Re: This old chestnut again

[eleysium -at- gmail -dot- com]

I store Frame files on SharePoint now, but one problem is that they don't
generate any version history. Every time I check a Frame file out and in,
SharePoint treats it like a brand new file - no version history for non-MS
files as far as I can tell.

I tried using Master Docs in SharePoint and it didn't work well at all.

JW

On Nov 15, 2007 8:27 AM, <WilliamFLawrence -at- eaton -dot- com> wrote:

> Paul,
>
> Having Sharepoint around does not obligate you to use Word.  I've spent
> part of my career as a Sharepoint administrator and frankly you can use
> it to do pretty much whatever you want.  If your source is in Docbook or
> Dita XML, or even in good ol' fashioned Frame files, just use it as a
> repository that you access through "web folders."  It'll look pretty
> much just like part of the network file system to your tools.
>
> The other thing that you can do is to use Acrobat Pro to run your
> reviews as "shared reviews" of PDF documents. Acrobat Pro knows about
> Sharepoint and can use it as a repository for the review copy and for
> all of the reviewer comments (which are stored in separate XML files).
> No worries.
>
> Also, there are third-party XML additions to Sharepoint that make it a
> true XML repository.  I've not played with them, so I can't vouch for
> their capabilities.
>
> By the way, I'll echo what everyone else has said about master
> documents: they don't work.  What does work (not that your management
> will allow it) is to use the master document feature in Open Office
> Writer to create the books from your Word files.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Bill
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+williamflawrence=eaton -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+williamflawrence=eaton -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]
> On Behalf Of jopakent -at- comcast -dot- net
> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 6:13 PM
> To: Word List; TECHWR
> Subject: This old chestnut again
>
> I've been looking through the archives for a bit now and I'm not seeing
> anything "recent" on this topic. The last post I found was back in 04.
>
> I know (in my heart anyway) that the list of gruesome horrors one can
> unleash by using Word's master document "feature" has almost certainly
> not gone away. I'm almost certain that I've seen queries relating to
> Word 2003, not so sure about 2007.
>
> The problem, Sharepoint is heading our way. That is NOT going to change.
> We'll deal with that. The problem is that one of the chief proponents of
> this roll-out is touting that because Sharepoint is so tightly
> integrated with MS Office, when we upgrade to 2007 in Q1, we'll be able
> to use Word to create xml-based, single source documents, relying on
> Words powerful master documents feature.
>
> Seriously, that last sentence is not (intentionally anyway) designed to
> be considered as a Bulwer-Lytton contest entrant. I understand that the
> "xml" that we get from a MS product will not truly be xml. I also
> understand that Sharepoint is not (without ridiculous amounts of
> customization) going to perform the CMS functions we will need to
> perform true single sourcing. I also know that relying on master
> documents to document combination is just stepping into madness.
>
> My problem? (sorry for the long setup) I'm trying to find a couple of
> posts that document the nightmarish scenario of relying on master
> documents to do actual work. I know there are 1 or 2 (maybe even 3)
> people who claim that there is a use for these (other than as a means of
> getting your writers to head for the exits), but I'm not looking for the
> outliers, I'm trying to tap into the main-stream, conventional wisdom.
>
> Can anyone point me to an article, white paper, post, etc. that will
> help me avoid this cruel fate?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> --
> J. Paul Kent
> 206-383-0539
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats
> or
> printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
>
> Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
> http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
>
> True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
> Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
> documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as williamflawrence -at- eaton -dot- com -dot- 
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> or visit
> http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/williamflawrence%40ea
> ton.com
>
>
> To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
> http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
> printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
> Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
> http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
>
> True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
> Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
> documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as eleysium -at- gmail -dot- com -dot- 
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> or visit
> http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/eleysium%40gmail.com
>
>
> To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
> http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.
>
>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.