Month: February 2009

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Grammar Workshop: Apostrophes for Possessives

by Jennie Ruby 

I had lunch with a grammarian last week who believes that apostrophes could simply be eliminated from the language. She said that if the apostrophe disappeared tomorrow, there would be no lack of clarity. He isnt home and there is Janes car would be easily understood by readers.
 
Hmmn. I like it. But it is not going to happen any time soon. We still have to deal with apostrophes and make some effort to get them right. So here are some of the guidelines:
 
To make a singular noun possessive, add an apostrophe and an s:
  • the cat's toy
  • Barb's ski boots
  • Kevin's hat
If the noun already has an s on the end, you have a decision to make. Are you going to follow pronunciation? or are you going to simplify your life and use an arbitrary rule? Following pronunciation will make your writing read more smoothly. Following the arbitrary rule will make it easy to make your punctuation consistent. This is actually a style decision. The rules of grammar are not specific about apostrophes. That means you have to follow a style guide, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, or make your own style guide to keep your decisions consistent.
 
If you decide for pronunciation, you add either apostrophe and s, or just an apostrophe, depending on the word, to create at least one "es" sound, but not more than two. A z sound or x sound counts as an "es" sound.
  • James's gloves (two s sounds)
  • the Williamses' house (two s sounds)
  • Camus' book (Without the apostrophe, the s is silent. With the apostrophe, you pronounce the s.)
  • Lopez's jacket (two s sounds)
  • Alex's snowboard (two s sounds)
If you decide to follow a simple, arbitrary rule, you create the possessive to any word ending in s (and it is up to you what to do about z or x) by just adding an apostrophe:
  • James' gloves
  • the Williamses' house
  • Camus' book
  • Lopez' jacket
  • Alex' snowboard 
*** 

 

About the Author: Jennie Ruby is a veteran IconLogic trainer and author with titles such as "Editing with Word 2003 and Acrobat 7" and "Editing with MS Word 2007" 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.
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Questions of the Week

Adobe Captivate 3 Question: Are Buttons 508 Compliant?
 
I am adding accessibility text to each slide in my Captivate presentation to make it 508 compliant. Your Captivate 3 student manual does not say if button text is accessible, although I can find no "Accessibility" option in button properties, so I am assuming it is. Will a screen reader read buttons like Start and Continue? 
 
Answer
 
If it's a text button, screen readers are supposed to read the text out load. If an image button, you can "trick" the reader into reading it. You can refer to my article about this subject here.

 
***

 

Adobe RoboHelp Question: How Do I Merge RoboHelp 6 Projects?

 
I am still using Adobe RoboHelp 6 (with no immediate plans to upgrade to either version 7 or 8). I know my software is out of date, but I'd love to know if there is any documentation on how to merge projects?
Answer
 
Actually, yes. I created a simulation a while back that showed this very concept. While RoboHelp 7 and 8 have been redesigned, even users of those newer versions can learn the concept of merging project by interacting with the lesson. If interested, you will find that lesson here.
 
***
 
Adobe RoboHelp Question: Can I Link to Topics in Other Projects?
 
If I have several online help systems created with Adobe RoboHelp. Can I link from a topic in one system to a topic within a different online system?
 
Answer:
 
Yes. This link covers both linking to external projects and merging projects.
 
***
 
Adobe TechCom Suite Question: Why Doesn't an Expected Dialog Box Appear?
 
I'm hoping that you can answer a question about using RoboHelp with FrameMaker source files (Tech Comm Suite — RoboHelp 7 HTML and Frame 8, the current versions — running on Windows XP).
 
I'm following the procedure you have outlined in your workbook, the same procedure you talked about at last summer's STC conference.  I open RoboHelp  and create a native file. I apply fmstyles.css to it. And then I go to the Project Manager pod and right-click on "HTML files Topics." Then I select "Add FrameMaker file" and then "… by reference."
 
When I tested this process on my colleague's PC, the expected window appeared, and I was able to follow the rest of the set-up steps.
 
On my laptop, to my dismay, no window appears. RoboHelp seems to freeze (as if the correct window has popped up but is not visible). At that point, everything in my RoboHelp window ignores me, no matter what I click. It seems frozen, but it's not in a "non responding" mode. If I Ctrl-Alt-Del, RoboHelp is listed as "running." Back in RoboHelp, if I press the Esc key, I get RoboHelp back — but I still can't get any farther in the process of adding a FrameMaker file.
 
I'm hoping that this is something you've run into and can say, "Aha. Here's all you have to do…." I hope you can tell me that I don't have to uninstall and reinstall Tech Comm Suite — any time I have to mess with installing Adobe products, it takes days to get things working. I dread having to do this !!!!!
 
