Learning curve for FrameMaker

[Rene Stephenson]

Dennis and Scott make great points. I found the Adobe FrameMaker Classroom In A Book to be a great introduction, but it wasn't really until I started converting Word docs to FM docs and creating templates that I started to feel comfy working in the FM environment.

One important thing for newbies with Word background to note is that the multi-undo in FrameMaker gets reset a lot by stuff that you can normally undo in Word.

The only thing I'd advise is, don't be afraid to try any hairy idea...just be sure to try it on a COPY that you can scrap before doing it on the "real" project files.   ;-)   


ONWARD!  :-) 

Rene L. Stephenson


----- Original Message ----
From: Scott White <swhite at alamark.com>
To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 9:08:57 AM
Subject: Re: Learning curve for FrameMaker

I found the Framemaker manual to be very confusing at first. It was  
not until I used the program and figured out things myself did the  
manual then make more sense.
Now the manual is the first place I go and can now make sense of what  
is being explained.


Scott White
Media Production Manager
Implementation Coordinator
210-704-8239
swhite at alamark.com



On Apr 29, 2008, at 5:09 PM, Dennis Brunnenmeyer wrote:

> The learning curve for FrameMaker can be steep or relatively shallow,
> but it depends how how deep you involve yourself and whether its an
> avocation or a full-time effort. My recommendations:
>
> 1. Go for it with intensity and determination; dabbling won't work.
> 2. Get the previously recommended book by O'Keefe. It's extremely  
> good.
> 3. Find and use a copy of Classroom in a Book for FrameMaker 7. eBay,
> Amazon and Abebooks.com are places to look for used copies.  See eBay
> item No. 310027856687, for example.
> 4. Join the Adobe FrameMaker forum and follow the FrameUser's mail
> list. Read every posting whose topic is of conceivable interest.
> Begin contributing as soon as you feel like you can answer someone
> else's question. Post your own questions after trying your best to
> figure them out for yourself.
> 5. Find another user in the same boat or one in a slightly larger
> ship. Trade experiences and share knowledge to accelerate your
> understanding as well as theirs.
>
> Don't get discouraged. It may take several weeks to a month to get to
> where you fathom the program and can use it with some degree of
> self-confidence, six months until you feel pretty comfortable with it
> and it may be one or two years (or more) before you consider  
> yourself a guru.
>
> Once you understand the basic concepts, you'll find that the basic
> features are very intuitive and logical.
>
> Dennis Brunnenmeyer
> Cedar Ridge Systems
> *******************************************************************
> At 02:17 PM 4/29/2008, Linda G. Gallagher wrote:
>> Most are called plug-ins. They extend FM's capabilities and are  
>> very handy.
>> I use quite a few.
>>
>> There are also scripts that you use or create that let you do more
>> customized things with your FM documents and books, usually using
>> FrameScript.
>>
>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> Linda G. Gallagher
>> TechCom Plus, LLC
>> lindag at techcomplus dot com
>> www.techcomplus.com
>> 303-450-9076 or 800-500-3144
>> User guides, online help, FrameMaker and
>> WebWorks ePublisher templates
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com
>> [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Deirdre  
>> Reagan
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 3:09 PM
>> To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
>> Subject: Re: Learning curve for FrameMaker
>>
>> Also, one other thing:  FrameMaker has a lot of add-ons -- what are
>> these called?  Scripts that peope have written that you can buy and
>> use with the program.  I think I am understanding their purpose
>> correctly.  The equivalent of a macro in Word, I believe.  Anyway,
>> there are loads of them and many people use them often.
>>
>> Framers, is that correct?
>>
>> Deirdre
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>> You are currently subscribed to Framers as lindag at techcomplus.com.
>>
>> Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com.
>>
>> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
>> framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com
>> or visit
>> http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/lindag%40techcomplus.com
>>
>> Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit
>> http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>> You are currently subscribed to Framers as dennisb at chronometrics.com.
>>
>> Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com.
>>
>> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
>> framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com
>> or visit
>> http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/dennisb%40chronometrics.com
>>
>> Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit
>> http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
>
> Dennis Brunnenmeyer
> Director of Engineering
> CEDAR RIDGE SYSTEMS
> 15019 Rattlesnake Road
> Grass Valley, CA 95945-8710
> Office: (530) 477-9015
> Fax:  (530) 477-9085
> Mobile: (530) 320-9025
> eMail:  dennisb /at/ chronometrics /dot/ com
> _______________________________________________
>
>
> You are currently subscribed to Framers as swhite at alamark.com.
>
> Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com.
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com
> or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/swhite%40alamark.com
>
> Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit
> http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
>
>

_______________________________________________


You are currently subscribed to Framers as rinnie1 at yahoo.com.

Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com.

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com
or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/rinnie1%40yahoo.com

Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit
http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.