Month: September 2008

Posted on

Adobe Captivate 3: Hide Them, Delete Them, But Careful Not to Overwrite Them

I've heard of a disturbing problem from several Captivate developers: changes made to some projects are magically undone after the project is reopened. Huh?
 
Let me explain further… I received an email from a Captivate developer. The previous Friday he had deleted a few slides from a project, made some editorial changes to a few text captions and saved his work. He distinctly remembered backing up the project to the server, and overwriting the backup on the server before he left for the weekend. All was right with the world.
 
When he opened the project Monday morning, he was horrified to see that the changes he had made were gone. He was convinced that the IT staff had somehow rolled his computer back to a previous date. They placed the blame on him–of course. And back and forth it went, with no resolution.
 
I worked with the developer a bit and discovered the problem. It turns out that the IT department was innocent. In fact, the developer had inadvertently been working on the backup project that Friday. After saving and closing, he had dragged the project file located on his hard drive to the server… and replaced the old file with the new. Mind you, this particular developer was very computer savvy. How could this have happened? Read on…
 
When you start Captivate, recently used projects appears in the Open a recent project list at the left of the screen. You can open projects quickly by clicking the file name from the list.
 
But be careful… prior to opening the project, pay attention to the path name that appears in the lower left of the screen. In the image below, a project file (LMS_Me.cp) is located on the C drive.
 
Captivate project storage path
 
What I discovered when working with the developer mentioned earlier was that he had inadvertently opened the project from the server. He admitted that he had selected File > Open earlier in the day and browsed to the network drive. He quickly realized he had opened the project from the network drive (he only uses the network drive to backup his projects) and closed the project. No harm… no foul.
 
But then the wheels came off his cart. At some point, he clicked the project's file name in the Open a recent project list and the project stored on the network opened. Not realizing he had once again opened the backup, he made changes to the project, saved and closed. Later that day, when attempting to backup the project, he actually dragged the old project onto the server. To compound the problem, he agreed to replace the new project with the old one when prompted via an alert dialog box. Ouch! (In his defense, the poor guy said that it was Friday… and he was looking forward to the weekend.)
 
So how can you prevent this from happening to you? As I mentioned above, you should pay close attention to the project's path name prior to opening. In addition, if the wrong version of the project is appearing in the Open a recent project list, you can remove it from the list in two ways: hiding or deleting. Both options, shown, below, can be displayed via a right-click on the project name. But be careful–neither selection can be undone. If you choose to Hide Project, the project is simply removed from the list, but is not deleted from the drive. However, if you choose the Delete Project option, the project will literally be removed from the drive. 
 
Hiding a project
 
Deleting a project
 
Do you have a Captivate production problem that's making you pull your hair out? Email your problem and let others learn solutions from your experience.
 
 
Want to learn more about Captivate? Click here.
Posted on

Adobe FrameMaker 8: Text Insets

 
Text Insets are great when you need to publish the same copy in several locations. Perhaps it is your mission statement, or a description of your company. Rather than rely on a Copy & Paste technique, which necessitates editing multiple documents when the need arises to revise the copy, you can work with just one file as a Text Inset.
 
Here's how it works:
  1. In FrameMaker, create a document that contains the copy you wish to include in several publications. This file will be referred to as the source file.
  2. Save and close the source file
  3. Open up the first FrameMaker document that you would like to insert the copy into and use File > Import > File to import it. Be sure to select Import by Reference at the bottom of the Import File dialog box.

    The Import Text by Reference dialog appears. There are three parts:

    Flow to Import: choose Body Page Flow to place your copy onto the Body page.

    Formatting of Imported Flow:  Pick the first option to have the text formatting match the current catalogs, and the last option to retain the formatting from the source document.

    Updating of Imported Flow: if you select automatic, the changes will automatically be reflected in the current document when you update the source document. Otherwise, you have to request the update.

  4. Click Import

    The text appears on the page. You import the same source files into multiple documents.

