TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Word Fast-saves & FrameMaker From:Peter Brown <pbrown -at- MKS -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 18 Sep 1997 11:47:39 -0400
troy_goodson -at- INAME -dot- COM wrote:
> My apologies if this has been pointed out before, but I've noticed
> a little bug in FrameMaker's interpretation of Word documents. Since
> this may be of interest to Word users who cooperate with users of
> other word processors, I've cross-posted.
>
> I'm using FrameMaker+SGML v5.1.1 on a Mac. The documents that I've
> seen
> this problem with were created with MS Word v6.0.1 on a Mac.
>
> Word v6 allows the user to make 'Fast Saves'; in fact, I think it's
> the default. Anyway, when you open a fast-saved MS Word document with
> FrameMaker, it only shows you the first edit or version of the file.
> Any
> editing that has been done to file since the first fast-save is simply
> ignored by FrameMaker.
>
> I don't know if FrameMaker v5.5 has this problem or not.
The best advice anyone could give you is: Turn off the Fast Save feature
and resave any fast-saved documents!!
It is an evil spawned straight from the depths of hell. As such, it's
not worth the couple of seconds here and there that you save by having
it turned on.
A developer at a company where I used to work (Hi Cathy! Hi Robin!)
reported nightmares, convulsing, and tongue-swallowing after first
peering into the innards of a fast-saved Word document. When he was told
that he'd have to write the filter that would allow that document to be
rendered accurately in an imaging application, he promptly shot himself
(alright, now I'm embellishing).
That another piece of software cannot adequately filter a fast-saved
Word document is hardly a bug. It's entirely understandable.
--
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Opinions? I've had a few. But then again, too few to mention."
Peter Brown, Technical Writer (pbrown -at- mks -dot- com)
Mortice Kern Systems Inc. (http://www.mks.com)
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html
