Adobe FrameMaker: Difference between revisions

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== Definition ==
== Definition ==


'''Adobe Framemaker''' is a wordprocessor that is particularly suitable for writing large technical documents.
'''Adobe FrameMaker''' is a word processor that is particularly suitable for writing large technical documents (thousands of pages) or books. E.g. O'Reilly produced most of their books with FrameMaker, but now are moving to a "pure" [[DocBook]] solution.
 
O'Reilly produced most of their books with FrameMaker, but now are moving to a "pure" [[DocBook]] solution.


== Discussion ==
== Discussion ==
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* Good multi-file support
* Good multi-file support
* Good HTML/XML export facilities
* Good HTML/XML export facilities
* Good support for crossreferences (Microsoft Word does not)
* Good support for cross-references (Microsoft Word does not)
* It's solid (e.g. lists and style '''never''' reformat randomly as compared to Word
* It's solid (e.g. lists and style '''never''' reformat randomly as compared to Word
* It prints like looks, there are no strange page breaks and such
* It prints like looks, there are no strange page breaks and such
* Headers and footers can be created easily (a nightmare in Word 2003).
* Headers and footers can be created easily (a nightmare in Word 2003).
* [[XML support]], in particular for [[DITA]]
* [[XML]] support, in particular for [[DITA]]
* Figures and tables including captions work (e.g. captions stay with the figures and they can float to the top or the bottom). In Word 2003 they can't.
* Figures and tables including captions work (e.g. captions stay with the figures and they can float to the top or the bottom). In Word 2003 they can't.
* The drawing program is not outstanding, but at least it's solid.
* The drawing program is not outstanding, but at least it's solid.
* Numberin works (at any level of nesting and chapter/section-based renumering). In Word or OpenOffice it does not.
* Numbering works (at any level of nesting and chapter/section-based renumbering). In Word or Open-Office it does not.
* It provides perfect PDF output.


; Negative things
; Negative things
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FrameMaker has been around for a long time. [[User:Daniel K. Schneider|Daniel K. Schneider]] has been using it in the early nineties already. E.g. I remember the day before I had to turn in my 500 p. PhD theses. I just sent it to the printer and it printed as it should. Totally hassle free.
FrameMaker has been around for a long time. [[User:Daniel K. Schneider|Daniel K. Schneider]] has been using it in the early nineties already. E.g. I remember the day before I had to turn in my 500 p. PhD theses. I just sent it to the printer and it printed as it should. Totally hassle free.


Since then, the product did not evolve very much. Adobe (after it bought the company) also let it die, but larger companies probably prevented that. Since Adobe started using it themselves (according to rumours) to write their own documentation, e.g. for CS3 things have improved.
Since then, the product did not evolve very much. Adobe (after it bought the company) almost let this product die, but larger companies probably prevented that. Since Adobe started using it themselves (according to rumors) to write their own documentation, e.g. for CS3 things did improve a bit.


Compared to older versions of the nineties, FrameMaker 8 has:
Compared to older versions of the nineties, FrameMaker 8 has:
* multiple undo (until FM 7 this wasn't available !)
* multiple undo (until FM 7 this wasn't available !)
* integrates XML (structured editing). Until FrameMaker 5 or 6 on had to buy an expensive SGML version to do so.
* integrates XML (structured editing). Until FrameMaker 5 or 6, one had to buy an expensive SGML version to do so.


However, there is still impressive list of missing features:
However, there is still impressive list of missing features:
* No real time spelling and synatax correction
* No real time spelling and syntax correction
* Lousy support for Docbook (the files look the same as 5 years ago ...)
* Lousy support for DocBook (the files look the same as 5 years ago ...)
* No XSL-FO support.
* No XSL-FO support.
* No citation/bibliography support. Third-party solutions exists, but are rather clumsy to use.
* No citation/bibliography support. Third-party solutions exists, but are rather clumsy to use.
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* [http://www.microtype.com/FrameMakerTutorials.html FrameMaker Tutorials]. A good meta list of FM tutorials.
* [http://www.microtype.com/FrameMakerTutorials.html FrameMaker Tutorials]. A good meta list of FM tutorials.
* [http://desktoppub.about.com/od/framemakertutorials/Adobe_FrameMaker_Tutorials.htm Adobe FrameMaker Tutorials] list (About.com)