Now, here's the cool part. When you get an edit to the source file, you just open it up directly, make the change and save your work. The next time you open up the files with the Automatic Update turned on, the changes will be reflected. If you opted for a manual update, just double click the Text Inset in the document and choose the Update Now button.  

If you wish to change the update status, click the Settings button. Sure makes editing and reusing text easy!

Want to learn more about Adobe FrameMaker? Come to our upcoming Introduction to FrameMaker 8 classes on October 7-8 or November 3-4. Both classes will be held in a virtual classroom–so you can attend this live, interactive class from anywhere in the country. All you need is a computer with fast Internet access, a headset and the current version of the FrameMaker (the 30-day trial version of the software works fine). You can ask all the questions you like because all virtual classes are led by a live instructor–this is not pre-recorded content. 

 

About the author: Barbara Binder is the president and founder of Rocky Mountain Training. Barbara has been a trainer for nearly two decades and was recently recognized by Adobe as one of the top trainers world-wide for 2007. 

Posted on

Grammar Workshop: When Do I Need a Semicolon Instead of a Comma in a List?

 
You need a semicolon to separate items in a list when a comma will not cause a clear enough separation between the items. This usually happens when the items themselves contain commas. In fact, even if just one of the listed items contains a comma, you can no longer use commas to separate the items. You have to use semicolons. Here are some examples:
  • The three boys' birth dates are January 15, 2004; February 10, 2003; and March 9, 2005.
  • The publishing house has three locations: Paris; London; and Avignon, France.
In the first example, each date contains a comma, so semicolons are needed to separate the dates. In the second example, only the last item contains a comma, but you need semicolons between the other two to prevent a reader from thinking you mean all three cities are in France.
 
Here are some additional examples:
  • The column width can be increased to accommodate the length of the data, the row height can be increased to accommodate more than one line of data, and the page width can be set to equal the combined widths of the columns.

    (Even though each item is a complete sentence, you need only commas between the items because they do not contain commas.)

  • The application consists of the start module, containing the default settings; the change module, containing the individual settings for a particular instance; and the stop module, containing the final settings after the changes are instituted.

    (Each item contains a comma; semicolons separate the three items on the list.) 

 

About the Author: Jennie Ruby is a veteran IconLogic trainer and author with titles such as "Essentials of Access 2000" and "Editing with MS Word 2003 and Adobe Acrobat 7" to her credit. Jennie specializes in electronic editing. At the American Psychological Association, she was manager of electronic publishing and manager of technical editing and journal production. Jennie has an M.A. from George Washington University and is a Certified Technical Trainer (Chauncey Group). She is a publishing professional with 20 years of experience in writing, editing and desktop publishing.

Want help with a grammar issue? Email us your troubles and we'll turn Jennie loose!
Posted on

Questions of the Week

Adobe Captivate 3 Question: Are There Best Practices for Captions and Object Timing?
 
I'm a new Captivate 3 user creating a Captivate project to train new hires how to add time to an online timesheet. The tasks are not complex and the instruction short and direct. When working with simulations, what guidelines are there to determine how much time a user needs to read and follow instructions, or to click a box or add text? Are there best practices for determining how long objects should display in simulations and what in the optimum time between displaying objects.?

Answer:  

 
I recommend no more than one caption per slide combined with a button or click box (that goes to the next slide if clicked). If you add a button or click box along with the text caption, there are no timing issues to debate… the user dictates how long the slide stays around. In my experience, this technique will speed up your development time significantly.

HTML: Do You Have a Class?

 

I'm a RoboHelp developer. I frequently find myself having to edit the HTML code hiding behind the topic–but my HTML skills are lacking. As a result, I've ruined more than a few topics. Do you offer an HTML class? If not, can you recommend one?
 
Answer:
 
Actually, yes. I offer a live, one-day virtual class covering basic HTML skills. You can learn more here.
  

Got a question you'd like answered? Email me.
Posted on

Writing Clinic: Don’t Give In to Doubt

by Quinn McDonald

 
Natalie Goldberg, author of Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, has this to say about doubting yourself:
 
"Every other month I am ready to quit writing. The inner dialogue goes something like this:
 
'This is stupid.
 
