[Framers] Frame vs InDesign

[Frank Ripp]

New management is pushing for the overall use of InDesign for marketing collateral and technical documentation at my company.
I'm a long time Frame user, producing a set of software documentation ranging from release notes, installation guides, API guides, and a 160-page user guide. All are delivered as PDF files.

I've been asked to figure out whether or not InDesign will fit my documentation needs, and have many questions.


  *   Most importantly: Can InDesign generate good PDF files, with working links?
  *   Is InDesign good for large documents (100-160 pages), with TOCs, and lots of internal and external cross-references?
  *   Can I transfer my existing paragraph and character styles from Frame to InDesign?
  *   Can I import a Frame book into InDesign?

Has anyone out there successfully switched from Frame to Indesign?
Is this a non-starter for the type of documents I produce?

Any advice, thoughts or pointers are greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Frank Ripp
SR. Technical Writer
Pacific Biosciences
1305 O'Brien Drive,
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(650) 521-8315