Hi Olivier,
Please could you advise the status of Writer’s master document facility with respect to using it when publishing our guides?
When I publish the 7.2 Calc Guide would you recommend using a master document, or shall I just create one big document by hand?
Regards,
Steve
HI Steve
I always use the master document to assemble the guide and do chapter cleanup (mostly style-wise). Once cleaned, I export to an ODF document and do the final tweaks.
However, TDF had a tender to fix one of the issues of the master document and it has been fixed and will be available in release 7.2.4:
https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=144989
I have not fully tested it though.
Kind regards
Olivier
In contrast to Olivier, I assemble docs by hand. I’ve found that to be more
accurate and less work in the long run than starting with a master doc.
Jean
Hello
I am also assembling the Impress Guide by hand and not using a master document.
I use the chapter template as a starting point and then copy in the chapter files. I find this very easy.
When I have time I shall try a master document and let you all know what happened.
Regards
Peter Schofield
psauthor@gmail.com
Technical Writer, LO Documentation Team
Hello
I have made an attempt at creating a master document and using it to create a book. All I can say is that the instructions given are not very clear and difficult to follow.
I have used and created master documents before using Ventura and FrameMaker in the early days of desk top publishing and do know what is required. So, in my opinion, Chapter 16 Master Documents in the Writer Guide needs a rewrite to make it easier to understand what is required. Some of the steps given are too long and confusing.
I shall continue to use the LO chapter template for user guides as a basis to create user guides for Impress and Draw. It is definitely the easiest method.
Regards
Peter Schofield
psauthor@gmail.com
Technical Writer, LO Documentation Team
Peter,
I agree that the chapter on master docs needs some rewriting, but I’ve been
too close to it for over 15 years and can’t really see what its problems
are. If you and/ or someone else reading this has some time to point out
issues with the instructions, that would help greatly.
Jean
Hello Jean
I am willing to have a go at rewriting Writer Guide Chapter 16 on master documents, but it will take some time. I do have to go through the whole process and find all the problems. It will be early next year and ready in time for LO 7.3.
I agree that once you get close to a subject, you do not see everything.
Peter Schofield
psauthor@gmail.com
Technical Writer, LO Documentation Team
Hi,
Chap 16 of the Writer Guide has everything about master documents.
But it may be a bit confusing. A picture on MD link structure is important and another picture on the styles precedence between MD and chapters is needed.
In my experience, the most important rule is to use the same template for MD and chapters. To be more precise, MD and chapters must share the exact same styles names, so MD styles attributes overwrites/supersedes chapter styles attributes.
The second most important rule is to use the template styles only, no spurious. left over legacy styles. And avoid direct formatting, manual breaks, and other typewriter-ways of formatting contents (indentation by spaces, empty paragraphs, etc...)
Failing to follow these 2 rules and the master document is just more work for a single person editor.
Olivier