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Subject:Re: Updating Hard Copies of Existing Manuals From:Jim McAward <jimmc -at- CHYRON -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 13 Jun 1997 16:48:03 -0400
Hello, Kelly...
I am faced with the page-replacement problem as well - my solution is one
that is somewhat more costly, but eminently workable.
The smallest unit I will replace in an update is a chapter; plus I always
replace the front matter (TOC, list of figures, list of tables) in its
entirety. Each chapter carries (as a page footer) its revision level, and
the TOC lists the "current revision" of each chapter.
BTW, my chapters are section-numbered, so if I am adding new stuff, the
chapter can get porkier without blowing the pagination elsewhere in the book.
I also revise all the manuals (and catch up with the revisions) at least
twice each year. I am not averse to "skipping" levels - let's say some of
the chapters were Revision C and others were Revision A; when I re-spin the
whole manual, everything goes to Revision D. This might violate the rules
of some deity up in in Tech Pubs Valhalla... but it works for me.
And - for all manuals, I maintain a set of release notes - for the last
minute changes that engineers just love to make. I used to whine; now I
realize that without last-minute changes they wouldn't be engineers, and
we'd all have to do without the Wonders of Science, such as electric light
and cheap peanut butter. So, I just accept the fact that there will be late
changes - and make a home for them.
Good luck!
Jim.
A few days ago, Kelly wrote:
>My company is implementing a new program in which we send our customers
>pages of information for each software release. The customer can then
>insert these pages into their existing documentation set (three-ring
>binder format). These pages will either replace existing pages, or will
>take the form of additional pages to be inserted into the middle of
>documents.
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James G. McAward Chyron Corporation
Manager, Melville, NY 11747
Technical Publications http://www.chyron.com
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"So many facts, so little time!"
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