Re: Single-sourcing a procedure for multiple uses

[Robert_Johnson -at- percussion -dot- com]

In Author-IT, a variable will solve your first problem.  Create a variable 
in your library (say, <ApplicationName>) and include it in your Topic 
Object where you want the variable text.  Then in the Book object, you can 
assign the value for that Varible.  (In the Book object for Application1, 
the value of the <AppliationName> variable would be "Application1".)

I think you're on the right track for the other problem; but I think one 
topic per step is overly granular.  Is it possible to structure the 
procedure so the steps that are unique to one application are at the end? 
If that's the case, I would create three topic objects.  The first (Topic 
1) would have the generic steps, the second (Topic 2) would have the 
additional steps unique to the specific product.  The third (Topic 3) 
would have the frst two embedded in order.  I would use Topic 1 in the 
Book objects for the products  that do not require the addional steps, and 
Topic 3 in the Book objects for the products that do require the 
additional steps.

If that's not possible, you might group steps into Topics as much as 
possible and embed the grouped step topics. 

I don't recall having the problem you mention wth numbering, but we 
probably haven't embedded steps the way you are talking about.  The 
problem is probably correctable in Word with a macro, but online outputs 
are another matter.  In either case, I would consider the behavior a bug 
and contact Author-IT tech support.

Robert Johnson
Principal Writer
Percussion Software
Woburn, MA



"Blount, Patricia A" <Patricia -dot- Blount -at- ca -dot- com> 
Sent by: techwr-l-bounces+robert_johnson=percussion -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
09/25/2008 10:22 AM

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Subject
Single-sourcing a procedure for multiple uses






Good morning, writers,

I have a writing challenge and need the wisdom of your collective
experience. 

One of software products I'm documenting can be used with about ten
different 3rd party applications. Each application currently has its own
guide, and each guide currently contains its own distinct version of the
same procedure.

There are some very minor differences within that procedure, depending
on the application you're using. For example, you would select the
desired application from a list of all supported applications. In this
example, I've genericized as many steps as possible, changing the
wording of a step like this: 

From: "Choose <ApplicationNameA> and then click Next. 
To: "Choose the application you wish to protect from the list below and
then click Next."

Here's my dilemma. There's additional pertinent information in this
procedure that applies ONLY to use of one particular application, not
the whole list. In some cases, there may even be additional steps not
present in that procedure for other applications.

I'm having trouble single-sourcing the procedure to meet all my needs.
I'm using AuthorIT. I thought about creating a topic from every step in
the procedure and then stringing them together. That would allow me to
insert extra steps and information as needed. The problem is formatting.
AIT numbers everything as "1" unless it's contained within the same
topic. 

I also thought about picking one application from the list and using it
as the example throughout, but Management wants specifics in each Guide.


So far, my rather inelegant solution is to store each step as its own
object, then embed each object into a Procedure for each Guide. Embedded
objects will still be modified across all books when the sources change,
so that gives me some single-sourcing benefit. Plus, it allows me to
insert the unique information between embedded objects. 

I wondered if anyone has a better solution.

Many thanks,
Patty B 
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