I am making no money.
 
There's no career in poetry.
 
No one cares about it.
 
It's lonely.
 
I hate it.
 
It's dumb.
 
I want a regular life.'
 
These thoughts are torture. Doubt is torture. If we give ourselves fully to something, it will be clearer when it might be appropriate to quit. It is a constant test of perseverance. Sometimes I listen to the doubting voice and get sidetracked for a while.
 
Don't listen to doubt. It leads no place but to pain and negativity. There is nothing helpful there. Instead, have a tenderness and determination toward your writing,  a sense of humor and deep patience that you are doing the right thing. Avoid getting caught by that small gnawing mouse of doubt. See beyond it to the vastness of life and the belief in time and practice."
 
*** 
 
We all have doubts about our decisions, our choices, our careers. Doubt is like getting nibbled to death by ducks. There is no way to back up, it surrounds you. Make a decision. Right or wrong, you will know, but if you doubt, you just sink deeper into doubt. Give yourself a break and accept that good writing takes practice. Excellence does not come quickly, or just because we are tired of trying. Excellence comes from not giving up. 
 

About the Author: Quinn McDonald is a writer and nationally-known speaker who has achieved the "Professional" designation from the National Speakers Association. Contact Quinn through her website, QuinnCreative.com.
Posted on

Link of the Week

Looking for Adobe Captivate Templates?
 
KCWebPlaza offers templates for Adobe Captivate that, according to information on their site "will help you maximize your experience with Captivate. Simply open up the templates and read the instructions provided inside the slides. Copy/paste your text, rebrand it with your logo and corporate colors, and publish. These templates will allow you to quickly input your content and produce professional looking products."
 
Click here for more information.
Posted on

Captivate Production Tip

Submitted by: Lynn Frances, Technical Writer/Marketing Specialist, Litigation Consulting Services, First Advantage.
 
I've noticed that after inserting an animation in a project, the slide after the slide I've edited often has the wrong beginning point for the mouse. Here's how I've solved the problem:
  1. Duplicate the slide after the slide with the inserted animation
  2. On the duplicated slide, drag the mouse pointer to the desired beginning point
  3. Hide the mouse on the duplicated slide
  4. Make the slide timing for the duplicated slide as short as you can (1/4 second or so)
  5. On the slide after the duplicated slide, align the mouse to previous slide

    Now the next slide has the correct beginning point for the mouse.

Got a Captivate, RoboHelp or FrameMaker production tip you'd like to share? Click here.

Posted on

Adobe FrameMaker 8: Should You Import Text Files “by Copy” or “by Reference?” Decisions, Decisions…

 
I import files into FrameMaker all the time, so much so that I rely exclusively on the keyboard shortcut Esc fif. (For those of you not so familiar with the Frame escape key sequences, try pressing, and releasing, the following keys in sequence: Esc f i f all the while saying to yourself, "Escape file import file." Love those shortcuts!)
Have you ever noticed that some of your text files import into FrameMaker just fine (you can make edits to the text all day long), and sometimes the text files come in and you can't edit them at all? (I'm talking about when you click on the text, the frame gets selected and it doesn't appear that you can make any changes to the content.) What's up with that?
 
FrameMaker's Import Files dialog box has two radio buttons at the bottom:  Import by Reference and Copy into Document. Generally speaking, I suggest import your graphic files by reference (which links them) and copy your text files so that they are not linked back to the original document. Seems easy, but when you are under deadline, and you import a text file after having just imported a graphic, it's easy to forget to change the radio button back to Copy into Document. So what's a FrameMaker user to do? Read on…
If you accidentally import the text via Copy instead of by Reference, simply double-click the text frame in FrameMaker and choose Convert to Text. Gee, that was easy.
 
Next week, we'll look at Text Insets and figure out why you'd ever want to import a text file by reference.

