RE: FrameMaker Graphics

["Fred Ridder" <docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

Oops, sorry, it was PT's caveat in response to Ami.


>From: "Fred Ridder" <docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com>
>To: Sean -dot- Brierley -at- ipc -dot- com, techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>Subject: RE: FrameMaker Graphics
>Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:25:21 -0400
>
>The point of Ami's caveat is that using linked graphics rather
>than pasted-in graphics can easily result in incomplete documents
>unless there are good processes in place (and adhered to, which
>is another matter...) for keeping track of the source graphics
>files. If you lose track of a graphic file, all you get in the
>FrameMaker file is a grey box and your document is unpublishable
>until you either find or re-create the graphic. If you paste in the
>graphics, you're never left with an incomplete, unpublishable
>document, and it doesn't matter if you know where to find
>the graphic source file unless you need to edit it (which may be
>never).
>
>When our pubs group was keeping all our source files in our
>own Documentum docbase and were using the now-obsolete
>FrameLink middleware product to keep track of all the relationships
>between files used in FrameMaker books, we used referenced
>graphics. But once we had to start using the huge corporate
>docbase (which did not support FrameLink), we adopted the
>standard corporate practice of using pasted graphics in the
>FrameMaker source files so that any writer who accesses the
>book at a later time would be checking out FrameMaker file
>sets that were fully self-contained. (Graphics source files are
>archived separately in a zip file in case the figures ever need to
>be updated. Each zip file contains all the figures for a given
>edition of a given document.)  Using pasted graphics also
>means that we only have to check out the dozen or two
>FrameMaker component files (chapters) rather than also
>checking out dozens of separate graphics files, although
>it does mean that some of the chapter files are very large
>(I have several books with chapter files larger than 20MB).
>
>Fred Ridder
>
>
> >From: "Brierley, Sean" <Sean -dot- Brierley -at- ipc -dot- com>
> >To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
> >Subject: RE: FrameMaker Graphics
> >Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:53:55 -0400
> >
> >Well, if you move the graphics subdirectory from the FrameMaker
> >directory, then the link is broken and the image is not displayed in
> >FrameMaker. That is, not originals = no display in FrameMaker. An
> >environment with such a workflow might just as easily delete FM files
> >from the project, or support files from a WWP project.
> >
> >Deleting source files can be unhelpful. I don't think this is a pro or
> >con for linking files, just reflective of the organization of the
> >organization involved <g>.
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Sean
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: techwr-l-bounces+sean -dot- brierley=ipc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> >[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+sean -dot- brierley=ipc -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
> >Behalf Of Pro TechWriter
> >Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 12:46 PM
> >To: Ami WRIGHT
> >Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> >Subject: Re: FrameMaker Graphics
> >
> >One caveat: I can't tell you how many times I've had to recreate
> >Framemaker graphics as a contractor where they were (1) linked and (2)
> >there were no originals.
> >
> >Usually, what happened was the original writer left, and the files were
> >moved from one directory to another to another, which broke the links to
> >the graphics, and then the orignal graphics got lost.
> >
> >Linking to the graphics is a good idea, but deleting the original art
> >work is not. If you are short on space, copy them to a DVD or CD and
> >save them, just in case.
> >
> >Just my $.02 based on (mumble-mumble) years of experience.
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=hmtextlinkjuly07
>
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>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 docudoc -at- hotmail -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/docudoc%40hotmail.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.
>

_________________________________________________________________
Local listings, incredible imagery, and driving directions - all in one 
place! http://maps.live.com/?wip=69&FORM=MGAC01

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

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.