Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book

[Laura Fergusson]

Hi Tony

If I understand you correctly, I would do the following.

Keep all your files in the one folder, including three separate book files:

Book for Product A

Book for Product B

Book for Product C

Add the chapters you need to each book and conditionalise the content of each file as required.

(You CAN exclude chapters from books (in the book file itself), but I personally find this more difficult to maintain.)

Hope this helps. If you’d like more information about how we use this, feel free to contact me off line.
Laura




Laura Fergusson | Technical Writer | Exterity Ltd
tel: +44 1383 828250 ext 249 | fax: +44 1383 824905
e: laura.fergusson at exterity.com | w: www.exterity.com




From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Tony Marek (PDF)
Sent: 16 December 2014 23:18
To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: Question for the Group: Create a Conditionalized or Hierarchical Book

I currently need to create a new non-structured book in Frame 12 that will have one of three possible outputs (to .pdf).  I’m looking for advice on the best way to create and maintain the project.

To simplify the problem: previously we had the Product A user manual and the Product B user manual – maintained and distributed separately.  These manuals are each at about 15 chapters and 800+ pages each, with little or no overlapping content.

Now, my company has merged the two products into an optional third product, so that we have three possible product permutations (and manuals): Product A, Product B and now the new Product C (which consists of all of the components/chapters from both A+B).

So my question is: what is the best way to merge the two document sets so that I can publish Manual A, Manual B or Manual C (A+B), depending on the customer.

Should I conditionalize all the chapters under one book – so that I would only display and publish the appropriate chapters based on the customer — e.g. publish chapters set to Condition A, Condition B, or both conditions for Product C?  Or should I use the hierarchical book structure and then add/delete the subordinate book depending on the customer release?

I have no experience with hierarchical books so I’m not sure what the benefits or drawbacks are.

I could also simply add/delete the appropriate A/B chapters from the master book manually – but with 30+ chapters, this seems like it could be prone to mistakes in publishing the correct content.

Any suggestions will be much appreciated.

Thanks,
~Tony

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