PDF and Print Manual Templates

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Do you use the same .MNL templates for PDFs and print manuals?

One template for PDF and print manuals
18
75%
Separate templates for PDF and manuals
1
4%
Multiple templates for different purposes
5
21%
 
Total votes: 24

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Tim Green
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PDF and Print Manual Templates

Unread post by Tim Green »

This week's poll is on the templates for PDF output and print manuals. Do you create separate templates for both, with different formatting for electronic PDFs and printed manuals? Or do you use the the same template, so that PDFs and print manuals both have the same layout and format?
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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TomHenehan
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Location: New Orleans, LA USA

Unread post by TomHenehan »

I have cast my vote for "one template," but I need to append this qualification:

When I first began using H&M, I was unable to output a non-PDF manual. I believe I was told it was probably a printer-driver issue, but I (a) couldn't solve the problem and (b) found that the PDF option gave me everything I needed to generate a printed-manual edition of my work.

Therefore, I use only one template because I compile output in only one printable format.

Can anyone offer an explanation of why or when the "manual" option might be preferable to the "PDF" option? I have long since forgotten about trying to solve my non-PDF-manual problem, but if there is adequate reason to do so, I might try again to make the manual thing work.
Tom Henehan
CompuVend, Inc.
Makers of DEX Buzz Box®
3322 Hessmer Avenue, Suite 201
Metairie, LA 70002
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Tim Green
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Unread post by Tim Green »

Tom,

The only difference between the two options is really where your output goes: When you choose Compile to PDF H&M generates a PDF file and stops. When you choose Print User Manual it generates a PDF in the background and outputs it to your physical printer.

The point is that you can link different manual templates to both these functions, one in the Print User Manual dialog and another one in the Adobe PDF Layout section in Project Properties.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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waldemar.hersacher
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Unread post by waldemar.hersacher »

One reason for different templates is:

PDF is for reading on the screen and printing is for reading on paper. Some people prefer by reading on paper to start a chapter on an odd page number. This results in a blank even page if the previous chapter will end on an odd page. This is very unusual and confusion when reading on the screen.
Waldemar
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Unread post by Tim Green »

Waldemar,

You can prevent blank pages with the "Ignore blank pages" setting in the Adobe PDF Export section in Project Properties. You have to remember to switch it off again for printed manuals because it makes it impossible to always start sections on an odd page.
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waldemar.hersacher
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Unread post by waldemar.hersacher »

You can have objects like the page number, copyright notice and others at different positions on odd and even pages. This will be good for a printed manual but on the screen I like to have it at one position regadless if it is an odd or even page.
Waldemar
TomHenehan
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Unread post by TomHenehan »

PDF is a very flexible format that can be used in various different contexts. For my purposes, at our company, the primary (if not the ONLY) application for PDFs is to provide printed manuals -- or, more precisely, printable files allowing the user to print his/her own manuals, as many copies as desired. (We're not especially intrested in using our own ink and paper to continue producing printed manuals -- nor in incurring the costs of shipping said manuals, either).

That's why I haven't worried about solving my problem generating the non-PDF print manual.

If in the future we begin using PDF for more different purposes (e.g., to create interactive electronic documents), I might need to look back into using H&M's non-PDF "manual" option.
Tom Henehan
CompuVend, Inc.
Makers of DEX Buzz Box®
3322 Hessmer Avenue, Suite 201
Metairie, LA 70002
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Tim Green
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Unread post by Tim Green »

Tom,
TomHenehan wrote:That's why I haven't worried about solving my problem generating the non-PDF print manual.

If in the future we begin using PDF for more different purposes (e.g., to create interactive electronic documents), I might need to look back into using H&M's non-PDF "manual" option.
I need to clear up a misunderstanding here: H&M doesn't have any non-PDF output of this type! The "Print User Manual" function in the File menu and the "Compile to PDF Function" are actually the same, identical function. They both generate a PDF, using the same PDF engine. The only difference is that Print User Manual then outputs to the physical printer and deletes the temporary PDF file when it is finished. Also, Print User Manual and Compile to PDF can use different templates, but they are both PDF output.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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rholloway
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Unread post by rholloway »

My company doesn't currently offer PDF manuals, but I can't imagine why I would use a different template if we did. Maybe this is blasphemy, but I prefer creating electronic manuals with MS Word and Adobe (to make interactive PDFs). :wink: Is there a way in H&M to create an interactive PDF (i.e., clickable TOC, etc.)?
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Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi,
rholloway wrote:Is there a way in H&M to create an interactive PDF (i.e., clickable TOC, etc.)?
Select:

Project > Project Properties > Adobe PDF Export > PDF Layout > [x] Interactive PDF Document (Creates an interactive TOC and hyperlinks)

Have a nice weekend! 8)
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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rholloway
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Unread post by rholloway »

Oh now I just feel silly. Thanks for the help! How did I not notice that before? Perhaps time for a vacation...
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