RE: Converting your shop to DITA - pain and pleasure

["Ole Andersen" <ora -at- dita-exchange -dot- com>]

Tom,

There is a number of very skilled people out there that can help you evaluate "the pain" and help you go through it. We are working with two of them; Yves Barbion and JoAnn Hackos and they can provide guidance both in terms of change management and technical solutions.

Please browse this list for further information. Yves Barbion had a very interesting posting on the technical side on May 30 - I've pasted his posting below (it's about Word files but it involves FrameMaker files too - and maybe the method can be reused for what you are trying to do?):

---ooo---

This is how I "convert" Word documents to DITA topics:

   1. Open the Word file in FrameMaker.
   2. Using MIF2Go, map Word styles to DITA elements (also nested elements).
   3. Save the FrameMaker file as DITA XML topics (this will also chunk up
   your big monolothic Word file and create a ditamap).
   4. Open the ditamap and the topics in FrameMaker, or any other DITA-aware
   editor, for example XMetal.
   5. *Validate and restructure the topics.*
   6. Upload your DITA content to a DITA-aware content management system,
   for example DITA Exchange.

Step 5 is particularly important because the original Word file was not written with DITA in mind. Therefore, converting Word documents (or any other "unstructured" document) to DITA always involves two steps:

   1. A "technical" conversion to valid XML, which can be automated to a
   large extent.
   2. Restructuring the content into the DITA content model by applying the
   principles of topic-oriented authoring, which requires authors who have a
   thorough understanding of DITA  and topic-oriented authoring.

Step 2 is often neglected, and then you end up with valid DITA topics, but content which does not really fit the DITA model.

I have a Flash movie that shows the main steps of the process I described above. If you wish to see this movie, feel free to contact me off-list.

--
Yves Barbion
Managing Director
Adobe-Certified FrameMaker Instructor

---ooo---

I hope you will find pleasure at the end of the rainbow...

Have a nice weekend,
Ole


Best Regards
>< Content Technologies ApS
Ole Rom Andersen
Director, Co-founder
Katrinebjerg
Åbogade 15
DK-8200 Århus N
 
Mobile: +45-4044-0553
Phone: +45-3696-0899
Skype: olerom
ora -at- dita-exchange -dot- com
http://www.dita-exchange.com




-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+ora=dita-exchange -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+ora=dita-exchange -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of tom -dot- kohn -at- kodak -dot- com
Sent: 13. juni 2008 15:54
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Converting your shop to DITA - pain and pleasure

I'm also interested in this topic, as we plan to convert from unstructured 
Frame to DITA over the next year....or two. Our first step is to convert 
active books into topic-based "information sets" and to start new projects 
as topic-based activity.

Thomas G (Tom) Kohn | Technical Editor | GCG WW Versamark Engineering 
Services | 
Eastman Kodak Company | 3000 Research Blvd | Dayton, OH 45420-4003 | 
tom -dot- kohn -at- kodak -dot- com | +01 937-259-3210 Office | +01 937-271-1484 Mobile | 
+01 937-259-3784 Fax | 
www.graphics.kodak.com 



------------------------------

Message: 11
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:54:55 -0500
From: "Guy McDonald" <GMcDonald -at- lgc -dot- com>
Subject: Converting your shop to DITA - pain and pleasure

Reposted because I wouldn't be interested in a subject line of "Eclipse
Help" either. Perhaps this will get a better response.

Guy
----------

If you use DITA, I'd like to hear from you too. Specifically,

1. What benefits (to doc process and your clients) motivated you to
endure the pain of legacy conversion?

2. What tool set did you choose?

3. Did you have to overcome any resistance by others? If so, what
arguments did you make to convince them to make the change?

4. Does bulk conversion really work yet (e.g. batch conversion of RH
output to Mediawiki), or is it wise to contract the work out?


Thanks,
 

Guy



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

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.
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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

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