What is each element used for?

[TOuderkirk]

Hello out there! I'm new to FM for a year now and have a long way to go.  I'm trying to figure out what each of the elements is used for. They are not named in such a way to explain to me what they are for and what will happen in my document if I use them.  Is there a table out there or document that will list out this information so that I can understand it? Thanks. -T

[Thread moved]

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

Hi TO,

Can you give some specific examples?

-Matt

Matt R. Sullivan
co-author Publishing Fundamentals: Unstructured FrameMaker 11
P: 714.798.7596 | C: 714.585.2335 | matt@mattrsullivan.com

@mattrsullivan LinkedIn facebook mattrsullivan.com

[TOuderkirk]

Yes, like a table that lists out in the first column, for example, how to use "<TEXT>", "apiname", "b", "Boolean", "cite", "cmdname", "codeblock", "codeph", "data", "data-about", "dl", "draft-comment" etc.  In the second column it would say in the "b" row, that this element means "bold" in the third collumn it would say "used when you want to bold certain text", next to "p", 2nd column: "Paragraph", 3rd column: "this element is used to create a new paragraph".

There are so many elements taht I don't know what they are or do. Such as "draft-comment", I figure it might publish in certain outputs that are not drafts, or only show up in a published output of certain draft types? But, I don't know what these rules are. I have trouble finding the correct EDD in all the support files. I'm not very good at reading an EDD. I have a difficult time figuring out which EDD (if I find them in the first place) is being used in the document that I have open. And, when you are in the EDD, they don't necessarily tell you what the word actually means, so the coding doesn't really make sense. Example: "ph", "fm-data-marker", "codeph", "msgnum", "parmname", "q", "screen". These mean nothing to me, and I'm trying to understand, but am unable to find a reference that is useful.

Thanks.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I think you could use some training in Structured FM - this forum you posted in is mainly concerned with Unstructured FM.

[TOuderkirk]

I think you are correct. However, all the training I have done so far hasn't included this stuff. Apparently the topic of Structured FM is so large, that there is too much to cover in the several days of training I have done thus far. Arg!

[yves.barbion]

just Google "Dita spec"

[TOuderkirk]

Thank you. I will rummage the heck out of this google search!

[ScottPrentice]

Hi T!

Since you've got DITA-FMx, it includes a DITA Reference on the DITA-FMx menu .. also you can get context-sensitive Help on each element while editing by just pressing ALT+F1. The DITA Reference will open on the topic that describes the selected element.

Yes .. this is the official reference, so it may not be as user-friendly as needed, but it's a good way to understand what goes where and get a general idea of what they are used for.

Cheers,

...scott

[TOuderkirk]

HEY S!

Thank you. I think at this point, just finding the right references is going to make a huge difference. I have been asking so many questions, I feel like I'm just bugging people beyond my comfort zone. And, I've been through so much training over the last year and being pulled away the remainder of my time to do the other aspects of my job, that applying it has left me wondering if I have forgotten more than I remember. I'd like to be able to find answers on my own at least part of the time. But, not having references and forgetting so much info that has been thrown at me all at once is exhausting. So, knowing that DITA-FMx does that, is MUCHO AYUDABLE (very helpful)!

With much appreciation,

T

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

Hi TO,

To elaborate on what Scott wrote, your questions are about usage of DITA elements. Along with the official doc Scott points to, you can look up other reference guides, or look for training specifically targeted to DITA users, with or without FrameMaker-specific implementation.

-Matt

[TOuderkirk]

Thanks Matt.

Sounds great. I hadn’t yet thought about that differentiation. I’ll keep that in mind when surfing for references.

Thanks much!

T

[yves.barbion]

Hi again T

(Ouderkirk sounds Dutch, are you from Holland?)

If you want to learn DITA, there is a lot more to know than just the meaning and usage of the elements.

You can read some good books on DITA:

http://www.ditawriter.com/dita-books/

You can post your questions in DITA forums:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/dita-users/

tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/dita-fmx-users/

You can watch some videos on YouTube, just search for DITA-FMx.

And, you can get some more DITA + DITA-FMx training to get you up to speed:

http://www.scripto.nu/en/course-dita-structured-writing/

(sorry for that shameless plug)

Good luck on your DITA journey!

Yves Barbion

[TOuderkirk]

Yves,

Go DITA NINJA PLUG!!

My name is Dutch, but I have looked as far into my past as I can without some serious digging in hardcopy archives, and haven't found anyone that wasn't fully German, and nothing that points to Holland yet. So, I'm not sure where it came from!  I do know that it means "Mother Church" or "Church on the outside of town"

Thank you so much for all the links. I am going to bookmark them, and keep on keepin on with the reading and learning, and debugging, and debugging, and debugging, and...etc.
Thanks Yves!
T