Save FrameMaker 8.0 files to 6.0

[Jeremy H. Griffith]

On Thu, 1 Jul 2010 08:25:36 -0400, "Clara Hall" <chall at atgshades.com> wrote:

>I am doing some freelance work in FrameMaker.  One of the requirements is
>that the work be done in FM 6.0.  I am currently working with FM 8.0.  Is
>there a way to develop in 8.0 and then somehow save the files to be
>compatible to 6.0. Maybe saving them as a mif files?  Would that work?

To a degree.  You can save as FM7 MIF, and FM6 can open the result,
but it's not what you'd get from creating the docs in FM6.  Watch
out for numbering strings in particular.  FM8 uses Unicode, FM6
uses "FrameRoman" encoding (similar but not identical to older 
Mac encoding).  In some cases, for example bullets, you may see
the Unicode for the bullet rather than the FrameRoman.  It's
not the way I'd want to deliver work to a client if I couldn't 
check it in FM6 myself first.

>Also, does anyone know where I could get a copy of FM 6.0?

eBay is usually the best bet.  Try to get an *unopened* copy,
to avoid problems with software already registered to someone 
else.  Another, much more expensive, option is to join the 
Adobe Transactional Licensing Program:
 http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/volumelicensing/tlp/

 Adobe's Transactional Licensing Program (TLP) 5 makes 
 it easy to get volume pricing with no membership
 requirements and no agreements to sign. This program
 is available worldwide to commercial, education, and
 government  organizations and covers most Adobe desktop
 products.

You can then buy FM9 and downgrade to 6 (or any other
earlier version) with official blessings.  This makes a 
lot of sense for companies who already have large Frame 
installations and just need one or two added copies; 
they don't have to upgrade everyone (not financially 
possible in most cases these days) or else switch to 
Word.  ;-)  They can just get one or two licenses and 
downgrade to match the rest of their installed base.

Note that you *cannot* downgrade if you purchase the
copy of Frame any other way (like retail).  You must
use the TLP.

-- Jeremy H. Griffith, at Omni Systems Inc.
  <jeremy at omsys.com>  http://www.omsys.com/