Want to learn more about Adobe FrameMaker? Come to our upcoming Introduction to FrameMaker 8 classes on October 7-8 or November 3-4. Both classes will be held in a virtual classroom–so you can attend this live, interactive class from anywhere in the country. All you need is a computer with fast Internet access, a headset and the current version of the FrameMaker (the 30-day trial version of the software works fine). You can ask all the questions you like because all virtual classes are led by a live instructor–this is not pre-recorded content. 

 

About the author: Barbara Binder is the president and founder of Rocky Mountain Training. Barbara has been a trainer for nearly two decades and was recently recognized by Adobe as one of the top trainers world-wide for 2007. 

Posted on

Grammar Workshop: Is the Word “Has” or “Have” Necessary

 
In the battle against wordiness and passive voice that many editors wage–and largely with good reason–there is one casualty that is collateral damage: deletion of the word has or have from sentences like this one:
  • The news reports have presented two different views on the safety of aspirin.
The word have is part of the present perfect tense. The present perfect tense indicates an action that has happened repeatedly or continually in the past and is either continuing or just now stopped. The simple past tense, which is what you get when you delete the word have, means the action happened once and is over and done. Removing the word have changes the meaning and emphasis of the sentence.
 
In the sentence above, removing have makes it sound like there were specific reports that presented views on aspirin, whereas the original sentence means more vaguely that news reports in the past have repeatedly done so. Here is another example:
  • I have picked the colors for the baby's room.
  • I picked the colors for the baby's room.
Either way, the colors have been picked. However, you might detect more of a sense of accomplishment in the first one because of the sense that it was just now completed, which is one of the meanings of the present perfect tense. The other one emphasizes that the activity is definitely in the past. You could be saying this sentence years after the colors have faded and the child has grown.
 
In sum, the words has and have are a necessary part of the perfect tenses, and should usually be retained.
 

 

About the Author: Jennie Ruby is a veteran IconLogic trainer and author with titles such as "Essentials of Access 2000" and "Editing with MS Word 2003 and Adobe Acrobat 7" to her credit. Jennie specializes in electronic editing. At the American Psychological Association, she was manager of electronic publishing and manager of technical editing and journal production. Jennie has an M.A. from George Washington University and is a Certified Technical Trainer (Chauncey Group). She is a publishing professional with 20 years of experience in writing, editing and desktop publishing.

Want help with a grammar issue? Email us your troubles and we'll turn Jennie loose!
Posted on

Questions of the Week

Adobe Captivate 3 Question: Are FLVs the Only Video Format I Can Import?
 
I am new to Adobe Captivate. Am I correct in my assumption that Captivate does not produce FLVs or AVIs, and that to use video in a Captivate project I have to first convert all of my videos to Flash video (FLV)?
Answer:  
 
Captivate does not create FLVs or AVIs. When you publish a Captivate project, one of the publish formats is SWF.
 
When importing animation into a Captivate project, you can import any of the following formats:
  • AVI
  • FLV
  • FLA
  • SWF

Adobe Captivate 3 and Word Templates Question: How Do I Customize the Publish Templates

I understand that Captivate allows me to publish my project into Microsoft Word. I need to edit the template codes so that I can customize the output. I'm finding this to be a bit of a challenge. Have you done any work in this area?
 
Answer:
 
I played with those templates some time ago and found them to be less than intuitive–something you have probably run into as well.
 
If anyone has managed to update those templates, please send me an email and let us all know your steps to success.
 
In the meantime, I would suggest a different path altogether. The issue you'll have with modifying those Word templates is that, in the end, you'd still have to format the training materials in MS Word… not something I'd look forward to doing. Adobe has designed FrameMaker and Captivate to work together. What I'm seeing today is more and more people creating the print materials in FrameMaker, importing the Captivate lessons into FrameMaker and then creating living PDFs from FrameMaker (very cool).
 
Have you investigated Adobe's TechCom suite? FrameMaker (part of the suite) is a wonderful authoring tool for printed materials and PDFs.
  

Got a question you'd like answered? Email me.