[TCP] Question on 2 column layouts
OK, I got one for you all... We have this quick start guide. It's really not quick, since it's 20 pages. Previously, it was created in Framemaker and PDF'd. They did odd things in Framemaker, by using extra paragraph returns to add blank space, and they did this thing that just horrifies me: They started out one column, for two or three pages, then it switched to two columns for a couple of pages, then back to one column, then the next page that was two column was weird (text on the left, screen shots that lined up to a specific step on the right, so there was lots of empty space). Then back and forth between two and one. I hate it. I think it looks unprofessional. And I think it's a royal pain to read. I've got all the content in to AIT now, and I've created a newsletter style template. With a one column SECTION at the top of the first page, so the product name and title span two columns. Then the rest of the content is all two columns. It's not all pure text. My manager wants to go back to the one column then two column then one column thing. What would you do? A single two column document (sans the heading)? Or a mixed one and two column document? ...sue __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
Re: [TCP] Question on 2 column layouts
Hi, I'd not rule out your bosses desires off the top ... I'd find out why your boss wants that and then email the reasons to the list. I am assuming he's reasonable and so has a reason or two Cheers and grins, Sean -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sue Heim Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 5:47 PM To: TCP List Subject: [TCP] Question on 2 column layouts OK, I got one for you all... We have this quick start guide. It's really not quick, since it's 20 pages. Previously, it was created in Framemaker and PDF'd. They did odd things in Framemaker, by using extra paragraph returns to add blank space, and they did this thing that just horrifies me: They started out one column, for two or three pages, then it switched to two columns for a couple of pages, then back to one column, then the next page that was two column was weird (text on the left, screen shots that lined up to a specific step on the right, so there was lots of empty space). Then back and forth between two and one. I hate it. I think it looks unprofessional. And I think it's a royal pain to read. I've got all the content in to AIT now, and I've created a newsletter style template. With a one column SECTION at the top of the first page, so the product name and title span two columns. Then the rest of the content is all two columns. It's not all pure text. My manager wants to go back to the one column then two column then one column thing. What would you do? A single two column document (sans the heading)? Or a mixed one and two column document? DISCLAIMER: Important Notice * This e-mail may contain information that is confidential, privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not an intended recipient of this e-mail, do not duplicate or redistribute it by any means. Please delete it and any attachments and notify the sender that you have received it in error. Unintended recipients are prohibited from taking action on the basis of information in this e-mail.E-mail messages may contain computer viruses or other defects, may not be accurately replicated on other systems, or may be intercepted, deleted or interfered with without the knowledge of the sender or the intended recipient. If you are not comfortable with the risks associated with e-mail messages, you may decide not to use e-mail to communicate with IPC. IPC reserves the right, to the extent and under circumstances permitted by applicable law, to retain, monitor and intercept e-mail messages to and from its systems. __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
Re: [TCP] Question on 2 column layouts
My boss said, and I quote, it's one long vomit of data. Of course, all of the headings are styled in the exact same font as they used in the previous one, same amount of leading. I'd increase both so they'd stand out. And it looks damned good as it is. Vomit of data. Just pisses me off. The problem is, she designed the POC. And is taking it personally. And I'm screwed. And I'm even more screwed cause she doesn't understand media objects in AIT and so she's gonna break it and I'm gonna have to spend time to fix it. Time I don't have. sigh Today I hate my job. But seriously... what do you think about switching between column formats??? If you want to see an example, go to https://supportimg.pgp.com/guides/PGP_Desktop_9.6.0_QuickStart_eng.pdf. ...sue On 6/5/07, Brierley, Sean [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi, I'd not rule out your bosses desires off the top ... I'd find out why your boss wants that and then email the reasons to the list. I am assuming he's reasonable and so has a reason or two Cheers and grins, Sean -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sue Heim Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 5:47 PM To: TCP List Subject: [TCP] Question on 2 column layouts OK, I got one for you all... We have this quick start guide. It's really not quick, since it's 20 pages. Previously, it was created in Framemaker and PDF'd. They did odd things in Framemaker, by using extra paragraph returns to add blank space, and they did this thing that just horrifies me: They started out one column, for two or three pages, then it switched to two columns for a couple of pages, then back to one column, then the next page that was two column was weird (text on the left, screen shots that lined up to a specific step on the right, so there was lots of empty space). Then back and forth between two and one. I hate it. I think it looks unprofessional. And I think it's a royal pain to read. I've got