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<DIV>Hi Laura</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>By "template", I assume you mean paragraph styles etc?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I think I'd deal with it by having two templates - default and custom - and importing settings from each in turn. I'd write the text with one template applied and then import the other to check it.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>You may already realise this, but if you've got 30% of the text different, you need to be careful about your conditional text scheme. It becomes a balancing act between readability (of your source fm file) and reuse. My very rough rule of thumb is to have no more than 1/3 of a "block" conditioned. Eg if more than 1/3 of the paragraphs in a section are conditioned, I'll make and condition multiple copies of the section instead. If more than 1/3 of the sections in a chapter are conditioned, I'll make multiple chapters instead. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Cheers</DIV>
<DIV>Rebecca<BR></DIV>
<DIV><BR>>>> On 28/11/11 at 23:48, Laura Fergusson <l.fergusson@codestuff.net> wrote:<BR></DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal>Hi fellow Framers<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>I’ve been making heavy use of conditional text in Framemaker 8 (unstructured). Up to now, all manuals for different customers have used the one template.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>I have a feeling that a new customer is about to request a customised template. However, the content will still be very similar to the other guides I produce for the other clients.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Is it possible to do this? That is, use one template for this particular client, and keep the default template for the others, within the same files?<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>If not, can anyone suggest the least messy way to proceed? I would say 70% of the text is common to all product variants.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Thanks in advance<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Laura<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Consolas">Laura Fergusson<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Consolas">Technical Author<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Consolas">Codestuff<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Consolas">Codestuff is a private limited company, registered in Scotland with number 261589 and having its registered office at Breich Pit Studio, West Calder, West Lothian EH55 8PL. Our VAT registration number is 829 9597 53.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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