Authoring modes

Understand FrameMaker’s mode of content authoring, template-based free flow approach, where you decide the content flow and formatting.

The FrameMaker mode is ideal for authoring content that need not be tied to a rigid structure. The unstructured style of authoring relies on a template to define the presentation of content. Font, paragraph, table, and other formats are often based on style guides, and content writing rules specified by editors. You, as an author, decide the content flow and formatting. For example, depending on the nature of your content, you may include headings followed either by paragraphs or by graphics. This means that in an unstructured authoring workflow, you create relatively free-flow documents that are largely style-based.

A typical workflow for unstructured authoring in FrameMaker comprises the following tasks:

• Create single documents or include multiple documents in a book.

• Specify how content is presented by defining font, paragraph, and table formats among others.

• Create templates, with appropriate styles, that can be shared with multiple authors.

• Use the Document window to author in this free-form environment. Hit Enter to create a new paragraph or place the insertion point at the required location before you insert objects like images and tables.

• Author in any of the supported formats:

  • unstructured documents ( .fm)

  • Maker Interchange Format documents ( .mif)

  • books ( .book)

Understand Structured FrameMaker mode, availability of elements and their valid placement based on EDDs, DTDs or Elements catalog.

Use the Structured FrameMaker mode for documents that need to adhere to a structure. The structure is defined in terms of the elements that are available to the document as well as the valid location of these elements in the structure.

Every part of a document, for example, a paragraph, a section, a topic, or a table, is expressed as an element. When you create a structured document, you need to ensure that every element is present at a structurally valid location. Structured authoring ensures consistency of structure across similar pieces of content.

Following are some examples of structural rules:

• A bulleted list must contain at least three items.

• A heading must be followed by a paragraph.

• A table must have a heading row.

• A graphic must have a caption.

A typical workflow for structured authoring in FrameMaker comprises the following tasks:

• Create individual structured documents or include multiple documents in a DITA map or a book.

• Use the existing structured samples or create a custom structure based on EDDs or DTDs.

• Include the right elements to define the flow of content. Some elements also include formatting information that you can use to specify styles.

• The underlying structure ensures consistency across content in a multi-author environment.

• Use the Elements catalog or keyboard shortcuts to insert new elements for text, images, tables, and other objects.

• Use the Structure View to navigate through your document and also move elements around. The Structure view also indicates the validity of your document against the underlying structure.

• Author in any of the supported formats:

  • structured documents ( .fm)

  • XML documents ( .xml, .dita)

  • books ( .book, .ditamap)

See a video on Introduction to Structured FrameMaker.

Choose an authoring mode (structured, unstructured, or XML) at first launch, or change it later through the Preferences dialog in FrameMaker

The first time you launch FrameMaker, the default authoring mode is set to Structured FrameMaker. You can change the mode from the Preferences dialog:

1. Choose Edit > Preferences to open the Preferences dialog.

2. In the Preferences dialog, go to Global > General tab.

3. In the Product Interface drop-down list, choose the FrameMaker mode and click OK.

You are prompted to restart FrameMaker for the changes to take effect.

The FrameMaker user interface provides for a seamless transition between unstructured and structured authoring. The menu options and other user interface elements are consistent between both the modes. The options, however, are specific to the mode in which you are authoring.