DITA file naming conventions

[Writer]

Hessiansx4, you might also want to look at this forum: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/framemaker-dita/messages

As for naming conventions, we name our files with a letter based on the 
topic type, all lower case, only underscores to separate "words", and 
use a "phrase" that is like an index term according to the content of 
the topic, not what manual it goes in. For example:

concept: c_widgets_description_american, c_widgets_description_canadian

reference: r_widgets_parameters
task: t_widgets_parameters_setting
glossary: g_widgets, g_thingmabobs

conref: cr_widget_daily_statistics (that might be a conref for a report name...we also use conrefs for product names)
map: m_productname_users_guide_print

We name ditaval files the same as the corresponding map file and store 
them in the same folder with the maps. For example, 
m_productname_users_guide_print.ditaval.


We don't use a CMS, so my (small) team shares a folder on my computer. In it we have subfolders to store different topic types:

concepts
conrefs
glossary

graphics
maps

references
tasks


It's difficult to answer your open-ended questions just off the top of my 
head at the moment (it's still morning here); however, other points you 
might want to examine and plan out ahead of your transition are:

o What kind of output do you need?
o Are you using a CMS? If not, how will you manage/share your DITA files?
o If you are using a CMS, does your CMS provide processors to create those outputs or do you need plug-ins?
o Do you have developer resources, or are you very technically inclined?
o What is your budget like?
o Do you have support from above?
o How large is your tech writing department?
o How much R&D time do you have to develop your projects (including setting up your tools to create your required output)?
o Will you have to create content/product while you are converting to DITA?
o Do you need to support other source format besides DITA?
o How complex will your DITA be, and do your tools support DITA 1.2 or only 1.1?

I can recommend the following software:

WebWorks ePublisher: Handles DITA beautifully, and if you need to create output 
while you're transitioning, you can mix DITA, FM (unstructured), and 
Word providing you have bought all three adapters (www.webworks.com).

Suite Solutions' Ditaval File Generation Utility and DITA Packager Utility: 
free, but invaluable 
(http://www.suite-sol.com/pages/resources/downloads.html)
Mif2Go or Dita2Go: for conversion from unstructured to structured. We also use Mif2Go to convert FM files to Word for developers and customers.


If you have specific questions, I'd be happy (to try) to answer them for you off forum, too.

Hope you find something helpful in that,

Nadine



>________________________________
>From: hessiansx4 <hessiansx4 at yahoo.com>
>To: "framers at lists.frameusers.com" <framers at lists.frameusers.com>
>Sent: Thursday, November 3, 2011 2:49:05 AM
>Subject: DITA file naming conventions
>
>
>Hello All! My company is in the process of transitioning from FM8 unstructured > FM10 DITA and are discussing file naming conventions. Have any of you had a similar experience (transitioning to DITA)? Any caveats you want to share about the process (what worked/what didn't)? How about file naming conventions? Any and all suggestions are welcomed!
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