#25834
AuthorIT: Creating Newspaper-Style Columns in Word 
How to modify AuthorIT objects to get newspaper-style columns in the Word output.
Bracey, Rhonda. CyberText Consulting (2004). Resources>Software>Style Sheets
#25836
AuthorIT: Resizing Graphics using JavaScript Code
My client wanted screen shots in their CHM, but the screens were very large thus creating problems when printing a topic. With some help from Dave Gash, I got the large screen shots to open at 50% size, with a function for the user to resize them to 100% either all at once or one at a time. The function also toggled back to 50% at the user's discretion. This solved the problem of large screen shots in the online help, while allowing error-free printing to occur.
Bracey, Rhonda. CyberText Consulting (2003). Resources>Documentation>Software>DHTML
#25833
AuthorIT: Time-Saving Techniques Using AuthorIT
A presentation about techniques one could employ using AuthorIT.
Bracey, Rhonda. CyberText Consulting (2005). Presentations>Documentation>Software
#25831
AuthorIT: Tips, Articles, Presentations, etc.
Various articles, presentations, tips and hints on using AuthorIT.
Bracey, Rhonda. CyberText Consulting (2004). Resources>Documentation>Software
#25832
AuthorIT: What's it All About?
As other Help authoring tools (HATs) fall by the wayside or the scuttlebutt about their demise gets stronger, one HAT that continually gets favourable mention is AuthorIT. Maybe you've heard about it, but don't know what it is or how it is different from traditional HATs. In this article, I cover some of the main features of AuthorIT so you'll have enough information to investigate further.
Bracey, Rhonda. CyberText Consulting (2004). Resources>Documentation>Software
#27071
Automatic Slideshow, Delay before Slide Advances
You are making a slide show which runs automatically throughout your presentation without the needs of mouse clicking or entering of keyboard. The automatic slideshow can be photographs presentations and etc. In every slide, you realize that the slide advances to another slide immediately after the last animation ends. The result? Audience does not have the chance to read your slides because it moves too quickly. You will need to make some delay so that all your slides will pause for a while before going to the next one. There are few ways to achieve this. This tutorial will cover two simple methods.
Tohlz, Shawn. PowerPoint Heaven (2005). Resources>Presentations>Software>Microsoft PowerPoint
#28057
Automating repetitive tasks in Photoshop can increase productivity as well as save time and money. Almost any command (or set of commands) in Photoshop can be recorded into an action to be applied repetitively to a single file or across multiple file. The most basic action will execute one command such as resizing an image or displaying a dialog box. More complex actions can execute multiple commands automating more elaborate tasks. When used with the Batch command and/or Droplets, these actions can be applied to multiple files at once, enabling Photoshop to do repetitive tasks more quickly than even the best-trained Photoshop user! When repetitive tasks in a more involved workflow need to be carried out between applications, then AppleScript, Visual Basic, or JavaScript can be used to create scripts which work with Photoshop. In the case of conditional logic (a fancy way of saying 'Make a decision!') when an action needs to be applied to some files but not others, JavaScript files can be written to fulfill this need. One word of caution when first trying to conquer actions - run them on duplicate files, leaving your pre- cious originals unaltered. As you become more Action savvy, you can kick off those training wheels, and batch away!
Kost, Julieanne and Daniel Brown. Adobe Evangelists (2006). Design>Graphic Design>Software>Adobe Photoshop
#28153
Automating Production with WebWorks AutoMap
WebWorks AutoMap is an extremely useful tool for performing unattended documentation builds. Out of the box, AutoMap can generate reasonable documents. By adding the power of scripting, the results can be amazing.
Bate, Simon. Carolina Communique (2006). Articles>Documentation>Software>Word Processing
#15092
Suggests several uses of Microsoft Word's macro capabilities to help editors improve their speed and consistency. Macros, for example, are customized keystroke commands.
Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2001). Articles>Editing>Software>Microsoft Word
#21298
Have you ever tried to create an index in Word? Were you dissatisfied with the options available in the dialogs? There are other features available that can provide you with a higher level of control over the structure of the index. This article gives you an overview of advanced indexing techniques; see Word’s online help for details. The menu sequences are for Word 2000; there are slight differences in Word 2002.
Unwalla, Mike. TechScribe (2003). Articles>Indexing>Software>Microsoft Word
#18792
Autonumbering with RoboHelp and Microsoft Word
Because of a bug in Microsoft Word (both Word 97 and Word 2000), it's difficult to number lists automatically. The Numbering Numbering toolbar button toolbar button doesn't work reliably, and neither does RoboHelp's Topic Text Numbered style. Even if you install Microsoft's SR-1 or SR-2 patch to Word 97 or upgrade to Word 2000, you are still likely to encounter problems with any complex numbered list formatting. As a result of these problems, many RoboHelp users have reverted to “manual” list numbering, which is both time-consuming and error-prone. Using the procedure described here, you can automate the process of creating numbered lists in Word and completely insulate yourself from the Word bug that has plagued so many Help authors. To accomplish this, you'll need to take steps detailed on this page.
#28284
Marktüberblick Autorenwerkzeuge für Online-Hilfen
Marktüberblick über empfehlenswerte Tools zum Erstellen von Software-Dokumentation (Handbücher, Online-Hilfen). Viele dieser Help Authoring Tools unterstützen das Generieren druckbarer Handbücher (PDF) und Online-Hilfen aus einer gemeinsamen Text-Quelle (Prinzip des Single Source Publishing).
Achtelig, Marc. indoition engineering. (German) Resources>Software>Help>Help
#30192
Baking up a Batch of PDF Files
Customize how Acrobat works for you by building and using batch sequences. The beauty of a batch sequence is that you can modify or run it as you like.