all the content in to AIT now, and I've created a newsletter style template. With a one column SECTION at the top of the first page, so the product name and title span two columns. Then the rest of the content is all two columns. It's not all pure text. My manager wants to go back to the one column then two column then one column thing. What would you do? A single two column document (sans the heading)? Or a mixed one and two column document? DISCLAIMER: Important Notice * This e-mail may contain information that is confidential, privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not an intended recipient of this e-mail, do not duplicate or redistribute it by any means. Please delete it and any attachments and notify the sender that you have received it in error. Unintended recipients are prohibited from taking action on the basis of information in this e-mail.E-mail messages may contain computer viruses or other defects, may not be accurately replicated on other systems, or may be intercepted, deleted or interfered with without the knowledge of the sender or the intended recipient. If you are not comfortable with the risks associated with e-mail messages, you may decide not to use e-mail to communicate with IPC. IPC reserves the right, to the extent and under circumstances permitted by applicable law, to retain, monitor and intercept e-mail messages to and from its systems. __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED
Re: [TCP] Question on 2 column layouts
After a quick flipthrough: I think it looks better than I thought it would. However, I'd be consistent about column use. I don't like the one column layout, the column seems too wide. I like the idea of text in one column and graphics in the other; for double sided printing, I'd switch the left-right columns for balance. Cheers and gluck, Sean -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sue Heim Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 6:04 PM To: Brierley, Sean Cc: TCP List Subject: Re: [TCP] Question on 2 column layouts My boss said, and I quote, it's one long vomit of data. Of course, all of the headings are styled in the exact same font as they used in the previous one, same amount of leading. I'd increase both so they'd stand out. And it looks damned good as it is. Vomit of data. Just pisses me off. The problem is, she designed the POC. And is taking it personally. And I'm screwed. And I'm even more screwed cause she doesn't understand media objects in AIT and so she's gonna break it and I'm gonna have to spend time to fix it. Time I don't have. sigh Today I hate my job. But seriously... what do you think about switching between column formats??? If you want to see an example, go to https://supportimg.pgp.com/guides/PGP_Desktop_9.6.0_QuickStart_eng.pdf. ...sue DISCLAIMER: Important Notice * This e-mail may contain information that is confidential, privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not an intended recipient of this e-mail, do not duplicate or redistribute it by any means. Please delete it and any attachments and notify the sender that you have received it in error. Unintended recipients are prohibited from taking action on the basis of information in this e-mail.E-mail messages may contain computer viruses or other defects, may not be accurately replicated on other systems, or may be intercepted, deleted or interfered with without the knowledge of the sender or the intended recipient. If you are not comfortable with the risks associated with e-mail messages, you may decide not to use e-mail to communicate with IPC. IPC reserves the right, to the extent and under circumstances permitted by applicable law, to retain, monitor and intercept e-mail messages to and from its systems. __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
Re: [TCP] Question on 2 column layouts
It's a her not a him. And it's not just a document. It's a document out of AuthorIT and she doesn't know what she's doing. So iit'll mean taking a few hours out of a schedule that is already impossible in order to fix things she broke. And the only answer I've gotten out of her is the oh so lovely vomit of data. Which, by the way, it's not. Bleah. Double bleah. Is it Friday yet? :) ...sue On 6/5/07, John Posada [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: My manager wants to go back to the one column then two column then one column thing. What would you do? I'd ask him why, hoping that when he hears his answer, he's know it sounds odd. Try to get his answer in writing, maybe an email. I'd then do what he says. Sue...it's just a document. John Posada Senior Technical Writer They say everyone needs goals. Mine is to live forever. So far, so good. __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
Re: [TCP] Question on 2 column layouts
Hey, that's a great-looking piece of documentation, in my opinion. Keeps the visual interest. Cool. Very nice. Bonnie Granat http://www.GranatEdit.com __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
Re: [TCP] Question on 2 column layouts
-Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bonnie Granat Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 8:23 PM To: 'TCP List' Subject: Re: [TCP] Question on 2 column layouts Hey, that's a great-looking piece of documentation, in my opinion. Keeps the visual interest. Cool. Very nice. And white space is good!!! Bonnie Granat http://www.GranatEdit.com __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
Re: [TCP] Question on 2 column layouts
And it's not just a document. It's a document out of AuthorIT Why should she HAVE to care what the authoring tool is? John Posada Senior Technical Writer They say everyone needs goals. Mine is to live forever. So far, so good. __ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com ___ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
