[Framers] VSdocman Outputs to FM

[Robert Lauriston]

Most developers expect API documentation in HTML format these days.

If you haven't done it before it may seem like a lot of overhead, but
in the long run putting API documentation in the code and generating
it automatically saves time and helps ensure accuracy.

Seriously, take a look at Document!X. It's mature, powerful, and easy
to use. http://www.innovasys.com/product/dx/features_vsnet

And it supports reuse: https://www.innovasys.com/help/dx/reusingcontent.html

On Thu, Mar 2, 2017 at 12:51 PM, cuc tu <cuc2u at hotmail.com> wrote:
> Thank you for the suggestions.
>
>
> I looked at VSdocman with the developer. He has downloaded a trial version, so it is not a product the company currently uses. It is also a plug-in to VisualBasic IDE, which I do not have or use. His basic workflow is to click a tool in VS provided by the installed plug-in, and then fill out a form with fields for all of the content elements related to that one API. Much of this is duplicate content or reused in various context, like creating a syntax example. It looks quite cumbersome to use for anything extensive (estimating ~1000 pg in PDF form, and ~250 pg developed so far).
>
>
> I will have to be looking at new tools as it seems the content revolution is leaving FrameMaker. How are big companies really managing these workflows, however? What is happening is the developers are finding tools to add user content right into the source code, and then using utilities to provide full content dumps to tech pubs to process into final deliverables. It's all add-hoc and customized by each dev group. This is one developers solution to supporting user documentation.