FM9 Newbie looking for best self training tools

[Shmuel Wolfson]

Word uses Paragraph and Character Styles - Frame uses Paragraph and 
Character Tags. You define Tags in the Paragraph or Character Designer 
(Format > Paragraph/Character > Designer).

A Marker is a thick T that stores hidden information, such as an index 
entry or hidden text. Frame automatically adds a Marker at the 
destination of a cross-reference, when you create the cross-reference.

Frame is a good tool. It's not as easy to learn as Word, but it is more 
powerful. I recommend sticking with unstructured for now. There is a lot 
of single-sourcing you can do with unstructured, including the task you 
were given to do.

To do the task below, create a new book (File > New > Book), then add 
files to the book (Add > Files). You can create several books, sharing 
some of the same files. In Frame, you usually work with several files in 
a book. You can then add a TOC (Add > Table of Contents). Formatting the 
TOC is one of the annoying things in Frame. Use on of your books for 
that, or import the Reference Pages from another TOC (File > Import > 
Formats).

Any other questions, just ask.

Regards,
Shmuel Wolfson
Technical Writer
052-763-7133


On 11-Jul-10 7:24 PM, N Collins wrote:
> Hi!
>
> I'm still using the trial version and need to make a recommendation to a
> client on if FrameMaker is the right tool for their system instruction
> manuals.  Client has a job shop and sells many unique system configurations
> made from standard components to private and government clients.  The idea
> is to quickly assemble a unique manual for each system order shipped.  If I
> recommend FM, then client will buy FM and pay for training for several
> users.  The client is biased against Word, and frankly for any
> document larger than 50 pages, I agree.  Word gets tangled on itself over
> large files.
>
> I've never used FM before and trying to learn 9.0.  I'm an advanced user of
> Word, in Windows 7 (technical writer using Word for over 15 years).  I
> bought and went through most of "Classroom in a Book" for FM9, but I'm
> stumbling over the vocabulary (things like Headings versus Markers don't
> seem to be 1:1 meanings, for example).  Dummies books have always given me a
> great head start, but the only one out there I can find is Framemaker 5.5
> for Dummies.  My thought is that Dummies/FM 5.5 could at least help me
> understand how FM "works/thinks", achieve a rudimentary glossary, so then I
> can use other FM training tools.
>
> What I'm tasked to do is to create multiple individual files with unique
> content, and create various manuals with different file combinations - each
> manual with a table of contents and index and automatic page numbering.  I
> think I'm supposed to learn unstructured first in order to do this?  Or do I
> need to learn structured first and make some master templates?  Any
> suggestions or perhaps anyone care to send me an example to play with?
> Maybe I should forget about FrameMaker and try something else?  I'm open to
> your suggestions.
>
> Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Corrie in Tempe, AZ
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