Comparing DITA support in XMetaL and FrameMaker Simon Bate Scriptorium Publishing www.scriptorium.com

Simon Bate

Scriptorium Publishing

www.scriptorium.com

Agenda Authoring Conditional processing Generating output Cross-references and conrefs Map files Specialization Consider your needs

Authoring

Conditional processing

Generating output

Cross-references and conrefs

Map files

Specialization

Consider your needs

About the presenter Based in Research Triangle, North Carolina Senior Technical Consultant at Scriptorium 30+ years experience in Technical Publications Long-time FrameMaker user Instructor for Scriptorium classes: XMetaL DITA XSL in Publications

Based in Research Triangle, North Carolina

Senior Technical Consultant at Scriptorium

30+ years experience in Technical Publications

Long-time FrameMaker user

Instructor for Scriptorium classes:

XMetaL DITA

XSL in Publications

A note about Scriptorium Affiliated with Adobe as Adobe Authorized Training Center Affiliated with JustSystems as a Certified Services Partner Nonetheless, I think you'll find this presentation quite candid about each tool's strengths and weaknesses.

Affiliated with Adobe as Adobe Authorized Training Center

Affiliated with JustSystems as a Certified Services Partner

Nonetheless, I think you'll find this presentation quite candid about each tool's strengths and weaknesses.

Questions Please ask questions. I may defer some questions to the end of the presentation.

Please ask questions.

I may defer some questions to the end of the presentation.

FrameMaker highlights High-quality print/PDF output Formatting control is built in Ability to "tweak" formatting, such as page breaks WYSIWYG for print/PDF

High-quality print/PDF output

Formatting control is built in

Ability to "tweak" formatting, such as page breaks

WYSIWYG for print/PDF

XMetaL highlights Ability to edit XML directly Integration with DITA Open Toolkit Not WYSIWYG for print Specialization support DITA 1.1 support

Ability to edit XML directly

Integration with DITA Open Toolkit

Not WYSIWYG for print

Specialization support

DITA 1.1 support

XMetaL Authoring highlights Code ("plain text") view Structure view (block only)‏ Format-neutral WYSIOO presentation No invalid content allowed Elements grouped by type (Insert menu)‏

Code ("plain text") view

Structure view (block only)‏

Format-neutral WYSIOO presentation

No invalid content allowed

Elements grouped by type (Insert menu)‏

FrameMaker authoring highlights WYSIWYG for print/PDF Structure view is complete Document window/structure view combination Invalid content allowed

WYSIWYG for print/PDF

Structure view is complete

Document window/structure view combination

Invalid content allowed

Conditional processing in FrameMaker Traditional FrameMaker conditions In 8.0, allows expressions FM information is saved in XML output But the information is not DITA Use attributes Special > Filter by attributes

Traditional FrameMaker conditions

In 8.0, allows expressions

FM information is saved in XML output

But the information is not DITA

Use attributes

Special > Filter by attributes

ditaval files FrameMaker: only when using DITA Open Toolkit XMetaL: hidden by conditional GUI Use Export to create ditaval file

FrameMaker:

only when using DITA Open Toolkit

XMetaL:

hidden by conditional GUI

Use Export to create ditaval file

Generating output in XMetaL Open Toolkit RenderX for PDF via Open Toolkit HTML-based help

Open Toolkit

RenderX for PDF via Open Toolkit

HTML-based help

Generating output in FrameMaker PDF Open Toolkit (install plug-in)‏ FrameMaker book from DITA map HTML-based help

PDF

Open Toolkit (install plug-in)‏

FrameMaker book from DITA map

HTML-based help

Cross-references in FrameMaker FrameMaker <fm-xref> element Only reference a selected set of elements Creates active links in PDF files DITA <xref> elements Can reference any element in any topic Can contain alternate text (not just the title)‏ Does not create active links in PDF files

FrameMaker <fm-xref> element

Only reference a selected set of elements

Creates active links in PDF files

DITA <xref> elements

Can reference any element in any topic

Can contain alternate text (not just the title)‏

Does not create active links in PDF files

Cross-references in XMetaL Insert > Link Cross-reference File reference Web link Can change text in <xref> element Converted correctly in Open Toolkit

Insert > Link

Cross-reference

File reference

Web link

Can change text in <xref> element

Converted correctly in Open Toolkit

conrefs in XMetaL

conrefs in FrameMaker

Map files in FrameMaker

Map files in XMetaL

Specialization XMetaL Many hooks for specialization FrameMaker Nothing built-in Could modify EDD

XMetaL

Many hooks for specialization

FrameMaker

Nothing built-in

Could modify EDD

Which has better DITA support? For print/PDF output: FrameMaker For DITA authoring: XMetaL For print WYSIWYG: FrameMaker For output-neutral formatting: XMetaL No clear winner.

