FrameScript Tutorials: An Introduction to Writing Scripts

FrameScript is a lot like FrameMaker; it has a fairly steep learning curve, but once you learn it, you’ll find it a real workhorse. The best way to start is to read the FrameScript Scriptwriter’s Guide. And the Quick Reference will provide you shortcuts to learning the FrameScript syntax. This tutorial will introduce some foundational concepts of writing scripts that will help you get started.

Carmen Publishing. Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe FrameMaker

FrameScript Tutorials: Cross-References

There are two types of cross-references in FrameMaker: paragraph cross-references and spot cross-references. (There is a third type, element cross-references, available only in FrameMaker+SGML. This tutorial will not discuss element cross-references) Both paragraph and spot cross-references are similar, in that you have to insert an Xref object that points to a Cross-Ref Marker. The Xref object has an XRefSrcText property that must exactly match the marker text of the Cross-Ref Marker. Let’s start with spot cross-references, since they are a little simpler to work with.

Carmen Publishing. Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe FrameMaker

FrameScript Tutorials: Loops and Linked Lists

In the previous lesson, we introduced a simple FrameScript loop to process all of the paragraph formats in a document. In this lesson, we will introduce a variation of the loop, and the important concept of linked lists' of FrameMaker objects.

Carmen Publishing. Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe FrameMaker

FrameScript Tutorials: Navigating Paragraphs

Being able to navigate paragraphs in FrameMaker documents is an essential FrameScript task. This tutorial will explore several methods. For background information, see the Loops and Lists tutorial.

Carmen Publishing. Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe FrameMaker

FrameScript Tutorials: Scaling Tables to Fit the Text Column Width

Here is a simple script that proportionately scales a table to fit the text column that contains it. This script works with the current table but can be easily expanded to work with all of the tables in a document or book.

Carmen Publishing. Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe FrameMaker

FrameScript Tutorials: Styles for FrameMaker Graphics

If you are making a lot of FrameMaker graphics, such as lines with arrowheads, the thought of having to change them later can give you nightmares. Wouldn’t it be nice to have 'stylesheets' for graphic objects? With FrameScript, you can apply 'styles' to your graphics so that their properties can be globally changed.

Carmen Publishing. Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe FrameMaker

Free QuarkXPress Templates

Templates for Quark products to create newsletters, business cards, brochures, and other documents.

About.com. Resources>Document Design>Software>QuarkXPress

From Black Ink to Grey Matter  

This presentation addresses designers and documenters who develop technologies for human use. The content is based on an intensive 42-hour training package, developed by Communications and Training Inc. Course content and duration can be modified to meet individual requirements. One day interactive workshops are also available.

Hofer, Klaus C. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design

From Online Help to Integrated User Assistance: One Company’s Journey Beyond the Online Help Paradigm  

For usability’s sake, the development group at Strohl Systems created a navigational coach that embedded user assistance within the company's flagship product. Now we're redesigning the product and building it around the user assistance.

Marion, Craig. STC Proceedings (1999). Design>Documentation>Help

From Pen to Print: The New Visual Landscape of Professional Communication     

Visual design has played an important role in the historical development of professional communication. The technology of laser printing has reestablished the importance of visual language in functional communication, transforming contemporary document design and redefining its relation to the traditions of handwritten, typewritten, and printed text. During this period of transition, three factors will shape the new visual language: (a) the development of a visual rhetoric that represents design as an integral part of the message rather than merely as external "dress," (b) the rediscovery of aesthetics as a legitimate factor in text design, and (c) the use of empirical research--particularly context-specific research--to guide the document design process.

Kostelnick, Charles. Journal of Business and Technical Communication (1994). Articles>Document Design>Visual Rhetoric>Printing

From Purchase to Productivity: Bridging the Documentation Gap  

This presentation will describe an area of documentation that is often overlooked--that which covers the process between the customer purchasing a computer system or upgraded software and the customer becoming productive using that system or software. This information includes all that needs to be planned and accomplished to get new software up, running, and integrated with existing software. Unisys Corporation fills this gap with what we call 'Release Documentation.' This presentation describes the who, what, where, when, and how of that process.

