Nisus Writer and technical writing
Posted: 2009-06-27 14:31:10
Hi,
As a longtime technical writer, I use FrameMaker 6.0 in the Classic environment. Since Classic only runs in Tiger, this prevents me from abandoning Tiger for a more modern OS. I would like to use all those apps running on Leopard, and at the same time I can't (nor want) to switch to Windows. So, I'm planning to move my job to an application other than FrameMaker.
I would like this was a wordprocessor, since this would make exchanging files with translators easier, and purchasing the various copies of the app less expensive. Some of my translators already use OpenOffice. Nobody seems to use Word. Printouts are less than excellent and need some rework from me on Adobe Acrobat Pro - but they do work.
I would prefer to switch to Nisus, instead of OpenOffice or NeoOffice. This is a much more pleasant app, a faster one, and one whose developers you can actually talk to, to ask them to fix issues or add new features discussed with the user community.
There are still things missing, however, to make it a viable technical writing application. Not that I want a full FrameMaker replacement: I'm also starting to make my documents less complex than in the past. But some features are really too important to not use them.
- PDF Bookmarks
The main way of delivering documents to the final user is, now, the PDF file format. Unfortunately, NWP is still unable to save bookmarks and headings in PDF files, making them nearly unusable. An example is the (otherwise excellent) manuals of NWP: the only way of finding something is by using the search function, since there is no live TOC on the side of the viewer.
- Variables
In long documents, entering running header by hand is both time consuming and prone to errors. Variables would let you write something like <$h1> - <$h2> | <i>page</i> <$p> once, and have the running headers updated at each section/chapter, with something like "The Book of Nisus - Chapter 1 | page 1" and "The Book of Nisus - Chapter 2 | page 15".
They would also let you enter the name of a product or software version, and easily update it by just editing the variable, when creating a new version of the manual for a different product or a newer software version.
- Cross-references pointing to paragraph styles
Bookmarks are not a viable solution for cross-references, since you may edit a title, and easily forget editing the corresponding bookmark. Also, when translating a document, you are forced to also translate target bookmarks. If, on the contrary, your cross-reference target was a paragraph with a certain style and ID, the source would update automatically even after editing the target's text.
- Conditional text
I consider this a bit less important, but very handy in some situations. A feature has not been completed at the time of releasing the product, but you have already written the relevant instructions in various places in the document? Mark them as conditional, and hide all text with that condition mark. You will unhide it at the next release including the missing feature.
- Hyphenation or soft hyphen
Italian (and other languages) hyphenation is a mess. Either Nisus improves it, or at least give us a soft-hyphen character. Otherwise, we end up with grammar errors, or with hard-hyphens in the middle of text after inserting some more text before the hyphened word.
- Revision and versioning
Comments and colored text highlights are great features of Nisus, when revising documents in a team. But automatically tracking changes would be a very welcome addition.
When sending a revised document to the translators, it is very important to show where the original has changed. This helps translators see the new text in the right context.
I don't know if this can be done with external versioning or CAT software, and would like suggestions if it does.
- Floating frames
Floating frames are essential for marginalia, floating note boxes, floating pictures with captions, floating tables.
- Linked images
One of the problems with technical documents, is that all those large EPS and TIFF pictures tend to make the document extremely heavy. I know RTFD does memorizes text and pictures into separate files, but does RTFD preserves all Nisus features, like footnotes and comments?
Also, embedded illustrations should be editable. Is the LinkBack enough for this? I would love to use some LB enabled apps, so this would be perfect for me.
- Registration marks
PDF files for the printer are mandatory. Two sets of them, actually: a single line cut marker for Western printers, and a double line for Eastern.
When printing, Nisus should allow for additional space for register marks. If a document in A4 format must be printed, the resulting PDF file should be in A4 Extra, or any other exceeding format.
This can eventually be done with Adobe Acrobat Pro, but I wonder if can be had without forcing distributors to buy that expensive app, or forcing the original author to do it.
