Graphics in lines of text

["Hughes, Linda" <Linda -dot- Hughes -at- respironics -dot- com>]

>>
Patrick Brady wrote:
We use FrameMaker 6.0 to create our user manuals and documentation. 
Recently, a marketing person suggested we insert a small thumbnail in the
text of the actual button that a user pushes.  So, instead of "Press
Enter," it would be "Press (then you'd see the graphic of the key)". He
wants this throughout our manuals. We're resisting this request.  First,
it plays havoc with line spacing; we don't think our users need it (the
marketing person is telling us about 'eye movement' studies, and saying
how much easier it is to comprehend); and, since many of our manuals are
translated, we fear major problems if we insert graphics within the text.

Does anyone have experience with this?  Can you give us any advice?
>>



Hi Patrick:

We do this in many of our manuals (Frame 7.0). Most keys on medical monitoring devices are symbols, so it makes sense for us. Good and bad...eh. Initial file setup can be a pain. Lots of inline, anchored frames. Graphics must be linked, not embedded. Not difficult, not even very time-consuming, just occasionally tedious.

Once it's done though, maintenance is simple, even for translations (Note: I am a translation coordinator, as well as Sr. TW). When I send Frame files out to our translation house, they are converted to [a Word-compatible format], which works well with Trados, then converted back to Frame. After the conversion, the DTP people clean up any Frame formatting issues and... here's the important part... replace the English set of graphics (the entire folder), with a new set that I've supplied.

In fact, there can be an advantage to this during the translation process. Say you have the aforementioned "Enter" key. When a manual is translated, either you can replace all the linked key graphics--a very controllable process--or you will need to supply the translators with the translated key names in every language so they can replace every instance of that word in the text--a good opportunity for human error.

The question is whether you have the resources to devote to 1.) creating and maintaining button bitmaps, 2.) placing dozens of anchored frames all over your docs, and 3.) supplying multiple graphics sets to your translators.

Having said all that, in my opinion inline graphics are more suitable for symbol keys. If the button the user presses has text on it, i.e. the Enter key says "Enter", there's not much point in the whole exercise. Inline graphics might look cool to the Marketing eye, but they'll definitely reduce readability.

Lastly, you mentioned line spacing issues. Inserting a button graphic, inside an anchored frame, into the text won't play havoc with line spacing if you open Paragraph Designer >Basic and set line spacing to Fixed.

HTH,

Linda

---------------------
Linda Hughes
Respironics Novametrix, LLC.

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