Hi (First post - hope this is the right place.... help desperately needed!)
We produce 30 manuals that are all about 400 pages long and include pictures, tables and lot of text (we also get these translated in all European languages). Currently we use PageMaker and convert the documents to PDF for distribution after having been sent to the rather expensive translators.
I'm looking to update our software to try and make the process of maintaining these manuals a lot easier.
I have identified 3 possibilities and was wondering if anyone had any words of wisdom/comments/suggestions that would help. These are: -
Adobe FrameMaker - which I like a lot, especially that it seems to allow for data to be changed on one page and automatically update other pages. Also the fact that it looks like it would be relatively easy to transfer all our current PageMaker documents into FramMaker.
Adobe Indesign CS - looks ok. But more geared towards making things look all pretty (not a major concern 'it's what's on the inside that counts!!)
and
uarkXPress Passport - cheap as chips. Looks to have a layer facility just like PageMakers. But can't see why it is so much better than PageMaker.
It is important that we can convert to PDF, and maintain muti language documents. (the latter being the most important and costly for us) Also, that we can import all of our current PageMaker documents into the new programme.
Al help will be greatly appreciated! (sorry for the huge essay!) - just not sure which route to go down. Really looking for a critique of the mentioned programmes - want to make sure that I haven't missed anything!
Cheers, PTD
We produce 30 manuals that are all about 400 pages long and include pictures, tables and lot of text (we also get these translated in all European languages). Currently we use PageMaker and convert the documents to PDF for distribution after having been sent to the rather expensive translators.
I'm looking to update our software to try and make the process of maintaining these manuals a lot easier.
I have identified 3 possibilities and was wondering if anyone had any words of wisdom/comments/suggestions that would help. These are: -
Adobe FrameMaker - which I like a lot, especially that it seems to allow for data to be changed on one page and automatically update other pages. Also the fact that it looks like it would be relatively easy to transfer all our current PageMaker documents into FramMaker.
Adobe Indesign CS - looks ok. But more geared towards making things look all pretty (not a major concern 'it's what's on the inside that counts!!)
and
uarkXPress Passport - cheap as chips. Looks to have a layer facility just like PageMakers. But can't see why it is so much better than PageMaker.
It is important that we can convert to PDF, and maintain muti language documents. (the latter being the most important and costly for us) Also, that we can import all of our current PageMaker documents into the new programme.
Al help will be greatly appreciated! (sorry for the huge essay!) - just not sure which route to go down. Really looking for a critique of the mentioned programmes - want to make sure that I haven't missed anything!
Cheers, PTD