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Sep. 10, 2007 – On August 24, 2007, I submitted an article to this forum that described problems encountered with Adobe’s technical support staff while trying to use RoboHelp 6 as a single source conversion tool. Specifically, I was using RoboHelp 6 to convert a Framemaker 7.2 book, and associated files, to FlashHelp/html. I still think Adobe’s technical support staff has serious problems, which in my opinion must be resolved at Adobe’s executive management level. Having stated that, I want to say that Adobe’s marketing staff finally resolved the technical problem I previously described, and RoboHelp 6’s FlashHelp is surprisingly impressive looking. It was quite a struggle, but at the end of the day I would recommend RoboHelp 6 as a viable conversion tool for any technical writer who loves using Framemaker (as I do) and wants to produce single-source high-quality online help systems by converting Framemaker files to online help with a few clicks of the mouse.

For Framemaker users interested in using RoboHelp 6 in this manner, here is a recap of the problem we encountered, and its resolution. Heading3 titles were missing from the output FlashHelp TOC (and all other HTML help formats converted by RoboHelp 6). On the FlashHelp side, RoboHelp had successfully created Heading3 topics from source Framemaker files, but they were difficult to view without links in the online help’s TOC. As it turned out, the problem was in the Framemaker TOC file at the book level. On the FM-TOC reference page, I was using tabs to align Heading1TOC, Heading2TOC and Heading3TOC styles. While this setup worked fine on the Framemaker side, such tabs apparently confuse RoboHelp during the import/conversion process. So the fix was to remove all tabs (on the FM-TOC reference page) and add substitute indentations to the paragraph designers for Heading1TOC, Heading2TOC and Heading3TOC in the First and Left indentation fields (clear as mud, right?). The original FM-TOC had an additional glitch which no one was able to figure out, but eventually we just discarded it and created a new one that looked and acted like the old one, but without the tabs. At that point, everything worked great. Fixing the problem required assistance from an Adobe marketing engineer (as opposed to Adobe technical support) who knew both Framemaker and RoboHelp.

Compounding the problems I experienced with Adobe’s technical support team was RoboHelp’s baggage. RoboHelp was a very hot product in the late 90’s, early 2000’s. But in recent years, it fell from grace. Many people wrote it off because Macromedia was apparently sending signals that it would be discontinued. Then Adobe acquired Macromedia and released RoboHelp 6 in January 2007. Unfortunately, they did not provide the public relations or technical support needed, particularly in the Framemaker community. But the bottom line is RoboHelp 6 works very well as a single source tool for Framemaker users. And it’s relatively inexpensive compared to alternate tools, such as Webworks ePublisher by Quadralay. RoboHelp 6 costs $1000 to purchase a single-user license, and $500 to upgrade an existing license for an older version. This is highly competitive when compared with Quadralay’s Webworks ePublisher which starts at $2,500 per individual licenses.* Omni System’s Mif2Go is a viable approach. It only costs $300, but Omni Systems appears to be a one-man company, which is a little scary. If that isn’t a concern, Mif2Go may be a better solution; however, I don’t think it has FlashHelp.

In addition, I wish to respond to a criticism that others have made about RoboHelp 6. Some people criticize it because it only converts one way – from Framemaker to online help, but it does not convert RoboHelp systems back to Framemaker. To me, this is an unfair and unrealistic criticism. Converting a RoboHelp project/system would require a major design overhaul, and it is unclear if there is a market for it. Does a typical RoboHelp user want to convert his/her help system to Framemaker? I have not done any marketing research in this area, but my gut reaction is NO. From my experience, writers who author in online help do not necessarily think and organize their thoughts in a similar manner as writers who essentially write printed materials, which is the mindset of Framemaker users. On the other hand, I know that many Framemaker users are interested in better and cheaper ways of converting Framemaker user manuals to online help systems. It seems like Adobe’s engineering team made a wise decision to tweak RoboHelp’s source code so it could convert Framemaker files to various help formats available via RoboHelp. That way Adobe is targeting known Adobe users (FrameMaker users) to purchase another Adobe product (RoboHelp) in an area where there is a known demand (Frame-to-help conversion).

