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Not to sound argumentative, but On the Project menu, click New Topic seems
pretty straightforward to me... ? Am I missing something with the time
change?
I've got Flare 4.2 open and just did a search on To Create A New File and
got 777 results. We have a topic that explains creating a new topic and the
See Also list has a topic about Topics that explains the concepts, shows you
an example, and has a list of FAQs.
We at MadCap have been talking about the paradigm shift in our products for
at least 18 months - the time I've been here. We're holding free
tools-neutral webinars about tech comm topics and talk about topic-based
authoring all the time.
Can we do better in the docs? Of course. As tech comm professionals, we all
could do better and we all know that.
sharon
Sharon Burton
951-369-8590
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+sharon=anthrobytes -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+sharon=anthrobytes -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]On
Behalf Of quills -at- airmail -dot- net
Sent: Sunday, March 08, 2009 9:55 AM
To: Geoff Hart
Cc: Technical Writing
Subject: Re: Creating new "files" in Blaze
You know, considering that I'm an experienced tech writer, one who WILL
use the documentation to learn a new tool, doesn't it seem as though
there were several assumptions made by MadCap that "everyone
understands" this? If it's hidden, if I couldn't find that piece of
information clearly spelled out, if it didn't pop up in the search of
the help files, perhaps it isn't well explained?
Sometimes, especially with the conversion of a user -base to a new
paradigm, you have to take baby steps and explain the obtuse and assumed
procedures to newcomers that are used to a different paradigm.
As in "To create a new file..." and explain the differences, and make it
a searchable string in your help.
Scott
Geoff Hart wrote:
> Scott wondered: <<How do you create a new file in Blaze? When I looked
> at it I couldn't create a new file. I had to import a file from some
> other source.>>
>
> Depends what you mean by "file". If you're talking about the
> collection of topics (a project) that will eventually be compiled into
> one or more publications, you can do this right from the opening
> screen, by specifying that you want to create a new project. If you're
> talking about a topic within a project that's already open for
> revision, open the Project menu and select "Add Topic".
>
> As I note in my review, Blaze is large and powerful, and therefore
> complex -- but no more so than RoboX or any of the other big programs
> we use. Part of the complexity is that they do things differently from
> ways you might be more familiar with. Once you figure out where
> everything's hidden, getting proficient with the software is a matter
> of practicing until things become as reflexive as they already are
> with familiar software.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Geoff Hart (www.geoff-hart.com)
> ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Effective Onscreen Editing:
>http://www.geoff-hart.com/books/eoe/onscreen-book.htm
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
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solution. Author in Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word or
HTML and publish to the Web, Help systems or printed manuals. http://www.doctohelp.com
Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
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