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This presentation is a reworked version of a joint presentation with a customer at TCWorld in Germany 2012. It shows how the transition from unstructured documentation to the modern world of structured, XML-based and topic-oriented authoring can be made smooth, without interfering with the publication chain. This presentation describes a project that was done using FrameMaker 10 with its built-in ExtendScript toolkit. It shows how being able to mix unstructured and structured content, including a DITA-type conref mechanism, can be used to keep the system running while the materials are converted and pushed into a repository for reuse one by one. This flattens the legacy documentation hurdle that may keep companies from moving to modern authoring practices.
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CHANGING THE ENGINE WITHOUT STOPPING THE RICKSHAW
WHO’S TALKING ?
Jang F.M. Graat
Studied Applied Physics, Psychology, Philosophy
Worked 25+ years in Tech Comms industry
JANG CommunicationAmsterdam, Netherlands
Self-educated professional
Automating FrameMaker
THE PROBLEM
Legacy documents
Too much to leave behind
Still alive - worth $$$
Content Management
Convert or rewrite
All or nothing
Changed publication track
High up-front cost
THE SOLUTION ?
Non-intrusive conversion
One file at a time
Minimal style changes
Partial reuse options
Only when needed
Gradual transition
Content management
Using a custom repository
STEP 1: CONVERSION
UNSTRUCTURED ?
FORMAT TAGS
CONTENT + FORMATS
Before: structure shown by formats
CONVERSION
After: formats based on structure
CONVERSION
NO VISIBLE CHANGE
Before After
UNDER THE HOOD
Before After
PUBLICATION PROCESS
STEP 2: REUSE
Topics Maps Publications
CMS: ALL OR NOTHING
USING TEXT INSETS
Flow B
Flow A
MyInsets.fm
Flow Main
MyChapter.fm
STRUCTURED INSETSMyInsets.fm MyChapter.fm
INSETPLUS
DITA CONREF METHOD
STEP 3: MANAGEMENT
SPAGHETTI DOCUMENTS
CONTAINER TOPICS
task
steps
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
step
warning
warning
caution
caution
notice
notice
supply
supply
supply
condition
condition
condition
closereqscondition
condition
prelreqswarning
caution
supply
condition
REPOSITORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMFrameMaker 10 or newer
Plug-ins: InsetPlus, XRef Wizard, FrameSLT, AXCM
Built-in: ExtendScript ( based on JavaScript )
Repository files contain reuse items
InsetPlus pulls content into chapter files (text insets)
Chapter contains mix of reused and non-reused content
Authoring and publishing processes are not changed
ADOBE EXTENDSCRIPT
FILLING A REPOSITORY
}
LINKED TO REPOSITORY
ONGOING PROCESS
CHANGING CONTENT
CREATING NEW BOOKS
PUBLICATION PROCESS
Repository
CONCLUSION
FIT FOR THE FUTURE
THANK YOU