Hi, colleagues
With this post I’m trying to raise the question of using XML (DITA) within Adobe Technical Communication Suite 2015.
I have experience with developing “unstructured” documents in FrameMaker, but I have never tried XML based (DITA) functional capabilities. Therefore, I’m a novice in this.
Pre-requisites:
- - Adobe Technical Communication Suite 2015
- - Bunch of FrameMaker 12 unstructured sources (books, chapters, and illustrations)
Tasks and Workflow:
I need to provide Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) with an easy access to documents I create, edit, and manage in FM. SMEs, I assume, should be able to check documents’ (files’) content, and suggest the content’s changes. Next, I should be able to review the changes, apply/or reject them (in FrameMaker), and finally generate a PDF file and/or HTML5 Help output (using RoboHelp).
I consider using XML format, because, in this case, SMEs do not need to have FrameMaker installed on their computers, thus they may use any XML (WYSIWYG) editor. (Am I right?)
In other words, there is the following workflow:
- In FrameMaker, I should be able to manage files, files’ content, illustrations, cross-references, markers, create, edit, and apply the necessary “paragraph” and “character” styles, dynamically update TOC, LOF, and IX files, manage “conditional” tags. I would like to use FM normally in this case.
- Next, I need to organize a kind of XML-based project in FrameMaker and generate XML files. I need to make sure that all styles, cross-references, illustrations, and so on are kept in such project. Then I will be able to share the XML files with SMEs.
- SMEs should be able to access XML files, review them and make the changes if required.
- I should be able to open the updated XML files in FrameMaker, review the changes, and correct them. Next, I should be able to update the whole book (TOC, LOF, IX, cross-references, page numbers, conditional tag settings, and so on).
- Then, I will need to generate a PDF file. I will also need to synchronize the changes made with the corresponding RoboHelp project (from the XML-based book).
- In RoboHelp, I should be able to import or update such project (FrameMaker XML-based book) and generate the necessary outputs.
Questions:
- - Am I right with the workflow I’ve described?
- - Is it possible to organize?
- - How is it possible to convert “unstructured” and/or “structured” FM book to XML-based book in FM, preserving all styles, conditions, references, and so on.
- - In FM XML Author, I failed to see any options for managing styles, illustrations, markers, cross-references and so on (WYSIWYG). Is that possible?
- - Will it be possible to generate a PDF file from such book as I normally do in FM?
- - In RoboHelp, will it be possible to import such book, and then generate different outputs?
- - Are there any resources describing similar tasks/workflows in details?
- - How should I organize synchronization of XML files changed out of FM with the files added to the FrameMaker XML-based book (if it is possible)?
Thank you in advance
Kind regards