Converting from Framemaker to any online help system is a fairly straight-forward process because generally the writer has put a fair amount of thought into the organization and flow of the document. Chapter and section titles typically use standard paragraph styles: Heading1, Heading2, and Heading3 (sometimes Heading4 and higher). The primary function of the conversion tool is to convert Heading1, Heading2, Heading3 paragraph styles and accompanying text into individual online help topics. This is true of RoboHelp 6, Webworks, and Mif2Go. The stated conversion tools do essentially the same thing. On the flip side, reversing the process is more complex for reasons that have little to do with technology, more to do with basic writing. RoboHelp-to-Frame conversion would require a fairly complex subsystem for defining which online topics must go to specific chapters in the printed format. And there is the very real possibility that the RoboHelp author was not a clear-thinking individual, and fooled people by adding lots of bells and whistles that look slick, but provide little technical assistance to users. Unfortunately, I have observed this sort of behavior in the past among RoboHelp users. There is also an intangible quality about RoboHelp—as an authoring tool—that seems to enable such behavior, whereas Framemaker does not. No software application can cure such a problem.

So my suggestion to Framemaker users is use RoboHelp 6 to port your documents to online help. Don’t worry about trying to use RoboHelp as an authoring tool because Framemaker is much better. Regarding the reverse conversion process, I question whether there are many RoboHelp users who want to convert their systems to Framemaker. Perhaps I will be proven wrong, but I don’t think I will.

David Sharp
Principal Technical Writer/Consultant
Dsharpwriter2@yahoo.com

* In May of 2007, a Quadralay sales VP quoted $2,500 as the cheapest price available for Webworks ePublisher. Since then, at least one Framemaker consultant has privately told me that Quadralay will haggle with people and has been known to sell ePublisher for as low as $1,000.

(The following article is humorous, slightly mean spirited, but very true.)

Importing Framemaker source files to RoboHelp 6 is an approach I’m using to generate single-source printed and help documents, and it generally works. FlashHelp looks great, but there’s one technical glitch with RoboHelp’s generation of html output files. Heading3 titles are missing from the TOC. If you analyze the html files created by RoboHelp, you will observe that Heading3 topics are created, but they’re difficult to view without links in the TOC.

A few days ago, I made the mistake of reporting this particular problem to Adobe’s technical support team. At their request, I uploaded my MIF source files to an Adobe engineer who was able to duplicate the problem. He said he would consult with a colleague and give me a call back within an hour. I never heard from him. The next day I called back for status and Adobe’s technical support staff refused to talk to me because they had gotten the licensing information mixed up in their database. They now claimed I was someone else (let’s say, John Doe), and they refused to work with anyone other than Mr. Doe. I knew that I had opened a case number (aka, trouble ticket) for the stated problem, but they insisted it was opened by John Doe.

“What is Mr. Doe’s contact number?” I asked.

“555-555-5555,” Adobe replied.

“That’s my number,” I responded.

“Yes, I can see it on my caller ID,” Adobe replied.

“Well, doesn’t that prove I’m who I claim?” I asked.

“No. Our database says you’re John Doe, so I can only work with him.” That was Adobe’s final word.

I spent the next day talking to brilliant minds in Adobe’s customer service department who refused to give their names or accept follow-up communiqués. And they steadfastly refused to allow me to speak with a manager or supervisor. (Apparently they don’t have any in their India offices.) The only way I could resolve the John Doe issue was to fax them receipts showing that my organization had purchased FrameMaker and RoboHelp, and not John Doe. I’m still waiting for a response and an apology.

Unfortunately, such conduct is typical for Adobe technical support and customer service these days. With the recent merger with Macromedia, Adobe’s technical support team has gone down the tubes. If Adobe’s executive management is secretly trying to destroy great products like Framemaker, they could not be doing a better job.

Back to the original issue, if anyone NOT affiliated with Adobe’s technical support team has experienced this particular problem (missing Heading3 titles, that is), feel free to send me an email.