Baker, Donna L. Adobe (2007). Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat
#21601
Review: BAM! (Business Activity Monitoring)
BAM es el acrónimo de Business Activity Monitoring (Monitorización de la Actividad de Negocio), un campo emergente que promete incrementar la competitividad y la toma rápida de decisiones bien informadas, en la que la visualización de información tendrá un rol importante.
Dursteler, Juan Carlos. InfoVis (2003). (Spanish) Articles>Reviews>Software
#25425
Have a character you want to animate? Let Jose show you how to use your Illustrator art to create SWF animations.
Gonzalez, Jose Luis. Illustrator World (2005). Design>Multimedia>Software>Adobe Illustrator
#18648
The Battle of the Screen Capture Programs
I spent a little time exploring two screen-capture software packages and found out that on the surface, they're a lot alike. Both programs offer the garden variety of formats for saving screen captures (BMP, GIF, JPEG, TIFF, and TGA), and in both cases special tools for optimizing output are available. For example, when saving an image as a bitmap (BMP) using either program you can select a bit depth anywhere between one and 32.
Caldwell, Karla. STC Northeast Ohio (2001). Design>Graphic Design>Software>Screen Captures
#29314
Be Prepared: Fill the Gaps in Your Photoshop Know-How
It's next to impossible for one person to know the ins and outs of every single facet of Photoshop. With that in mind, we present three video tutorials to plug a variety of holes in your Photoshop knowledge.
Perkins, Chad. Creative Pro (2007). Articles>Graphic Design>Software>Adobe Photoshop
#21441
Nearly everyone has a licenced or unlicenced version of Winzip or any other compatible utility installed. You can do a lot more with them than just to compress and combine files into a single archive. E.g. you can "freeze" the present state of a project or use the CRCs to identify files.
von Obert, Alexander. Techwriter.de (2003). (German) Articles>Communication>Software>Compression
#18495
Benefits and Issues of Binary Localization
The process of localizing C/C++ Windows applications has evolved considerably over its relatively short life span. Due to the demands of fierce global markets, the localization industry has progressed from rather painful methods of localizing bulky and inconvenient source files to using highly sophisticated tools that allow for a quicker and considerably more efficient process of directly localizing binary files. Taking advantage of these localization tools and switching to a binary strategy has proven to provide many benefits that streamline and expedite the process of localization. The classic approach to localization involved translating hundreds of resource (RC) files and resizing dialogs using tools such as Microsoft Developer Studio. As newer builds of the same products started being released more frequently and translators' work became more repetitive, localizers started to take advantage of various translation database tools to help save translation time. While database tools with RC filters streamlined part of the translation process and allowed translators to begin their efforts sooner, it was still fairly tedious, time consuming, and error prone to resize graphical user interface elements separately for each build. Localizers therefore started to combine aspects of translation database technology and visual editing into tools focused exclusively on software localization. Currently, the localization industry is taking its next evolutionary step; leaving behind a tiresome and time consuming RC-based process for the quicker and cleaner process of directly localizing precompiled binary modules. Today's advanced localization tools promise to provide integrated localization solutions that allow translators and engineers to work directly with binaries saving enormous amounts of time and effort.
Syed, Sarosh. SDL International. Articles>Language>Localization>Software
#19529
The Benefits of a Job Well Done
A parable about the lives of a high-tech technical writing team. Ken puts his twenty-five years as a technical writer to good use in this fictional work about four people hired to write manuals for Xoom-tek. In the chapter excerpted, Ken takes a humorous look at RIFs and downsizings.
Wisman, Ken. TECHWR-L (2003). Humor>Documentation>Software
#28027
Best Practice Flare: High Definition PDF
Having introduced the concept of high definition PDF's output straight from Flare's source files with minimal post-production, we can now start to dig into the technologies that are used to produce it.
Tech Write Tips (2006). Articles>Documentation>Software>Madcap Flare
#23772
The Best Word Processor for Mac OS X
I would like input on the best WP for X, the best for the buck. I don't need a whole office package, just WP.
MacWorld (2003). Articles>Word Processing>Software>Macintosh
#19155
A Better Approach: Requirements-Focused CMS Selection
Your organisation is unique, and as such, has a unique set of content management system (CMS) requirements. There is also no single 'perfect for everyone' content management system. Each product has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, and distinctive design principles. Unfortunately, the selection process followed by many organisations doesn't recognise this, leading to the purchase of a CMS which does not match business needs. Selecting a CMS does not have to be a lottery. By following a requirements-focused methodology, instead of a features-driven approach, the right CMS can be identified, and the business risks minimised.
Robertson, James. Step Two (2003). Design>Content Management>Software
#29311
Better Than Ginzu Knives: InDesign's Pathfinder Commands
Every avid chef has little gizmos and gadgets, designed for specific tasks, that find their way to the back of a drawer and are then forgotten. Like those special tools, the Pathfinder commands in InDesign are often forgotten or considered too sophisticated for non-artistic types. Yet they can slice and dice and combine paths in unique ways that add vastly to the repertoire of the InDesign chef. Added to InDesign's other ways to mix up text and graphics, Pathfinder can help you further push the creative edge.
Burns, Diane. Creative Pro (2007). Design>Graphic Design>Software>Adobe InDesign
#20493
The field of technical communication is in many ways inscribed by technology. As a result, technical communication programs not only must provide students with a foundation in the theory and practice of the field, but also must give students some level of proficiency in the technology tools they will need to put that knowledge into service in the workplace.
Brumberger, Eva R. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Software
