Re: Single-sourcing a procedure for multiple uses

["Kathleen MacDowell" <kathleen -at- writefortheuser -dot- com>]

It sounds to me as if you've taken single-sourcing/modularization just
about as far as it can go. This type of task or situation could almost
be set up as a tabbed dialog box with drop-down options for each step
that would list the available content.

I wonder if you can do that with AIT. The only thing I know that would
offer similar control is the variables, with which I've had limited
experience. Is it possible to write macros or procedures and set up
GUIs in AIT?

I'll be interested in hearing others' suggestions.

Also, you do know about the author-it list on yahoo, don't you?

Regards

Kathleen

On Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 9:22 AM, Blount, Patricia A
<Patricia -dot- Blount -at- ca -dot- com> wrote:
> Good morning, writers,
>
> I have a writing challenge and need the wisdom of your collective
> experience.
>
> One of software products I'm documenting can be used with about ten
> different 3rd party applications. Each application currently has its own
> guide, and each guide currently contains its own distinct version of the
> same procedure.
>
> There are some very minor differences within that procedure, depending
> on the application you're using. For example, you would select the
> desired application from a list of all supported applications. In this
> example, I've genericized as many steps as possible, changing the
> wording of a step like this:
>
> From: "Choose <ApplicationNameA> and then click Next.
> To: "Choose the application you wish to protect from the list below and
> then click Next."
>
> Here's my dilemma. There's additional pertinent information in this
> procedure that applies ONLY to use of one particular application, not
> the whole list. In some cases, there may even be additional steps not
> present in that procedure for other applications.
>
> I'm having trouble single-sourcing the procedure to meet all my needs.
> I'm using AuthorIT. I thought about creating a topic from every step in
> the procedure and then stringing them together. That would allow me to
> insert extra steps and information as needed. The problem is formatting.
> AIT numbers everything as "1" unless it's contained within the same
> topic.
>
> I also thought about picking one application from the list and using it
> as the example throughout, but Management wants specifics in each Guide.
>
>
> So far, my rather inelegant solution is to store each step as its own
> object, then embed each object into a Procedure for each Guide. Embedded
> objects will still be modified across all books when the sources change,
> so that gives me some single-sourcing benefit. Plus, it allows me to
> insert the unique information between embedded objects.
>
> I wondered if anyone has a better solution.
>
> Many thanks,
> Patty B
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-- 
Kathleen MacDowell
www.writefortheuser.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ComponentOne Doc-To-Help gives you everything you need to author and 
publish quality Help, Web, and print content. Perfect for technical 
authors, developers, and policy writers. Download a FREE trial.
http://www.componentone.com/DocToHelp/

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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