Comprehensive Structured FrameMaker Training

Delivery Options

• Customized Onsite Training (4 days): Request a Proposal

Class Description

Class Overview

Class Goals

• Learn to author structured documents in Adobe FrameMaker
• Learn to build Element Definition Documents (EDDs) in FrameMaker
• Learn to build structured applications in FrameMaker

Class Outline

1. Understanding the structure view
   1. Verifying the FrameMaker interface
   2. Displaying the structure view
   3. Inserting the cursor in the structure view
   4. Moving elements in the structure view
   5. Collapsing and expanding elements
2. Modifying existing content in FrameMaker
   1. Changing the element catalog view
   2. Changing elements
   3. Merging elements
   4. Splitting elements
   5. Wrapping elements
   6. Modifying element attribute values
   7. Adding structure to unstructured content
3. Inserting elements into existing structured content with FrameMaker
   1. Inserting paragraph and character elements
   2. Inserting table elements
   3. Inserting graphic elements
      1. Inserting anchored frames for drawn objects
      2. Inserting anchored frames for imported graphics
   4. Inserting cross-reference elements
   5. Working with attributes
      1. Ensuring that you are prompted for attribute values
      2. Copying and pasting attribute values
   6. Copying and pasting elements
   7. Validating documents
4. Creating document and book files in FrameMaker
   1. Creating a new document
      1. Creating a new document and importing formats and element definitions
      2. Adding content to a blank document
   2. Building a structured book file
   3. Adding a table of contents to a structured book
      1. Inserting structured index markers
      2. Generating an index for a structured book
5. Building Element Definition Documents (EDDs) in FrameMaker
   1. Reviewing Templates and EDDs in FrameMaker
      1. Importing elements from and EDD
      2. Importing formatting and elements from a structured document
   2. Analyzing document structure in FrameMaker
      1. Listing document types
      2. Analyzing user manuals
      3. Breaking down the components of a user manual
      4. Completed analyses
   3. Modifying and creating EDDs in FrameMaker
      1. Modifying an EDD and updating your documents
      2. Creating an EDD file from a structured document
      3. Creating a new EDD
   4. Creating container elements in FrameMaker
      1. Setting up a top-level Chapter element
      2. Creating element definitions
      3. Setting up table definitions
   5. Creating object elements in FrameMaker
      1. Creating a system variable definition
      2. Creating a cross-reference element
      3. Setting an ID-based cross references
      4. Creating a graphic element definition
      5. Setting up graphics that require captions
      6. Creating a marker element definition
   6. Refining element definitions in FrameMaker
      1. Setting up inclusions for IndexEntry elements
      2. Setting up exclusions for IndexEntry elements
      3. Inserting children automatically
      4. Using prefixes and suffixes
   7. Assigning formatting to container elements in FrameMaker
      1. Assigning a paragraph tag to an element
      2. Assigning character tags to an element
      3. Using a format change list to assign formatting
   8. Writing context rules for complex formatting in FrameMaker
      1. Controlling formatting based on hierarchy level
      2. Setting up formatting rules for first-level headings
      3. Formatting ListItem elements based on the list type
      4. Assigning a marker type based on the document type
   9. Structuring unstructured FrameMaker documents
      1. Generating a structure rules table
      2. Building conversion rules for character tags
      3. Testing the conversion rules
      4. Building conversion rules for cross-references
      5. Building conversion rules for markers
      6. Building conversion rules for paragraphs and system variables
      7. Building conversion rules for tables
      8. Wrapping elements
      9. Identifying overrides during conversion
6. Building Structured Applications
   1. Reviewing basic XML conversion
      1. Setting the structured application
      2. Saving a file to XML
      3. Importing an XML file into FrameMaker
   2. Setting up EDDs and DTDs
      1. Creating an EDD from a DTD
      2. Creating a DTD from an EDD
      3. Correcting parsing errors
      4. Updating an EDD with DTD information
   3. Setting up your structured application in FrameMaker
      1. Creating a template for a structured application
      2. Creating a TechDoc DTD
      3. Copying needed files to an application directory
      4. Setting up the application
      5. Testing the conversion
      6. Correcting conversion errors
   4. Creating read/write rules in FrameMaker
      1. Creating a new read/write rules file
      2. Adding new read/write rules
      3. Checking read/write rules
   5. Controlling graphic output in FrameMaker
      1. Modifying the Para definition in the DTD to allow graphics
      2. Controlling graphic conversion
      3. Controlling the DPI of converted graphics
   6. Controlling table conversion in FrameMaker
      1. Modifying the DTD for table conversion
      2. Modifying the read/write rules for tables
   7. Converting books in FrameMaker
      1. Converting a book file to XML
      2. Modifying the read/write rules for book round-tripping

Class Materials

All students receive a course manual or book and all the class examples.

Students in private onsite classes will also receive:

• Structured FrameMaker: Introduction to Authoring Workbook
• Advanced Structured FrameMaker: Building EDDs Workbook
• Advanced Structured FrameMaker: Structured Applications Workbook

Class Prerequisites

Experience in the following areas is required:

• Experience with authoring unstructured documents in FrameMaker

Experience in the following areas would be beneficial:

• XML

Courses that can help you meet these prerequisites:

• Introduction to Adobe FrameMaker Training
• Introduction to XML Tagging

Technical Requirements

Our computer technical requirements and setup process is easy, with support just a click away.

• Onsite course technical requirements and setup instructions.