[Author Prev][Author Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
[Author Index (this month)][Thread Index (this month)][Top of Archive]

Re: Single sourcing, RoboHelp, and Frame: Newbie

Subject: Re: Single sourcing, RoboHelp, and Frame: Newbie
From: "William Sherman" <bsherman77 -at- embarqmail -dot- com>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:26:48 -0400

The advantage to single source documentation is you make all of your changes
in one place and then pass what is needed to each type of output. This saves
you from the issues of forgetting to make changes in all documents.

About 3 years ago, I was on a project that involved creating online help,
which the development team decided should be in HTML help. They purchased
RoboHelp 7 and had me do the work. The compiled help came out well.

About 3/4 of the way to the first deadline, they dropped the bomb - we also
need a printed document in Word. It seems they thought that was easy,
having read all of the RoboHelp single source advertising.

Well, it almost is. RoboHelp's conditional text (everywhere, print only,
and online only) is a simple tool to use. However, the Word doc formatting
leaves something to be desired. While you can generate a nice Word document
that can be easily and nicely printed, getting it to match the company's
style was much harder.

After a couple of revisions, it became less work to actually keep two
separate documents - the Help document and the Print document.

During this time, I was fortunate enough to attend a conference call with
Adobe with our company. At the time, they didn't have a means to jump back
and forth with RH7 and FrameMaker. I thought that strange that one Adobe
product wouldn't work with another Adobe product but would with Microsoft.

Hopefully, that has changed on newer versions.


----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Hansen" <Keith -dot- Hansen -at- opensolutions -dot- com>
To: <TECHWR-L -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2011 10:42 AM
Subject: Single sourcing, RoboHelp, and Frame: Newbie


Hi,

My question involves single sourcing with FrameMaker and RoboHelp...

Background: I currently use FrameMaker 7 and RoboHelp 5 to generate
documentation. I currently do NOT use single sourcing; I know little about
it.

1. What are the advantages & disadvantages of single sourcing?

2. What software would I need to do single sourcing? I assume I can't use
Frame 7 and Robo 5... Would I need the Adobe Technical Communication
Suite?

Thanks for any comments you can provide!

Keith

________________________________

NOTICE:
This e-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is
addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or
otherwise exempt from disclosure. If the reader of this e-mail is not the
intended recipient or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the
message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly
prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please
immediately notify us by replying to the original message at the listed
email address. Thank You.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with
Doc-To-Help.
Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need. Try
Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
http://www.doctohelp.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as bsherman77 -at- embarqmail -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/bsherman77%40embarqmail.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.

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat



-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.1809 / Virus Database: 2085/4535 - Release Date: 10/03/11


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help.
Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need. Try
Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
http://www.doctohelp.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.

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat

Follow-Ups:

References:
Job searching in this time of attrition....: From: Robert Courtney
Re: Job searching in this time of attrition....: From: Pro TechWriter
RE: Job searching in this time of attrition....: From: Will Husa Documentation Solutions
Re: Job searching in this time of attrition....: From: Steve Schwarzman
Re: Job searching in this time of attrition....: From: Phil Snow Leopard
Single sourcing, RoboHelp, and Frame: Newbie: From: Keith Hansen

Previous by Author: Re: Help - my consultants cannot write!
Next by Author: Re: Help - my consultants cannot write!
Previous by Thread: RE: Single sourcing, RoboHelp, and Frame: Newbie
Next by Thread: RE: Single sourcing, RoboHelp, and Frame: Newbie

[Top of Archive] | [Author Index (this month)] | [Thread Index (this month)]

What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:

Sponsored Ads