Any insight you can offer?
 
Answer:
 
As I was scratching my head trying to figure out what might be causing the problem for this Help Author, she took the bull by the horns and found the solution on her own… the problem wasn't obvious at all and very interesting…
 
 
I'm happy to report that my phantom window (actually dialog box) was there all the time, but hiding off-screen. It wasn't on a second monitor, but somehow it was opening way far off beyond the right edge. On a whim, I poked around on the Web and learned that it's possible to use the keyboard to move windows (ALT spacebar M, then use arrow keys). I did this with fingers crossed, and lo and behold the dialog box came scootching over into view!
 
YIPPEE!

 

***
 
Adobe Captivate 3 Question: Why Are There White Screens in My FMRs?
 
There are times when frames of Full Motion Recordings (FMRs) do NOT show up in the final product. The frame is pure white yet the slide is in the presentation (not hidden) and the properties of the slide show the motion. This happens randomly and is very frustrating. The only solution I have found is to re-do the entire slide. Why does this happen and how can it be fixed?

 

Answer:

 
The Flash Player version on your computer is the likely culprit. Here is an article with more information.
 
*** 

Got a question you'd like answered? Email me.
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Link of the Week

Audio Narrator For Hire

 
If you're creating eLearning content and want to include voice-overs, you've probably come to realize just how difficult it is to create quality audio. If you're looking for audio talent, and someone who is familiar with Adobe Captivate, Dan Bressler sounds like he might be able to help. Check out some of Dan's audio samples and judge for yourself. Of course, I'll leave it up to you to contact Dan. If you do, Dan has promised to discount his services to "skills and drills" readers. Identify yourself and let me know how it goes.
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Adobe Captivate 4: Text to Speech

 
Adobe recently released Captivate version 4. In the upcoming weeks, I'll be spotlighting some of the coolest new features.
 
This week: Text to Speech.
 
Artificial
voices have been around for years. In fact, there are many applications
that will allow you to select text and then have Text to Speech
software convert the selected text into an audio file.
 
The
problem with artificial voices is, well, the voices sounded artificial.
Today's Text to Speech technology has made huge strides. While not
perfect, the artificial voices sound more human than ever before.
 
Why
consider artificial voices over recorded audio? Great question. If you
record the audio yourself, you should budget several hours to clean up
the audio (removing lip smacks and static in the background). In spite
of your best efforts, the audio files you create might still be
considered less than adequate, in spite of your best efforts. And
consider the fact that your voice changes over the day. If you need to
replace a small segment in a larger clip, you will find it nearly
impossible to match the audio levels without sophisticated and
expensive audio equipment.
 
By
using artificial voices, you can ensure that the audio levels and
quality are always consistent. And your artificial talent never gets
sick, never takes vacation, never ages and will never, ever, give you
any attitude.
 
Convert a slide note to speech

  1. Using Adobe Captivate 4, open any slide
  2. Open the Notes panel (Window > Slide Notes)
  3. Click in the Slide notes row and add a few lines of text to serve as notes
  4. Click the green circle in the Text to speech column just to the left of the note you added

    The circle is replaced by a green check mark.

  5. Click the green circle just to the left of the second note you typed (if you added a second note)

    This circle is also replaced by a green check mark.

    Notes to be converted to speech

  6. Click the Convert to speech button

    Convert to Speech button

    The Speech Setting dialog box appears where you can select from two voices: Kate and Paul.

    Two voice selections

  7. Select either voice from the Select speech agent drop-down menu
  8. Click OK
  9. Preview the project. When you get to the slide you edited, you will hear your new audio narration. How cool is that?

Note:
The artificial audio can be edited like any of the other audio clips.
In addition, you can change the voice from Paul to Kate, and then back
again simply by choosing Audio > Speech Management. Change the Speech Agent and click Apply Changes.

Speech Management
 

 
***
 
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. 
 
***
 
Need to learn Adobe Captivate 3? Click here.
 
Need to learn Adobe Captivate 4? Click here.
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Adobe RoboHelp 7: Importing Captivate eLearning (with Skins)

 
If
you've created eLearning lessons in Adobe Captivate and then tried to
import the lessons into a RoboHelp project, you've probably already
seen that it's a fairly straight-forward process:

  1. Open a RoboHelp topic
  2. Choose Insert > Adobe Captivate Demo
  3. Find and open the SWF you published using Captivate

If
you've followed this process in the past, you have probably run into a
problem: if your Captivate lesson contains a skin and was published as
HTML, there are more required files needed to be imported besides the
SWF. If you don't import the skin SWF and supporting JavaScript file,
your lesson won't play properly in RoboHelp.
 