For print/PDF output: FrameMaker

For DITA authoring: XMetaL

For print WYSIWYG: FrameMaker

For output-neutral formatting: XMetaL

No clear winner.

How important is print publishing? It's much easier to produce high-end print/PDF from FrameMaker. Print/PDF publishing through Open Toolkit is not satisfactory. WYSIWYG presentation in FrameMaker is a plus for print-centric workflows. WYSIOO presentation in XMetaL is a plus for authoring without focusing on print.

It's much easier to produce high-end print/PDF from FrameMaker.

Print/PDF publishing through Open Toolkit is not satisfactory.

WYSIWYG presentation in FrameMaker is a plus for print-centric workflows.

WYSIOO presentation in XMetaL is a plus for authoring without focusing on print.

How much control should authors have? Because FrameMaker combines authoring and publishing, authors have more control Can create and publish with invalid content XMetaL enables DITA authoring; separates out publishing Does not allow invalid content in normal authoring. Think workflow and sharing topics

Because FrameMaker combines authoring and publishing, authors have more control

Can create and publish with invalid content

XMetaL enables DITA authoring; separates out publishing

Does not allow invalid content in normal authoring.

Think workflow and sharing topics

Do you need cross-browser, cross-platform help? HTMLHelp (CHM)‏ Not cross-platform XMetaL and FrameMaker (3 rd -party or OT)‏ XHTML-based Help FrameMaker and 3 rd -party converters Eclipse Help XMetaL and FrameMaker (via OT)‏ Requires Eclipse infrastructure

HTMLHelp (CHM)‏

Not cross-platform

XMetaL and FrameMaker (3 rd -party or OT)‏

XHTML-based Help

FrameMaker and 3 rd -party converters

Eclipse Help

XMetaL and FrameMaker (via OT)‏

Requires Eclipse infrastructure

Transition issues Current unstructured FrameMaker users will find structured FrameMaker easier than XMetaL (mostly). Developer types may prefer XMetaL. FrameMaker includes conversion utility. (Of course, you could convert in FrameMaker and then use the converted content in another XML tool.)‏

Current unstructured FrameMaker users will find structured FrameMaker easier than XMetaL (mostly).

Developer types may prefer XMetaL.

FrameMaker includes conversion utility. (Of course, you could convert in FrameMaker and then use the converted content in another XML tool.)‏

Do you need to specialize? You will have to implement FrameMaker support yourself. XMetaL supports use of specialized DTDs.

You will have to implement FrameMaker support yourself.

XMetaL supports use of specialized DTDs.

Graphics Many more formats supported in FrameMaker. In XMetaL, PDF output with EPS images requires Acrobat Distiller. Callouts a problem in either: Layers in graphic file? FrameMaker callouts are flattened on export to XML.

Many more formats supported in FrameMaker.

In XMetaL, PDF output with EPS images requires Acrobat Distiller.

Callouts a problem in either:

Layers in graphic file?

FrameMaker callouts are flattened on export to XML.

Attributes Attributes Inspector (XMetaL) is easier to use than Attributes Editor (FrameMaker). But...attributes show up in FrameMaker structure view and not in XMetaL structure view.

Attributes Inspector (XMetaL) is easier to use than Attributes Editor (FrameMaker).

But...attributes show up in FrameMaker structure view and not in XMetaL structure view.

Summary Your priorities will dictate which tool is a better fit for your organization. Each application has significant strengths and weaknesses. Authoring paradigms are significantly different.

Your priorities will dictate which tool is a better fit for your organization.

Each application has significant strengths and weaknesses.

Authoring paradigms are significantly different.

Resources DITA @ OASIS http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/ tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=dita White papers Available on CD at our booth www.scriptorium.com/papers.html Please leave a business card or your email address if you want the handouts.

DITA @ OASIS

http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/ tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=dita

White papers

Available on CD at our booth

www.scriptorium.com/papers.html

Please leave a business card or your email address if you want the handouts.

Contact information Simon Bate Scriptorium Publishing Services www.scriptorium.com [email_address] 919 481-2701 x106

Simon Bate

Scriptorium Publishing Services

www.scriptorium.com

[email_address]

919 481-2701 x106

Questions