I am a new tech writer for my company and taking over MadCap projects from another writer, who is no longer with the company. Any tips and tricks how to get up to speed with how to figure out what he has done? I am also new to MadCap, so the learning curve is steep.
Most of the tutorials are about starting from scratch. Any suggestions for someone who is taking over an in progress project?
Thanks!
Crystal
Taking over someone else's project
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Re: Taking over someone else's project
If I were you Crystal I would do the tutorials and build a practice project. You'll learn how to do things properly and when you are finished you will have a test project where you can try things before doing it in your production environment.
If you are unfamiliar with HTML, it would be a good idea to do some tutorials or visit sites like W3 schools to get up to speed. Understanding HTML will make working out what is happening much easier.
Spend a bit of time searching this forum if you don't understand something. If that doesn't help you can always ask, someone is bound to be able to help. Keep in mind it is a peer to peer forum, so responses might be a bit slow, but there are contributors from all over the world so someone will be close. If you have bug reports or feature request, they can go straight to madcap.
It's not a steep learning curve, it's just a new set of skills. Take your time and enjoy the process!
If you are unfamiliar with HTML, it would be a good idea to do some tutorials or visit sites like W3 schools to get up to speed. Understanding HTML will make working out what is happening much easier.
Spend a bit of time searching this forum if you don't understand something. If that doesn't help you can always ask, someone is bound to be able to help. Keep in mind it is a peer to peer forum, so responses might be a bit slow, but there are contributors from all over the world so someone will be close. If you have bug reports or feature request, they can go straight to madcap.
It's not a steep learning curve, it's just a new set of skills. Take your time and enjoy the process!
Steve
Life's too short for bad coffee, bad chocolate, and bad red wine.
Re: Taking over someone else's project
I agree with Steve.
- Buy some books, see https://www.madcapsoftware.com/services ... books.aspx
I bought: Madcap Flare 2017 The definitive Guide of Scott Deloach (now there is a 2019 version)
View the Madcap Flare Video's https://www.madcapsoftware.com/videos/flare/
Seven golden rules of online Help http://www.uaeurope.com/downloads/Seven ... Design.pdf
Tips https://www.smartoutput.com/25-tips-tha ... ould-know/
Search tips http://www.uaeurope.com/articles/Search ... Flare.html
Print TOC see https://www.madcapsoftware.com/blog/201 ... cap-flare/
Read the blogs https://www.madcapsoftware.com/blog/ or https://www.madcapsoftware.com/blog/page/9/
Got a member Madcap flare group https://www.linkedin.com/groups/86373/
Flow a course by Madcap Flare
Use
- Example
- I have a folder with all buttons (used)
in the XML editor i copied default button and renamed it in the XML editor
- e.g. Confirm > Change
etc
- Buy some books, see https://www.madcapsoftware.com/services ... books.aspx
I bought: Madcap Flare 2017 The definitive Guide of Scott Deloach (now there is a 2019 version)
View the Madcap Flare Video's https://www.madcapsoftware.com/videos/flare/
Seven golden rules of online Help http://www.uaeurope.com/downloads/Seven ... Design.pdf
Tips https://www.smartoutput.com/25-tips-tha ... ould-know/
Search tips http://www.uaeurope.com/articles/Search ... Flare.html
Print TOC see https://www.madcapsoftware.com/blog/201 ... cap-flare/
Read the blogs https://www.madcapsoftware.com/blog/ or https://www.madcapsoftware.com/blog/page/9/
Got a member Madcap flare group https://www.linkedin.com/groups/86373/
Flow a course by Madcap Flare
Use
- Snippets (for links, fields, buttons etc)
use variables, project > variables
use synonyms (for search results), project > advanced > Synonyms
- Example
- I have a folder with all buttons (used)
in the XML editor i copied default button and renamed it in the XML editor
- e.g. Confirm > Change
Code: Select all
<li>
<MadCap:snippetText src="../Resources/Snippets/Button/Select.Confirm.flsnp" />
</li>
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- Jr. Propeller Head
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- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2019 8:16 am
Re: Taking over someone else's project
Thank you for the recommended resources!