Best regards,
Paolo
As a longtime technical writer, I use FrameMaker 6.0 in the Classic environment. Since Classic only runs in Tiger, this prevents me from abandoning Tiger for a more modern OS. I would like to use all those apps running on Leopard, and at the same time I can't (nor want) to switch to Windows. So, I'm planning to move my job to an application other than FrameMaker.
I would like this was a wordprocessor, since this would make exchanging files with translators easier, and purchasing the various copies of the app less expensive. Some of my translators already use OpenOffice. Nobody seems to use Word. Printouts are less than excellent and need some rework from me on Adobe Acrobat Pro - but they do work.
I would prefer to switch to Nisus, instead of OpenOffice or NeoOffice. This is a much more pleasant app, a faster one, and one whose developers you can actually talk to, to ask them to fix issues or add new features discussed with the user community.
There are still things missing, however, to make it a viable technical writing application. Not that I want a full FrameMaker replacement: I'm also starting to make my documents less complex than in the past. But some features are really too important to not use them.
- PDF Bookmarks
The main way of delivering documents to the final user is, now, the PDF file format. Unfortunately, NWP is still unable to save bookmarks and headings in PDF files, making them nearly unusable. An example is the (otherwise excellent) manuals of NWP: the only way of finding something is by using the search function, since there is no live TOC on the side of the viewer.
- Variables
In long documents, entering running header by hand is both time consuming and prone to errors. Variables would let you write something like <$h1> - <$h2> | <i>page</i> <$p> once, and have the running headers updated at each section/chapter, with something like "The Book of Nisus - Chapter 1 | page 1" and "The Book of Nisus - Chapter 2 | page 15".
They would also let you enter the name of a product or software version, and easily update it by just editing the variable, when creating a new version of the manual for a different product or a newer software version.
- Cross-references pointing to paragraph styles
Bookmarks are not a viable solution for cross-references, since you may edit a title, and easily forget editing the corresponding bookmark. Also, when translating a document, you are forced to also translate target bookmarks. If, on the contrary, your cross-reference target was a paragraph with a certain style and ID, the source would update automatically even after editing the target's text.
- Conditional text
I consider this a bit less important, but very handy in some situations. A feature has not been completed at the time of releasing the product, but you have already written the relevant instructions in various places in the document? Mark them as conditional, and hide all text with that condition mark. You will unhide it at the next release including the missing feature.
- Hyphenation or soft hyphen
Italian (and other languages) hyphenation is a mess. Either Nisus improves it, or at least give us a soft-hyphen character. Otherwise, we end up with grammar errors, or with hard-hyphens in the middle of text after inserting some more text before the hyphened word.
- Revision and versioning
Comments and colored text highlights are great features of Nisus, when revising documents in a team. But automatically tracking changes would be a very welcome addition.
When sending a revised document to the translators, it is very important to show where the original has changed. This helps translators see the new text in the right context.
I don't know if this can be done with external versioning or CAT software, and would like suggestions if it does.
- Floating frames
Floating frames are essential for marginalia, floating note boxes, floating pictures with captions, floating tables.
- Linked images
One of the problems with technical documents, is that all those large EPS and TIFF pictures tend to make the document extremely heavy. I know RTFD does memorizes text and pictures into separate files, but does RTFD preserves all Nisus features, like footnotes and comments?
Also, embedded illustrations should be editable. Is the LinkBack enough for this? I would love to use some LB enabled apps, so this would be perfect for me.
- Registration marks
PDF files for the printer are mandatory. Two sets of them, actually: a single line cut marker for Western printers, and a double line for Eastern.
When printing, Nisus should allow for additional space for register marks. If a document in A4 format must be printed, the resulting PDF file should be in A4 Extra, or any other exceeding format.
This can eventually be done with Adobe Acrobat Pro, but I wonder if can be had without forcing distributors to buy that expensive app, or forcing the original author to do it.
Best regards,
Paolo