* [http://justwriteclick.com/2007/07/24/frame-8-is-here-conversion-or-migration-from-unstructured-framemaker-to-dita/ Frame 8 is here: conversion or migration from unstructured FrameMaker to DITA]
* [http://justwriteclick.com/2007/07/24/frame-8-is-here-conversion-or-migration-from-unstructured-framemaker-to-dita/ Frame 8 is here: conversion or migration from unstructured FrameMaker to DITA]


=== Framemaker and DocBook ===
=== FrameMaker and DocBook ===


* [http://www.dpawson.co.uk/docbook/tools.html#d997e1901 FrameMaker with DocBook XML] (a user note)
* [http://www.dpawson.co.uk/docbook/tools.html#d997e1901 FrameMaker with DocBook XML] (a user note)
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* [http://www.io.com/~tcm/etwr2472/frame_index.html FrameMaker Resources]
* [http://www.io.com/~tcm/etwr2472/frame_index.html FrameMaker Resources]
* [http://www.soltys.ca/techcomm/articles/Essential_Resources_for_FrameMaker_Users.html Essential Resources for FrameMaker Users]
* [http://www.soltys.ca/techcomm/articles/Essential_Resources_for_FrameMaker_Users.html Essential Resources for FrameMaker Users]
* [http://www.allgraphicdesign.com/framemaker.html Adobe Framemaker Tutorials : Framemaker Resources & Links]
* [http://www.allgraphicdesign.com/framemaker.html Adobe FrameMaker Tutorials : FrameMaker Resources & Links]


[[Category: Writing]]
[[Category: Writing]]
[[Category: Technologies]]
[[Category: Technologies]]

Revision as of 17:49, 24 September 2008

Draft

Definition

Adobe FrameMaker is a word processor that is particularly suitable for writing large technical documents (thousands of pages) or books. E.g. O'Reilly produced most of their books with FrameMaker, but now are moving to a "pure" DocBook solution.

Discussion

Positive things

FrameMaker is solid and has some excellent features:

  • Good multi-file support
  • Good HTML/XML export facilities
  • Good support for cross-references (Microsoft Word does not)
  • It's solid (e.g. lists and style never reformat randomly as compared to Word
  • It prints like looks, there are no strange page breaks and such
  • Headers and footers can be created easily (a nightmare in Word 2003).
  • XML support, in particular for DITA
  • Figures and tables including captions work (e.g. captions stay with the figures and they can float to the top or the bottom). In Word 2003 they can't.
  • The drawing program is not outstanding, but at least it's solid.
  • Numbering works (at any level of nesting and chapter/section-based renumbering). In Word or Open-Office it does not.
  • It provides perfect PDF output.
Negative things

FrameMaker has been around for a long time. Daniel K. Schneider has been using it in the early nineties already. E.g. I remember the day before I had to turn in my 500 p. PhD theses. I just sent it to the printer and it printed as it should. Totally hassle free.

Since then, the product did not evolve very much. Adobe (after it bought the company) almost let this product die, but larger companies probably prevented that. Since Adobe started using it themselves (according to rumors) to write their own documentation, e.g. for CS3 things did improve a bit.

Compared to older versions of the nineties, FrameMaker 8 has:

  • multiple undo (until FM 7 this wasn't available !)
  • integrates XML (structured editing). Until FrameMaker 5 or 6, one had to buy an expensive SGML version to do so.

However, there is still impressive list of missing features:

  • No real time spelling and syntax correction
  • Lousy support for DocBook (the files look the same as 5 years ago ...)
  • No XSL-FO support.
  • No citation/bibliography support. Third-party solutions exists, but are rather clumsy to use.

Software

Various filtering software:

Links

(these need to verified !)

At Adobe

FAQs

Tutorials

FrameMaker and DocBook

Tools


Lists of lists

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