Alexander, Bruce, Avis French and Elaine Randolph. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design

From Software Documentation to E-learning: Making a Switch  

Interested in making the transition from software documentation to e-learning? Read about some steps that will help you ease the switch and make the most of your new opportunity.

Malhotra, Dhupinder K. Intercom (2006). Articles>Documentation>Instructional Design

Full Text Available Documentation, Participatory Citizenship, and the Web: the Potential of Open Systems  

Technical communicators have become increasingly interested in how to 'open up' the documentation process - to encourage workers to participate in developing documentation that closely fits their needs. This goal has led technical communicators to engage in usability testing, user-centered design approaches, and, more recently, open source documentation. Although these approaches have all had some success, there are other ways to encourage the participatory citizenship that is implied in these approaches. One way is through an open systems approach in which workers can consensually modify a given system and add their own contributions to the system.

Spinuzzi, Clay. ACM SIGDOC (2002). Articles>Documentation>Information Design>Open Source

Full-Blast PageMaker  

The next best thing to buying a new system: getting the most out of PageMaker's performance on the one you have.

Cutler, Jim. Adobe Magazine (1996). Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe PageMaker

The Future Meets the Press  

Digital technology has transformed design, layout, and prepress; now it's beginning to change printing presses too.

Shuster, Robert. Adobe Magazine (1996). Design>Document Design>Prepress

Gameful Art

So, you think you'd like to get into Games development? Follow along as Sessions School of Game Art advisory board member Jolene Spry interviews Dave Taylor, independent video game producer and long-term veteran of the gaming industry.

Spry, Jolene and Dave Taylor. Design, Typography and Graphics (2006). Design>Document Design>Graphic Design>Games

Get 100% Accurate Copyfitting

In the publishing world--when every word counts--knowing exactly how much space you have to work with is crucial. Because Adobe InDesign® 2.0 and Adobe InCopy 2.0 are tightly integrated and share the same composition engine, content.

Adobe (2003). Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe InDesign

Get It Inline  

Inline frames in Adobe InDesign help you keep your text and graphic frames (or text frames or groups) sticking together.

Kvern, Olav Martin. Adobe Magazine (1999). Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe InDesign

Get the Most Out of Your Color  

Color can play an important role in technical documentation.

Copresco (1999). Articles>Document Design>Graphic Design>Color

Getting the Lead In  

Working with leading grids can make your PageMaker layouts faster, easier, and better-looking - and you don't even have to be Swiss.

Cole, Tim. Adobe Magazine (1995). Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe PageMaker

Getting the Most Out of Guides  

If you're used to other layout applications, you may be unaware of all the things you can do with ruler guides in InDesign. If you use guides in your work, read on.

Cole, Tim. Creative Pro (2006). Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe InDesign

Getting to Expert

The gaps in your documentation aren’t there because you haven’t consider a particular level of user; the gaps in your documentation are there because you haven’t considered how one level of user becomes another. How DO you get from Beginner to Expert?

McLean, Gordon. One Man Writes (2008). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design>Technical Writing

Give Them Printed Documentation, Too!!!

The current trend among technical communicators is a twisted form of minimalism that says the documentation should contain procedural documentation but little or no reference documentation. I believe that this trend is a disservice to our customers and tends to increase technical support costs because customers subjected to this form of documentation have little or no access to the information they need. If it’s not there, they can't find it.

Starr, Mike. TC-FORUM (2002). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design

A Good Installation Guide Increases User Satisfaction and Reduces Support Costs    

In its first endeavor, the new Customer Documentation Group at SABRE Travel Information Network has shown that it adds value.

Blackwell, C. Al. Technical Communication Online (1995). Design>Documentation>Usability