FM9 Newbie looking for best self training tools

[Jeff Coatsworth]

I would recommend the excellent manual "Publishing Fundamentals: Unstructured Framemaker 8" by Sarah O'Keefe - available through the Scriptorium website (www.scriptorium.com) for less than $20. Even though the interface has changed in FM9, the same actions that are described in FM8 in the book still work in 9. It's a great starter book for beginners (I'm one of them too).  

-----Original Message-----
From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of N Collins
Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2010 12:24 PM
To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: FM9 Newbie looking for best self training tools

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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