This presentation is a reworked version of a joint presentation with a customer at TCWorld in Germany 2012. It shows how the transition from unstructured documentation to the modern world of structured, XML-based and topic-oriented authoring can be made smooth, without interfering with the publication chain. This presentation describes a project that was done using FrameMaker 10 with its built-in ExtendScript toolkit. It shows how being able to mix unstructured and structured content, including a DITA-type conref mechanism, can be used to keep the system running while the materials are converted and pushed into a repository for reuse one by one. This flattens the legacy documentation hurdle that may keep companies from moving to modern authoring practices.

1. CHANGING THE ENGINE
WITHOUT STOPPING THE RICKSHAW

2. WHO’S TALKING ?
Jang F.M. Graat
Studied Applied Physics,
Psychology, Philosophy
Worked 25+ years in
Tech Comms industry
JANG Communication
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Self-educated professional
Automating FrameMaker

3. THE PROBLEM
Legacy documents
Too much to leave behind
Still alive - worth $$$
Content Management
Convert or rewrite
All or nothing
Changed publication track
High up-front cost

4. THE SOLUTION ?
Non-intrusive conversion
One file at a time
Minimal style changes
Partial reuse options
Only when needed
Gradual transition
Content management
Using a custom repository

5. STEP 1: CONVERSION

6. UNSTRUCTURED ?

7. FORMAT TAGS

8. CONTENT + FORMATS

9. CONVERSION
Before: structure shown by formats

10. CONVERSION
After: formats based on structure

11. NO VISIBLE CHANGE
Before After

12. UNDER THE HOOD
Before After

13. PUBLICATION PROCESS

14. STEP 2: REUSE
Topics Maps Publications

15. CMS: ALL OR NOTHING

16. USING TEXT INSETS
MyInsets.fm MyChapter.fm
Flow A Flow Main
Flow B

17. STRUCTURED INSETS
MyInsets.fm MyChapter.fm

18. INSETPLUS

19. DITA CONREF METHOD

20. STEP 3: MANAGEMENT

21. SPAGHETTI DOCUMENTS

22. CONTAINER TOPICS

23. task
step warning
prelreqs
step warning warning
caution
step caution
supply
step caution
condition
step notice
steps
step step
notice
step
step step
supply
step
step supply
step
step step supply
step condition
closereqs
step condition condition
condition
step condition

24. REPOSITORY
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
FrameMaker 10 or newer
Plug-ins: InsetPlus, XRef Wizard, FrameSLT, AXCM
Built-in: ExtendScript ( based on JavaScript )
Repository files contain reuse items
InsetPlus pulls content into chapter files (text insets)
Chapter contains mix of reused and non-reused content
Authoring and publishing processes are not changed

25. ADOBE EXTENDSCRIPT

26. FILLING A REPOSITORY

27. }

28. LINKED TO REPOSITORY

29. ONGOING PROCESS

30. CHANGING CONTENT

31. CREATING NEW BOOKS

32. PUBLICATION PROCESS
Repository

33. CONCLUSION

34. FIT FOR THE FUTURE

35. THANK YOU