Re: Frame 8 outputs / pick a tool (set?) help needed

["Lin Sims" <ljsims -dot- ml -at- gmail -dot- com>]

There's a "Key Information" box in Help & Manual 5 that states,
"Conditions are not supported in PDF print manual templates. You
cannot use conditional text or any other conditions in these
templates." This is on the Help page for PDF template variables.

It's possible I'm misreading this. What I want to know is, can text be
tagged so that it is (or is not) included in a PDF output?

Thanks for the review of Help & Manual - I've never heard of it
before. It appears as if it would take me a little while to figure out
how to use it, simply because I'm accustomed to writing documents in
either Frame or Word. This has an entirely different approach!

On Tue, Jul 1, 2008 at 10:39 AM, Leonard C. Porrello
<Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- soleratec -dot- com> wrote:
> I've been using Help & Manual 4 for the past three years, and have found
> it to be a very powerful and flexible single sourcing and publication
> tool. I'm not sure what you read, but I use extensive conditional
> formatting to create PDF and HTML Help versions of several discrete
> docs, with different content in PDF than online, branded for two
> different clients, from a single source. H&M is also relatively user
> friendly.
>
> Leonard
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- c
> om] On Behalf Of Lin Sims
> Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 7:01 AM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Frame 8 outputs / pick a tool (set?) help needed
>
> New job, as in I started yesterday.
>
> I get to pick my tools.
>
> Outputs needed include PDF and various help formats, including
> context-sensitive help. Because of a multiplicity of configurations
> and clients, conditional text and variables will be in heavy use. Note
> that I have not worked much with help authoring tools--a brief
> exposure to RoboHelp and WebWorks is all, and those were both in the
> nature of a full conversion from a manual and occurred at least 5
> years ago.
>
> Document control via CVS/TortoiseCVS is possible to probable.
>
> Single-sourcing is highly desired (by me, since I'm the sole and first
> tech writer and if there's anything I hate is duplicating effort and
> multiple maintenance).
>
> My preference for source files is Frame, but I am having trouble
> verifying whether Frame can output to the help/context-sensitive help
> requested.
>
> Before I recommend definitively that we go with Frame, I need to know
> whether Frame 8 can output to all those formats by itself, or whether
> it needs auxiliary programs to do so. So far, I've been unable to
> confirm this on the Adobe site, although I'm still looking.
>
> Advice and suggestions appreciated, including alternate programs. I'm
> not married to Frame, but I need something I can come up to speed on
> quickly. The boss has come up with one alternate called Help & Manual,
> but according to its documentation, it doesn't support conditional
> text to a PDF output.
>
> Help!
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> 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
> Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- soleratec -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/leonard.porrello%40so
> leratec.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.