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Becca,
Linda makes some excellent points here. Let me add to them.
When I started at my current job, I found a situation similar to yours. Lots
of custom manuals based on about 8 different product families (hardware).
Manuals within each family were slight variations of each other. All manuals
had been done in Ventura 4.2 (upgraded from an old Word Perfect system.)
When I started the OS of choice (on a PC clone) was Windows for Work Groups
3.1.1. Currently, we use Windows NT 4.0.
The other new writer and I struggled mightily with tags that had degraded,
files that didn't copy right, no way to conveniently copy multiple pages of
text and tables, no multiple window support, constant locking up of the
program, etc.
Because of political and other influences, I had to use this system to
create a modular approach to manuals supporting a new "modular" (modularly
constructed) and "configurable" product. The potential number of
combinations of features was dizzying. Well, I made do, but I wish that I
could have created the modules using Framemaker, which we eventually
migrated to.
We sucessfully argued for Framemaker based on sheer loss of productivity. (I
had to reboot 3 to 6 times a day.) We created a new template in Framemaker
5.1--eventually hiring a contractor to help with it. We then began to create
most new product manuals in Frame. We recently switched over to Frame 5.5
and are slowly migrating older manuals--including my modular project--over
to it. We again hired a contractor to help with these periodic
conversions--which has worked with middling satisfaction. I have never tried
a conversion myself, but I am currently investigating ways to do so. (Heck,
if nothing else, I can take everything to ASCII, import, and re-tag.)
I'd be happy to talk with you more off-line. (It would be nice to compare
notes on conversion resources.)
Good luck,
--Debra Kahn
Senior Technical Writer
Advanced Energy Industries, Inc
debrak -at- ftc1 -dot- aei -dot- com
If I were in your position I'd switch to another program. I've been
using Ventura for several years to create documents like you describe.
While Ventura used to be pretty stable, I'm having difficulties with
Ventura 7. Right now I've got a 200-page manual that I had to recreate
from scratch because Ventura kept corrupting the files after I converted
them from Ventura 4.2. I've finally got everything all laid out again,
but now I'm having problems getting the cross referencing to work
properly. From what I hear, this problem hasn't been fixed in Ventura 8,
either.
Aside from the bug factor, you might want to switch to another program
simply because Ventura isn't very widely used anymore. Most of the job
ads I see require experience in FrameMaker, Word, and PageMaker -- not
Ventura. It may not matter so much right now since you've just started a
new job, but if you decide to look for another job again in a few years
you won't want the interviewer to say "yes, ah, well, but we really want
someone who knows FrameMaker (or whatever)."
FrameMaker may very well be a good choice for you, since you say you do
a lot of extensive cross-referencing. If Ventura 8 doesn't pan out for
me, that's the package that I'll probably start looking at. In reference
to converting Ventura 4.2 to FrameMaker, I asked this question myself a
few months ago. Someone supplied a procedure for importing V4.2 files
into FrameMaker 4 or 5 -- look in the archives for Nov 25, 1997. The
subject line is "Importing Ventura Files into Other Apps". (Note: I
haven't tried the procedure myself.)
I have a lot more I could say on this subject but I need to get back to
that aforementioned manual. If you'd like to talk to me about my
experiences w/ Ventura, feel free to contact me directly.
Cindy
cmetzger -at- dukane -dot- com
>----------
>From: Rebecca Price[SMTP:beccap -at- RUST -dot- NET]
>Sent: Monday, June 15, 1998 9:46 PM
>To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject: Tools query
>
>I've searched the archives, and couldn't find much information on
>this.. I just got a new job where I need to assess the tools we're
>currently using and recommend changes (if any). We're currently using
>a very old version of Ventura (4.2) under Windows 95 and Word for
>Windows 97.
>
>My options are:
>
>1) upgrade to the latest version of Ventura
>
>2) switch to FrameMaker or PageMaker
>
>3) switch to another program.
>
>Our documents aren't large (100 - 150 pages) but are *very* graphics
>and formatting intensive. For example, there is extensive use of
>tables of contents, figure numbering and cross-referencing over
>several files (which kinda lets out using Word as our publication
>software).
>
>We make heavy machinery, and while there are some core products, but
>mostly everything is a variation on one of 3 or 4 basic types. In
>essence every machine produced is unique and therefore has it's own
>user manual... although much can be copied from other manuals.
>
>I'm not familiar with Ventura, although all existing documents are in
>Ventura... a strong argument for staying with it. But, I'm just not
>sure it's the most appropriate application. At the moment I'm rather
>leaning toward FrameMaker, but it's awfully expensive, and money is a
>consideration.
>
>Has anyone one the list any experience in converting Ventura documents
>to FrameMaker?
>
>I'm not looking to start a religious war, here... just looking for
>reasoned comparisons of the various applications, or suggestions for
>other aps I might consider.
