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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Yes! I totally agree with using variables for version numbers, release dates, and the like, inside the documents – I was going to mention this too, but forgot!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Similarly, NONE of the files have version numbers “encoded” in their file names.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>But, since the files and book for each version are in separate folders, I DON’T have to put the version number in the file name of the book either. If needed, I simply rename the output PDF filename if I want to have the version number in the name.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>BTW, using variables works beautifully to update ALL locations where any bit of information needs to be correct, and easily updated for the next version, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>And, in some specifications, I use variables for critical stuff that MUST be “consistent” throughout the document. So, while some of my simpler documents have only a few variables, there are others (not <i>long</i> docs either!) that have near 800 to 1000 variables.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>As a direct result, the ability to manage variables at the book level using BookVars from Leximation (thank you, Scott Prentice!) is absolutely essential to me. This is my most-oft-used add-on to FrameMaker and heartily endorsed!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Z<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> framers-bounces@lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-bounces@lists.frameusers.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>David Artman<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 05, 2015 1:44 PM<br><b>To:</b> Tim Pann; framers@lists.frameusers.com<br><b>Subject:</b> RE: Basic question: Book revision best practices<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>HUGE subject, but I'll just note one element: <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>>> Now I want to make changes, so it will become version 1.1. What do best practices say to do? I assume save all content, TOC, and title files as new "v1-1" files. Should I create a new "v1-1" book file into which the v1-1 content goes? Or should the book file itself be version agnostic?<br><br>I'd recommend eactly the opposite:<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>* Do NOT use any version-specific text in FM file names.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>* DO use version-specific names in the BOOK files (as that's what the PDF will eventually be called; and renaming a PDF post-generation breaks inter-document links). Just make a copy of the previous BOOK file, rename it to the next version, and archive the old BOOK file (or not, whatever).<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>* Control ALL references to version in FM files with variables, that you can easily change them BOOK-wide with Import Formats (Variables only).<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>* OPTIONAL: Use Conditions to maintain version-specific changes: "Deprecated" and "New" are sufficient for most stuff and allow for highlighting changes in review; and if you need to note when/why, add a "Release" Condition in which you note (e.g., "[Removed in v1.1 per John Doe]" or "[Workaround no longer needed; fixed in v1.1]).<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>A more-complex Conditional version-tracking would require you to manage a lot more (i.e., you could end up with a nightmare of overlapping conditionality for persistent features with minor tweaks each release). If you are already doing something to archive (ZIP up and stow away, even) each version's full set of working files, it's trivial to roll back, and you do not reeally need such 'always-visible' deltas fwith a single, canonical set of working files.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>Again, HUGE subject, and I onl touched on the simplest method of maintining version history and simplify review for your SMEs.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>HTH;<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'>David<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>