So
how do you import the Captivate lesson and its published assets? Think
Baggage… import the Captivate lesson files into the Baggage Files
folder, and then link from the RoboHelp topic to the assets in the
Baggage Files folder. Here's how…

  1. On the Project Manager pod, right-click the Baggage Files folder and choose New > Baggage File
  2. Navigate to the folder containing the published Captivate assets
  3. Select and then open all of the assets

    The imported assets will appear in the Baggage Files folder

  4. Open a RoboHelp topic and create a link from the HTML file in the Baggage Files folder to target text in the RoboHelp topic
  5. Finally, generate and test the link

    Click here if you would like to see a demonstration of this process.

 
***
 
We
are hard at work on our "Essentials of Adobe RoboHelp 8" book and will
soon begin offering virtual training classes on RoboHelp 8. Stay tuned
to this newsletter for announcements.
 
*** 
 
Not ready to upgrade and need to learn Adobe RoboHelp 7? Click here.
 
Want to learn more about HTML? Many find it's a good idea for RoboHelp authors to have basic HTML skills. Click here to learn about our basic HTML class.
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Editing with Microsoft Word 2007: Version Control

by Jennie Ruby 

Version control problems occur when two different people make changes to two different copies of a file at the same time.

For
example, you may have Smith Revised stored in the shared network drive.
A colleague might make a copy of the file and take it home on a laptop
computer to make changes. Meanwhile, you may open the Smith Revised
file and make some changes of your own. Now there are two copies of the
same file, with the same name, with different changes in them.

 

Word
does have a Compare tool that allows combining the changes, but the
additional work and possible confusion are worth avoiding if you can.

 
Methods
for ensuring version control range from simple communication ("Hey,
everybody, I'm taking the Smith file home-don't work on it any more
until I bring it back!") to sophisticated document management systems.
 
Document
management systems are preprogrammed databases that allow you to "check
out" a document while you are working on it so that no one else can
make changes. Some examples of document management systems are
Microsoft's SharePoint, Xerox's Docushare, and EMC Corporation's Documentum.
 
But
short of purchasing software or signing on to one of these services,
you could consider using a simple renaming system to indicate files
that are in use by someone else. Have everyone who might work on a file
agree that before copying it to a laptop or elsewhere you rename it
with the letter x in front of the name, like this: xSmith Revised. The
x indicates to everyone not to work on that file. When the person who
checked out the file copies it back to the shared drive, he or she
renames it again to remove the x.
 
Of
course, as long as the document remains on a shared network drive, Word
will automatically prevent two people from working on it at the same
time. If you try to open a document that is already being used by
someone, you receive a message that the file is in use. You then have
the choice of working on it anyway and having Word Merge the changes
when the document becomes available or looking at a read-only copy. It
is also possible to open a read-only copy and resave the file with a
different name in order to make changes, but if you did that, you would
be deliberately causing version control problems. So of course you
wouldn't do that.

 
*** 

 

About the Author: Jennie Ruby is a veteran IconLogic trainer and author with titles such as "Editing with Word 2003 and Acrobat 7" and "Editing with MS Word 2007"
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.
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Questions of the Week

Adobe Technical Communication Suite Question: How Can I Recover a Crash After Integrating RoboHelp with FrameMaker?
 
I have been following your "Integrating Adobe's Technical Communications Suite: Skills and Drills"
workbook, and every time I have tried to update RoboHelp after making
changes in FrameMaker (exercises on pages 121 and 123), the process
crashes and closes RoboHelp without making any change.  The update
process bar gets almost two-thirds of the way to completion when a
message pops up that Adobe 7 has encountered a problem and needs to
close.  The work is lost, and files are corrupted so that I have to
delete the Technical Communications folder and start all over again. 

 
Answer
 
There
was a known problem with crashing that was fixed by Adobe via updates
to the Technical Communication Suite. You should immediately update
your applications by choosing Check for Updates from the Help menu.
 
After updating, you can recover from your specific problem by following these steps:

  1. Close all of the TechComm Suite programs
  2. Delete the CPD file from your RoboHelp project folder
  3. Start RoboHelp and delete the reference to the FrameMaker book/files on the Project Manager Pod
  4. Re-import the FrameMaker files by reference and you should be
    all set (you'll have to re-do some import settings, but you shouldn't
    crash again)

While annoying, the re-import and remapping process only takes a few minutes in RoboHelp.
 
***

 

Adobe Captivate 3 Question: Shouldn't Captivate Bookmark?

