Single sourcing of Web/print dictionary--FMaker good choice?

Fausset, Marilyn marilyn.fausset at snia.org
Wed Jun 25 15:00:32 PDT 2008


I am looking for suggestions on single sourcing content of a dictionary
(currently in MS Word) into two versions:
- Web version (not PDF) with cross links between definitions/terms
- Printed book that is handed out at trade shows (very popular item,
sponsored by multiple companies). 

More info...
I have just been assigned a new (to me) project: maintaining our storage
industry dictionary, which is distributed in book form as well as on our
web site as HTML pages (by alpha letter) that appear within the normal
web page design (not as PDF). 

Currently these two versions are not really single sourced, and that
seems crazy, especially since they are translated into a few languages
(I won't handle that piece but want to facilitate it), and the
dictionary is modified twice a year. In the past, the source MS Word
file has been sent to a printer, who put it into Quark. Our web master
entered changes to the Web version separately for each modification
cycle based on the change-barred Word doc. Change-barred Word files were
sent to international offices for translation. I might add that I am
mostly editing--the dictionary is compiled from terms submitted by
multiple authors at multiple companies. We are a trade association and
vendor-neutral, also limited on budget.

Can anyone suggest the best method to deal with this? I've experimented
a little with FrameMaker 7.2, which is the version we use (not my
decision, may change). The file is basically just three styles (term,
definition, expanded def) with many cross-links between words in the Web
version. In the current Word source, intended links are underlined but
are neither xrefs or hypertext links. I am being asked to keep it in
Word for as long as possible for the time being. One issue is that
people at many companies may work with the files and submit terms and
definitions. Currently the book is 278 pages. 

I'm open to other tools-just need to find the right one! Thanks much.
Marilyn

Marilyn Fausset
Technical Writer
Storage Networking Industry Association




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