Re: ANN: Need database for publishing

["Rick Quatro" <rick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Framers,

This is an old thread, but I wanted to answer a couple of Dan's statements,
and in the process, issue a challenge.

> >One of the underappreciated features of FrameScript is the ability of a
> >script to query a database directly through the ODBC control panel in
> >Windows. The returned records can then be imported into FrameMaker and
> >formatted by the script.
>
> But UniMerge (price about $600) does the same thing much better, and can
> also issue ODBC queries. UniMerge uses a FrameMaker template that includes
> complete formatting instructions, as well as Unimerge commands that
provide
> all sorts of processing options, thus it is much more powerful than
> anything possible with a customized Framescript. UniMerge produces, as its
> output, a MIF file, which, when opened in FrameMaker, is fully formatted
> and ready to deliver.

I don't know how you can make a blanket statement that Unimerge is much more
powerful than anything possible with a customized FrameScript for database
publishing. I have not tried Unimerge, but it is a specialized application
for database publishing. FrameScript is a scripting environment built on
Frame's FDK that includes database support through an ODBC connection. I am
confident that any of Unimerge's processing options can be easily duplicated
by FrameScript commands.

> UniMerge can operate on data extracted live from a database, and works
> equally well on an ASCII data extract files produced by exporting selected
> records from a database or spreadsheet in a comma-delimited or fixed-field
> format.

FrameScript can also handle ASCII files as well. It can also write text
files, as well as read and write to INI files.

> That's not to say that a Framescript might be useful in a limited number
of
> applications, but almost certainly it would fall short of what's needed in
> most database publishing applications.

This is another blanket statement that I disagree with. As I deliver
FrameScript database publishing solutions to satisfied clients, I am finding
it to be an excellent tool for this kind of work. After data is imported and
formatted, FrameScript gives you the opportunity to do any necessary
post-processing to deal with pagination issues, etc.

> ====================
> | Nullius in Verba |
> ====================
> Dan Emory, Dan Emory & Associates
> FrameMaker/FrameMaker+SGML Document Design & Database Publishing
> Voice/Fax: 949-722-8971 E-Mail: danemory@primenet.com
> 177 Riverside Ave., STE F, #1151, Newport Beach, CA 92663

So, in summary, I respectfully disagree with Dan's assessment of FrameScript
as a database publishing tool. Perhaps we could have a Unimerge/FrameScript
"shootout." If someone has a difficult database publishing challenge, I
would be willing to take it on as a case study using FrameScript. If Dan is
willing, he could do a case study with Unimerge. Then, we can determine
which tool best meets the challenge.

Rick Quatro
Carmen Publishing
585 659-8267
rick@frameexpert.com
http://www.frameexpert.com



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