Re: Indexing (Concordance) Software?

[Dick Margulis <ampersandvirgule -at- WORLDNET -dot- ATT -dot- NET>]

Lee,

First, you don't say what platform you are working in. If I suspected
that you had access to Interleaf, though, I would tell you that a script
could be written to do just what you are looking for. (It would be a
bear, but with world enough and time, it would eventually produce your
index.)

However, I suspect you are not running Interleaf. As I generally got the
best grades, when I was in school, when I decided _not_ to follow the
assignment, let me suggest an alternate approach rather than answering
the question you asked:

Instead of producing the hardcopy index pages to be included in the
bound manuals, you could publish the manuals as PDF files on a CD and
use Adobe Acrobat Catalog to create a full-text database. This will not
give you page numbers, but it might actually be _more_ useful to the
customer.

Consider: You can get a bulk price from Adobe on Acrobat Reader CD's
(cheap!) that you can distribute with your own CD. (Check with Adobe.
You might also be able to get a license to include the reader software
directly _on_ your CD.) The Search plug-in for the reader enables the
user to search for words, phrases, etc. You can also include bookmarks
that get the user to the desired page range.

And all of this is short-learning-curve stuff. There are a few tricks
you need to know in order to put the index database on the CD so it can
be searched. And you have to write some short how-to's to guide the user
in the use of the tool. But none of this is insurmountable.

HTH,

Dick Margulis



Lee Daniels wrote:
>
> De-lurking...
>
> I am looking for a program that can use
> Word for the PC to automatically create
> a concordance-style index.  That is, to go
> through and list page numbers for every word
> not found in an exclusion/exemption list.
> Rudimentary, but better than nothing, which
> is my other alternative with this employer.
>
> I'm sure there's a solution out there, but
> I'm having no luck finding it.  The last time
> I used such a program was with WordStar way
> back in the Days of DOS. I have seen such
> programs advertised since then, but of course
> now that I need one I don't know where that
> might have been.  :-)
>
> And, no, before you say it, I can neither take
> the time to create a real index manually, nor hire
> an indexer.  Believe me, I wish I could do either!
> But I have come into the Project from Hell - you
> know the one, where doc was completely ignored
> until almost time for the release.  Date slips are
> not possible.  My only choice is to pull the scope
> in further and further.
>
> The only other alternative to a concordance is to
> release, for three complex products, large manual
> sets without indexes, a concept which I find totally
> unacceptable, if not downright irresponsible.
>
> C'mon, I know someone out there can save me.  :-)
>
> Thanks!
>
> Lee Daniels
>