single-sourcing

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twmarcb
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single-sourcing

Post by twmarcb »

I create Word documents that are coverted to PDF's for distribution. As a part of our single-sourcing effort, these documents are ported into a Help generation system that allows me to designate certain styles as dropdowns (and the text that follows is contained in the drop-down until it meets another drop-down style or the topic ends).

I would like to do something similar in Flare, is this possible?
NorthEast
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Kind of

Post by NorthEast »

rather than produce word documents that are converted to help, you could write the content in Flare and output it to both help and Word (for PDF) formats.
LTinker68
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Post by LTinker68 »

I agree with Dave's suggestion. If you have Word 2007, then you can create a PDF directly from within Flare. If you have Word 2003, then you'll have to output from Flare as a Word file and then convert the Word file to a PDF. You can also generate WebHelp or HTML Help from the same source files.
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andyr
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Single Source XML-FO >PDF and HTMLHelp

Post by andyr »

I can confirm that this approach works.

Our preference was for more control so we have gone down the XML-FO route (not requiring Word at all) with Flare managing contents and order of topics.

From Flare we produce HTMLHelp. PDF Help manuals and Training manuals.

This takes some investment (and investigation) to setup, but the dividends are obvious within a few releases.
Andy R
twmarcb
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Post by twmarcb »

that would be a good solution if I was a lone writer, but I have several independent contractors that provide me with the finished guide in Word format and I don't have the luxury of re-writing their doc in Flare. I'm currently looking at automated scripts to allow me to single source the content the way I need it.
andyr
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Post by andyr »

Ah. Yes, sounds like more of a tricky scenario, work-flow wise.
Andy R
NorthEast
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Ok

Post by NorthEast »

If the raw content must be produced using Word, then it limits things a bit more.

Back to your initial question, I'm not aware that Flare can convert particular styles in a Word document to drop-downs, as your existing system can.
forfear
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Re: Single Source XML-FO >PDF and HTMLHelp

Post by forfear »

andyr wrote:
Our preference was for more control so we have gone down the XML-FO route (not requiring Word at all) with Flare managing contents and order of topics.

From Flare we produce ....
Just curious, what is this XML-FO route? Is Flare used as a tool to manage contents but not author them? is another tool used for 'XML-FO' ?
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