 
I
just read a post from someone who doesn't want Captivate courses to
bookmark. My problem is just the opposite. It always begins at the
first screen. And because bookmarking works in the courses designed by
3rd party vendors (not using Captivate), the LMS support believes it's
a problem with Captivate. Got any suggestions as to how I can
communicate with them?

Answer
 
By
default, Captivate does bookmark by sending "resume data" to the LMS.
If you're saying that you have not changed Captivate defaults (Quiz
Preferences > LMS Customization Settings), and Captivate is being
allowed to send the data, I would suspect there is a setting within
your LMS that is at play here.

***
 
Adobe Captivate Question: Can I Allow Users to Select Multiple Things on a Slide?
 
Hello!  I just found your website and I LOVE it!  I've found and am using your hints for multiple text box entries on a page
to simulate filling out a form. The problem is, the form I'm simulating
requires the user to check a indefinite number of boxes from a list. 
Is there a way to add this function into a Captivate 3 presentation?
Thank you!
 
Answer:

 
You
could create a complex branching scenario where you have users click on
each of the boxes (you'd use click boxes to allow for the
interactivity). However, if there are 10 boxes and you allow users to
click them in any order, you're asking for trouble in the form of a
VERY complex series of branches.
 
Instead,
I'd record the lesson showing each box selected in order and then, in
Captivate, add click boxes and ask the student to select each option.
 
Adobe Captivate Question: Any Way to Stop the Lesson From Continuing?
 
I
have a page with a menu of links, each link opens up a Captivate movie
in a separate browser. I would like to keep the user on this menu page
until he/she clicks the option to continue to the next slide. How can I
do that? It seems that as soon as any of the links are clicked, the
slide progresses onward to the next slide.
 
Answer:
 
Change
the link that opens the URL and deselect Continue playing project (the
option is available in the drop-down menu to the right of the URL).
 
Adobe RoboHelp Question: Can I Block Content from Generating?
 
I
am currently using RoboHelp version 7. I have applied Conditional
Formatting to topics that I do not want to appear in the on-line
publication of my project.  When I generate the project the files do
not appear in the 'tree' – i.e. the Table of Contents.  However, I have
discovered that when using the 'Search' function I am able to access
the files that have the Conditional Formatting applied to them.
 
Is
there a way to block users from accessing these files when using the
search function? I do not want these files accessed until I am ready to
have them available in the on-line publication.

 

Answer:

 
You
can apply conditions to topics as well as content. Right-click a topic
and show its properties. You'll find what you're looking for on the Advanced tab.
 
*** 

Got a question you'd like answered? Email me.
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Link of the Week

Send Captivate Quiz Data to JavaScript

 
Adobe
Captivate does not include a feature for sending quiz results (unless
you're uploading your lessons to an LMS). Pipwerks Web site offers one
workaround.
 
According
to the site, "basic premise of this workaround is to hijack Captivate's
'email report' functionality, replacing the original email-centered
JavaScript with new JavaScript." 

 

Click here to visit the Pipwerks site and read more.
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Writing for Curriculum Development

Congratulations! You’ve been selected to write the user manual for your company’s next big software release. And following that, you’ve been invited to write the script for the company’s Employee Benefits portal and eLearning lessons.

What’s that you say? It’s been a while since you had to write at such a granular level? Maybe you think your writing could be better? Or perhaps, like many tasked with writing training materials and scripts or user documentation, writing qualifies as “other duties as assigned.”


This live, interactive writing course is designed for you. Think of it as an intensive retreat that will give the jump-start you need to create clear, concise step-by-step documentation that effectively educates and motivates adult learners.


Created in response to inquiries by IconLogic’s audience (including former students), this course quickly gets your writing compass pointed in the most productive direction. Whether you’re writing technical documentation, training curriculum and materials, or eLearning scripts, this intensive course delivers instruction and practical experience on critical topics including:

  • the writing process and structure
  • identifying and thinking like your audience
  • facilitating the conversation between SME’s and the reader
  • promoting the “WOW” factor
  • keeping “the voice” active, accurate… and short
  • avoiding common grammar mistakes
  • identifying and eliminating deadwood
  • writing narratives that will “hook” your audience
  • writing step-by-step procedures that make the most of the learner’s time and effort

This course is 100% interactive. Participants will use their word processor during class to write narratives and step-by-step documentation. At the completion of each lesson, all participants engage in lively discussion that further teaches and reinforces effective technical writing habits and techniques.

Dates:

March 18, 2009


April 14, 2009


May 13, 2009

Time: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST

Price: $300 per person if you register at least one week prior to class; $400 if you register less than one week prior to class.