framers Digest, Vol 81, Issue 24

[Ed Lightle]

Hi, Kate.

For years, I have used unstructured FrameMaker and WebWorks ePublisher to generate online help (context-sensitive) and printed manuals from the same FrameMaker source files.  I like it because I don't have to worry about CSS's, just map my FrameMaker paragraph tags to WebWorks styles.  I know that doesn't help with your immediate problem but I just wanted you to know that the Frame/Webworks option is out there.

Cheers,

Ed Lightle
Sr. Technical Writer
614-799-0600 Ext. 5225

Command Alkon
5168 Blazer Parkway | Dublin, Ohio 43017-1339
Tel: +1 (614) 799-6650  Ext. 1222 | www.commandalkon.com

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2012 09:36:21 -0400
From: Katelyn Cummings <krc at terrasim.com>
To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: Single sourcing in the new TCS3
Message-ID: <500D5355.1030107 at terrasim.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Hello Framers!

I work for a relatively small company, and unfortunately I am relatively new to both RoboHelp and FrameMaker. My company wants to switch to having our online help and our user's manual to be essentially the same. 
They have thought about using the single sourcing available in TCS2. I have been having some problems with the single sourcing and wanted to see if anyone has had similar problems.

1) So, first of all, is anyone out there using the interactive linking to single source between FrameMaker and RoboHelp? And if so, what kind of problems have you run into? I have run into issues with formatting. 
Sometimes it just does not accept the CSS I have written even though I know the code is fine. I also have had problems with pictures as well as issues with the links crossing over. Is this a problem with the stylesheets, which I have had difficulty editing? Or is it a problem with how the original FrameMaker documents were created? Am I just an inexperienced user?  I realize you do not know for sure because you are not here with me, but if you had any insights about known issues or common problems with the single sourcing, that would be helpful.

2) Has anyone switch from TCS2 to TCS3 or TCS3.5 for single sourcing purposes and if so, why? I have been trying to determine the pros and cons, but as far as I can tell, there is not a lot of enhanced capability.

Any help that you all could give me would be very much appreciated.

Best,
Kate

-- 

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Katelyn Cummings
Corporate Communications               TerraSim, Inc.
One Gateway Center, Suite 2050         (412) 232-3646  EXT 23
420 Fort Duquesne Blvd                 (412) 232-3649 (FAX)
Pittsburgh, PA 15222                   krc at terrasim.com
http://www.terrasim.com
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