Automating Frame/WWP Help and PDF generation

[Rick Quatro]

Hi Roger,

You can certainly do steps 4 and 5 with FrameScript and the included 
RunEslBatch.exe, which allows you to run FrameMaker/FrameScript from a 
command line (or batch files). FrameScript can create PDF files from 
FrameMaker, plus do anything else you need to do (import formats, set 
conditions, etc.).

Rick Quatro
Carmen Publishing
585-659-8267
www.frameexpert.com

Cross-posted to Framers and WWP-users
Hello All
My question relates to the software industry, so feel free to delete now if 
that's not relevant to you.
I was talking to my manager and developers today. We are looking into the 
possibility of automating Help and PDF generation in the software build 
process, using our present tools of FrameMaker 7.1 and WWP (v.7 and/or 
WWeP). The ideal scenario would be:
1. Build process fires up WWP (via command line/API?).
2. WWP takes Frame source files and generates Help files.
3. Build process incorporates Help files into build.
4. Build process fires up PDF generation from Frame.
5. Build process incorporates PDF into build.
I'm wondering if anyone on the list has experience in this, or whether it is 
actually possible in whole or in part. It sounds unlikely to me, given that 
WWP rarely performs flawlessly in my experience and manual intervention is 
usually required.
There may be other tools that could accomplish this (e.g. a DITA workflow, 
CMS, etc.), but before we investigate those I need to know whether it is 
doable with what we have. Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks.
Roger Shuttleworth
London, Canada

Roger Shuttleworth
Documentation Team Lead
Activplant Corporation
140 Fullarton Street, 9th Floor
London, ON N6A 5P2 Canada
Tel. 519 668-7336
Fax. 519 668-3227
www.activplant.com

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