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So then, this sounds like you are interested in playing with a solution,
not necessarily because the task needs to be done. You like to figure stuff
out, and would enjoy the challenge to convert existing documents by
extracting the content from its wrapper. That's a good reason to keep
searching, and I hope you find something.
For me, If the manuals are important, I would be inclined to recreate them
from scratch, using my own styles, directly in InDesign.
If time was not an issue, I would extend this to benefit future
generations. I would explore a solution built on DITA, a
specification/process/methodology that I understand conceptually and have
had peripheral experience with.
This method would accommodate several publishing options, including eBooks,
HTML, and even XML to import into InDesign for further layout and control.
But then there's iBooks Author...
-Tony
On Wednesday, November 7, 2012, sphilip wrote:
>
>
> So, to answer Tony's question - how long it would take me isn't an issue.
> It's more of a case of whether I have the requisite skills - and right now
> I don't know enough about what is required to know whether it's within my
> skill set. I would be willing and interested to learn, and I would - if I
> were successful - be interested in making any script or app open-source for
> others. However, I don't know enough about what files and formats need
> converting to make .qxp files open in InDesign. If anyone can give me some
> pointers, I'd be happy to investigate further on my own.
>
>
>
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Writer Tip: Create 10 different outputs with Doc-To-Help -- including Mobile and EPUB.