Re: Questions about a 600 page manual

[kcronin -at- daleen -dot- com]

I think ring binders would be preferable for docs this size, particularly
with such a small publishing run (two users).

Linked graphics will probably work best, but you must be extremely
vigilant about file names and paths.

For a 600-pager, you are pushing Word to the limits of its stability. Are
there any logical sections that you could break the doc into, to make it
more manageable? Maybe 3 200-page sections?

If there's tons of chapters, it would be a hassle to create separate docs
for each chapter. But if you can break it into bigger chunks, that might
make your life easier.

For graphics, see how low you can reduce the color count of the images.
Many Windows-based screen shots can be reduced to 16 colors without any
major loss of image quality, which allows you to save GIFs with a pretty
small file size. If that can work for you, don't bother to grey-scale
(which is a 256-color format), just get the color image down to 16 and
then print in black and white.

If the client is going to continue to want access to Word files, don't
waste your time with a Frame conversion. If, however, all the client cares
about is a final hardcopy, Frame might be an easier tool to maintain a doc
of this size.

In this instance, you get to make a set of decisions that should reflect
the rather unique nature of this document and its audience. Weigh all the
variables, then make your decisions. Good luck!



 - Keith Cronin
_____________________________________

Embarrassment is never fatal, even when you wish it were.


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