Best practice for anchoring frames outside text frame?

[Shuttleworth, Roger]

Hi James

I think your combined requirement for (i) graphics outside the column and (ii) a caption is problematic, for the reasons that you mention. I would
consider dispensing with the caption altogether, as the graphic presumably illustrates precisely what is in the step and is somewhat redundant.

In the past I have used the following:
1. For larger graphics, such as dialog boxes, keep them in the main flow, with an autonumbered caption. This is easily maintained.
2. For small graphics, keep them also in the main flow, but set to Run into Paragraph, on the right, with no caption. The step text will run around
them. They have to be pretty small...for example, a small section of the screen showing the control in question.

Of course, it depends on your page layout and the type of documentation you are creating. For example the type of arrangement you describe may be
suited to a quick-reference guide. In that case, I'd be tempted to forget the caption and use your first option.

Hope this helps.

Roger Shuttleworth
London, Canada

-----Original Message-----
From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of James Dyson
Sent: October 19, 2009 10:28 AM
To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: Best practice for anchoring frames outside text frame?

Good morning. I'm hoping your collective experience can help us decide
the best way to handle this. I'd be happy to send a short sample to
anyone willing to view this. Goal: Steps that need a graphic will have
an anchored graphic positioned at right of that step, using as little
manual adjustment as possible.

 

*         Approach #1 - One text column is used. Graphics are anchored
outside text box. Within the anchored frame, a text box is nested, where
an auto-number format for figure numbers is used.

o   Pros - Graphics flow stay with step during pagination changes, etc.

o   Cons - Almost always requires manual adjustment for vertical spacing
when multiple graphics/frames are on the same page. The graphic must be
manually aligned within the frame to account for adding the text box
(with figure # label).

*          Approach #2 - Two text columns are used; one is for the body
of the document, and the other is only for the figures and their
graphics.

o   Pros - Vertical spacing is nearly automatic. No text box within the
anchored frame is needed.

o   Cons - No true link between steps and their graphics. Must designate
the 'figure' paragraph style or the 'figuretopofpage' style to get the
right pictures on the page.

 

Thanks,

 

James Dyson

Technical Writer

KVH Industries, Inc.

50 Enterprise Center | Middletown, RI 02842

Direct Tel: +1.401.845.2416

Tel: +1.401.847.3327 | Fax: +1.401.849.0045

jdyson at kvh.com

http://www.kvh.com <http://www.kvh.com/> 

 

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