Docs. Web Pages, and HTML

[Feeman Kevin SC2275 <Feeman_Kevin_SC2275 -at- SATGATE -dot- SAT -dot- MOT -dot- COM>]

     Hi Gang, I am not sure if this is the place for this posting or not.
     Feel free to flame me and let me know where this posting should be
     placed if this is not the right forum.  However, there is such a
     mixture of data here and my question does involve communicating
     information...

     Little background information.  I have documents in two applications:
     FrameMaker and Microsoft Word.  Previously, many of these documents
     did not have a table of contents, list of figures, list of tables,
     cover pages were also page 1 of the document with sections starting
     after the name of the document, no covers, and a variety of other
     issues, you get the idea.  This is not a flame to people who where in
     the position before me, many of the documents were constantly in flux!
     (Hi Bill B and Lisa M.)

     So I came along and as the IRIDIUM project progresses, I am creating
     new documents, and updating old, using the FrameMaker book feature,
     which works great!  Now, I have a cover page file, a table of contents
     file, a list of figures file (if necessary) a list of tables file (if
     necessary) and a main text file that contains all of the information.
     The documents are not big enough to break down into individual files,
     Section 1, Section 2, Section 3.

     I also have a web page, which is internal and I have my own section
     upon the server, where I can place those documents for the users to
     get to.  I can do this in on of three methods:

     1. I can just stick the main text document out on the server, create a
     link to it in my web page.  Then it is up to the user to modify
     Netscape's preferences so that they can autolaunch FrameMaker or Word,
     which I have been doing.  Right now, on the web page, I have a table
     cross-referencing the subsystem name and the document name.  The user
     just has to click on the doc name and if Netscape is setup correctly,
     the native application opens and presto, the main portion of the
     document is ready to view.

     2. I can translate the main text documents into HTML using Quadralay
     or other tools.

     3. I can create a PDF file of the main text portion of the document
     and put it on the web page.

     Well, here is the conundrum.  I want to put all of the files out on
     the web, with links and such, and not just the main text file.
     However, Netscape does not handle the FrameMaker book feature, so that
     pretty much destroys option 1.  I don't know quadralay webworks
     publisher enough to know if it will handle the FrameMaker book
     feature, but my main guess is now.  Would Acrobat Exchange choke on
     the book feature as well?  Option 2 and 3 are now gone.

     Each of these methods seem like an exercise in futility since I would
     like to put the cover page, TOC, etc. out on the Web page.

     I was given the suggestion of putting the TOC into a HTML file and
     creating links to the document. That wouldn't work because remember
     that all sections are in one text file and you would have all links
     pointing to one file.

     The only other thing that I could think of is two have a link to a
     page that lists out:

     Cover Page
     Table of Contents
     List of Figures
     List of Tables
     Text

     Each of those would be links to either the text file or an HTML file.

     What do you all think?  What, in your vast wisdom, would be the
     easiest and least bloody?  I am trying to minimize the number of
     clicks that the user has to do to see the document.

     Is having a small page with the five links a good idea? Do I sound
     like I am headed in the right direction?  Does anyone else have any
     other suggestions?  Am I missing something?  Has anyone else ran into
     this problem? How are others putting manuals, created with
     FrameMaker's book feature out on the Web.

     You can either email me directly or post to the list.  I will send out
     a summary if anyone cares.

     Thanks again in advance for opinions, you guys are a great fountain of
     knowledge, (despite the tangents and ramblings of mad men! :)keep up
     the good comments.

     A good day of communicating to you all!

     Kevin Feeman
     Technical Communicator
     Envision, Mesa Branch
     home email: kevinf -at- primenet -dot- com
     work email: Feeman_Kevin_SC2275 -at- SATGATE -dot- SAT -dot- MOT -dot- COM

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