Getting into Condition

[Jeff Schweiner]

John,

If I understand your production cycle correctly, there may be an easier
way than moving files around and tweaking your .book structure.  I do
something similar where I generate 2 books (call them A and B) from a
set of common chapter files.  I use a combination of two .book files
(including corresponding separate TOC, LOF, LOT files) and conditional
text to extract what I want for each book.  This method minimizes
duplicate files (e.g. two Introduction files) and minimizes what needs
to be tagged as conditional.

A given chapter file may contain context for:
- only book A
- only book B
- both A and B

Each .book file determines which chapter files are used in that book.
Files that contain only A-specific content are included only the A.book
file. Files that contain only B specific content are only in the B.book
file. Files that contain content for both books are included in both
.book files.

Conditional text is only required in the files that are used in both
books A and B. Content that is specific for only one book is must be
marked with the appropriate conditional tag.  This includes using
conditional tags on my master pages for the book title. Content that is
common to both books does not have to be tagged.  

When I want to update/print book A, I select all files in the A.book
window, show A-conditional text, and hide all B-conditional text.  Flip
the conditional settings when building book B.

If I did not use the two .book files, I would have a lot more
conditional tagging to do.  It really saves a ton of work. 

I have not tried this with four books, but I assume it works.  I also
don't use Structured Frame, so I can't comment on that.


HTH

------------------------------------------
Jeff Schweiner
Hardware Engineering Writer
Cray Inc.
(715) 726-4801



John wrote:

<FrameMaker 8 unstructured>
After years and years of working with FrameMaker, I am finally venturing
into (for me) uncharted territory: the wild world of conditional text.
I am not completely sure I understand what I am getting into, so I hope
for some advice from this august body.
I produce three types of deliverables from a single source, and am
adding a fourth deliverable: Printed, OnlineDoc, OnlineHelp, and now
Training. So far I have managed it all without conditions. The Training
materials will have some content that is not in the others, so
conditional text seems the way to go. 

My normal routine is to finish the writing phase and then to movine into
production of each deliverable one at a time, moving the source files
into a series of output folders for each deliverable. I go to Online Doc
folder and generate the color PDF. Then I go to Print Doc folder and
generate the hi-res B/W PDF. Then I go to Online Help, change the book
structure around a bit, and generate help with Mif2Go. Now I am adding a
fourth output, Training Materials, which will be PDF workbooks with
another different book structure.

Does it make sense to have four conditions (listed above), each of which
is shown throughout the writing phase of the project, and then
shown/hidden as I produce each of the deliverables? 

I hope to move into Structured FrameMaker soon - am I making that
project more complex by introducing conditions now?

A Lucky Strike! Extra question: the trainer wants x-refs to books in the
printed doc set. I know how to keep live x-refs within the training
materials, but I really can't imagine a way to keep good references to
external books.

John Sgammato
Principal Technical Writer
Imprivata, Inc.
[v] (781) 674-2441