Re: Updating Hard Copies of Existing Manuals

["J. Shaw" <Jack -dot- Shaw -at- SAGUS -dot- COM>]

K. Halbritter asked about handling what I still call "point pages"...
those pages intended for inserting in an originally issued manual, and
often numbered "Page 3.A, 3.B", etc.

Assuming you have no choice in the matter, as far as I know Interleaf
requires you to split the changed document (usually a chapter, but
whatever) in two and insert another doc. containing just the update or
"point" pages. Then, the rest of the chapter continues as the third doc.
of the triad.

This is not fun. Better, you might reissue a whole new chapter. If the
pages are chapter numbered (3-1, 3-2...) this is relatively clean. If
not, make however many end pages in the changed chapter into a
standalone
doc. a la the above solution so that pages jibe with the first
(and existing) page no. of the next chapter. E.g., the change adds three
new pages in the chapter so make the last four pages of the chap. into
a standalone doc. with pages:
24 (last verso page of part one of the changed chapt.)
24.A (recto)  )
24.B (verso)  )
24.C (recto)   > These are part two of the changed chapt.
24.D (verso)  )
25  (first page, next chapter--recto).

This is only slightly cleaner than the split chapter approach, but when
the time comes to reissue the book with everything integrated, easier
to manage.

In any case, a new T/C and index are in order. And keeping a page no.
master index, if any, accurate is going to be like changing the wheel on
a moving car...

While I agree with B. DuBay's "never do this" approach (readers rarely
are motivated to insert the update pages, which leads to problem calls
to customer support and all that...), the solution of keeping track of
what a customer has and issuing whole manuals by cust. is sometimes
prohibitive. A management call, there, but your goal, as Bill implies,
should be to get away from this technique. In the meantime, try to:

1. Issue blocks of pages, including unchanged pages--up to issuing a
   whole new chapter if there are "here and there" hits to it.

2. If there is a lot of change activity, try to organize new manuals/
   full revisions to better accommodate the page replacement updates
   (small chapters for easy total replacement, leaving lots of white
   space, and like that...).

But as Bill says, make it a goal to get out of the page replacement
business--your patience and your cost planning people will both thank
you. Interleaf is NOT page-replacement friendly!

Whew. 'Nuf said...

J. Shaw

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