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Stating Document Specifications for FrameMaker

by Ron Kurtus (16 November 2006)

Before you start using Adobe FrameMaker on a new document, you should define the specifications for the document in writing. You need to state the type of document you are creating, the page layout for the various elements, and the characteristics of the various document elements.

Pre-defining your document allows you to effectively format your template, once in FrameMaker.

Questions you may have include:

This lesson will answer those questions.



Define type of document

You need to define what type of document you are creating and its major features.

Is it a short single-sided report? Or is it a longer double-sided book, consisting of several chapters? Will the first page be different than the other pages? Is there a separate section for introductory pages? Will you have a table of contents and index?

You can get a good idea of the types of documents from the standard templates that come with FrameMaker. Examples of single-sided documents include:

You can also download templates from Adobe and other sources. Examples of such double-sided documents are:

State page layout

Next you need to consider the page layout. Unless you are using the default settings, you need to define the following dimensions:

Write down your layout needs and measurements.

Define document elements

Finally, you need to define the characteristics of the items in your document.

Summary

Before you start working on a new document, you should define your specifications in writing. State the type of document you are creating, the page layout for the various elements, and the characteristics of the various document elements. This allows you to effectively format your template, once in FrameMaker.


Know what you're going to do


Resources and references

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specifications.htm

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