frustrating enough that there so many variations and that things get broken in an instant... but the fact that an official compatibility matrix (apparently) does not exist is unacceptable. End of rant.

[Amiable_problem16B8]

I've installed update 5 of FrameMaker September 2022 release 17.05.725

When I go to the File menu and choose Launch > RoboScreenCapture I get an error message stating there was a problem launching RoboScreen Capture. 

Prior to updating to this version RoboScreenCapture launched ok.

I'm on a deadline to update some course materials and this is my screen capture tool of choice. Any help gratefully received.

[T385801031lsz]

I've installed update 5 of FrameMaker September 2022 release 17.05.725. I can no longer hold the SHIFT key and manage the whole book, for example Open All Files in Book. Is that funcitonality no longer available?

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Works on my system. 

[Nandini Krishna]

Hi Amiable_problem16B8, 

We are checking this. In the meantime if you can inbox me your e-mail id, I can share a solution to unblock you.

Thanks and Regards

Nandini

[Lynne A. Price]

I have not yet installed the update. I just started FrameMaker 2022 and the welcome screen displayed

     Current version 17.0.4           Up to date

I then opened a file and looked at the welcome screen again. The message at the top had changed to

     Current version 17.0.4           Latest version 17.0.5

Clearly, the first version was misleading.

[Russ Ward]

@Nandini KrishnaCan we please get a compatibility matrix? There are 4 versions of the FDK2022 available for download. What is compatible with what?

[Nandini Krishna]

Sure @Russ Ward will share one soon.