Re: Programming / scripting languages in tech-writing

Subject: Re: Programming / scripting languages in tech-writing
From: Chris <cud -at- telecable -dot- es>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 07 May 2002 09:48:34 +0200


I used shell, sed, awk and Perl in previous lives - back when I was on Unix boxes alot. They were invaluable for generating scripts for fmbatch, for manipulating text files, for improving access to source control... I also used Perl, awk and shell scripting to set up a doc intranet via CGI - I've been told it was a sort of pre-wiki. This level of scripting saved me many hours of typing commands, cutting & copying, etc.
These days, as a contractor, I make plenty of bread and butter out of programming the FrameMaker API. Which is to say that not only do I use my programming, but other people use it, too. For my own personal use I develop tools as I need them. A number of them have grown into tools that are useful for the general public, so I distribute them as freeware. See my site for descriptions (and more are coming soon).

As for a repository, you bet that's a good idea. The FrameUsers web site has an area devoted to FrameMaker power tools - these range from high-end doc mgmt solutions to bone-head freeware (like mine)... From 3rd party apps to plugins to scripts for tweaking MIF to FrameScript scripts to FrameMaker templates. I for one am all in favor of sharing work. The TechWhirl site could include a similar section, perhaps with links to outside sites such as FrameUsers, some Word sites, some Perl sites, etc. And then anything created within TechWhirl could also be posted for download.

And the more you know about scripting and programming, the better off you are in the SoftWare/HardWare kingdom. Or at least that has been my experience. It's sort of like going to a foreign countery and bothering to learn to say please, thank you, and where's the bathroom in the native tongue. The locals appreciate the effort more than you could imagine.
--
Chris Despopoulos, maker of CudSpan Freeware...
Plugins to Enhance FrameMaker & FrameMaker+SGML
http://www.telecable.es/personales/cud/
cud -at- telecable -dot- es




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