David Sharp
Principal Technical Writer/Consultant
Dsharpwriter2@yahoo.com

(Goochland, VA) – Finite Matters Ltd. (FML), a leading provider of variable data publishing software, today introduced an optimized version of its automated publishing application, PatternStream®, to give graphic designers that use Adobe® InDesign® page layout software a more efficient way to acquire data from databases, XML files and other sources for data-driven projects such as catalogs, directories, reference books and other pattern based information for print and electronic distribution.

PatternStream uses a unique method of viewing data-driven publishing projects as the merging of a data structure with a document hierarchy. This patented technique, developed originally using the FrameMaker application programming interface (API) has been extended to work with the InDesign API and also for generating standalone XML files. The advantage of this is that a user, once proficient in this methodology, can choose the formatting engine best suited to a given problem.

“For years PatternStream has been the best application for setting up complex database publishing projects using FrameMaker. We now bring this same versatility to the InDesign page layout world,” said Tony Luca, Chief Scientist and Vice President Technology of FML.

“It’s great to see PatternStream support InDesign and InDesign Server now,” said Chris Kitchener, InDesign Server product marketing manager at Adobe. “For years it has worked with Adobe FrameMaker so this extended level of support is a welcomed addition as it helps to further facilitate the automated publishing process for our customers.”

System Requirements, Pricing and Availability
Recommended system requirements for PatternStream 3.0 are: Intel® Xeon, Xeon Dual, Centrino® or Pentium® 4 or AMD Opteron™, Athlon™ 64, or Turion™ processor, Microsoft Windows XP or Vista, and InDesign CS2 or CS3 or InDesign Server CS2 or CS3. Systems require at least one GB RAM, 200 MB of free hard drive space, and 1280×860 resolution screen.

PatternStream 3.0 can be purchased from the FML website for prices starting at $2,499.99 (US) depending on desktop or server environment, InDesign or FrameMaker publishing engine, and PatternStream type, development or runtime.

A free 45-day trial is currently available at http://www.patternstream.com.

About FML
FML offers quality, cost-effective database and automated publishing and information management solutions for the private sector, government and organizations. FML has extensive experience and expertise in implementing a wide variety of complex database and automated publishing systems.

Customers include Amcor Sunclipse, Columbia Books, eMap, F+W Publications, Health Net, Inc., Honeywell, Hutton Communications, IMI Cornelius, MediQual, MFS, Mayo Foundation, McGraw-Hill, New Zealand Exchange, Nicor Gas, RAAF AIS, Square D Company, Standard & Poor’s and the University of San Francisco.

FML is the leader in state and local government budget database publishing and is used to publish city, county, school district, and state budgets and other financial information by governments in more than 15 states and Canada.

PatternStream is also used to publish budget, financial and statistical information for federal government departments and agencies including the Department of Defense and the intelligence community.

FML has working relationships with Adobe, CACI, CGI, IBM, Oracle and other OEM and third-party resellers to resell and support PatternStream implementations and enhancements.

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FrameMaker 2007 Chautauqua (conference)
* October 22-24, 2007
* Raleigh, North Carolina USA
* http://www.travelthepath.com/conf/chautschedule.html

This three-day conference includes presentations from FrameMaker users worldwide. This 2007 event is the third annual conference. Speakers from around the globe will share their real-world experience and tips. Adobe representatives will be on hand to showcase the new FrameMaker!

What is a Chautauqua?
Loosely put, a chautauqua is a traveling meeting designed with a purpose of educating. In the case of this event, it means a convergence of FrameMaker users and certified experts to share knowledge, network, and hear Adobe speak on the future of the product.

Where is it held?
McKimmon Conference Center is the location for the FrameMaker 2007 Chautauqua. Hotel information is available on the hotels page at the McKimmon Center website. We suggest the Hampton Inn & Suites on Hampton Woods Lane, as they provide shuttle and other services.

What FrameMaker versions are covered?
Almost all sessions apply equally to FrameMaker 6.0, 7.x and the newest release, version 8.0. Many of our speakers have been involved in the newest release of FrameMaker as beta testers and worked directly with the development team at Adobe. We guarentee that they will be able to address issues specific to your release of the software.

How can you sponsor the Chautauqua?
If you are interested in participating as a sponsor in the FrameMaker 2007 Chautauqua, please contact Kay Whatley for more details at info@travelthepath.com or 919.244.8559.