🚀 go-pugleaf

This message  is aimed at people  who do  multiauthor,  long documents
using Word 4.0 or people who have intimate knowledge of future updates
to FullWrite Professional.

Here's the idea.  We have our  group  divided into teams.  These teams
(~<12) need to generate documentation.  I want to  get us to use Macs.
However,  the major driving  requirement to  which I cannot get a firm
answer   is how well  Word or   future FullWrite  versions will  allow
multiple writers to integrate their work.

The ideal situation is like Interleaf's "book" folder.  Basically, the
"book" folder is created.  One defines "catalogs" within  the books to
act   as Word-like style   sheets  (no  templates though).  Any styles
defined in the catalogs are available to all members of the book.  Any
document created/pasted into the book  folder  has immediate access to
these  styles  as well  as all autonumbered  elements  (pages, chapter
headings,  footnotes,  etc)  as  needed.   This  means that  pages are
automatically    updated, blank   pages     are  inserted  to  enforce
double-sided requirements and so on.

I know  that  Word 3.02 allowed  users to "link" documents together so
that   pages  could be  automatically   updated, but  didn't allow for
composite tables  of  contents or indexes or  footnotes (I think).  Is
Word  4.0   smarter about  any of  these  things?   Will  FullWrite be
smarter?  

At the Expo, a couple  of  us  spoke to  an Ashton-Tate representative
about   these issues.  He  was   tremendously  clueless as    is  most
Ashton-Tate tech and customer support.  The last time I tried  to call
to report a bug or make a suggestion, I was  refused access because my
support period  had elapsed  (bozos).   If anyone   has  someone's ear
there, this would be a good feature for a future release.

I suggest something like Interleaf's method except without the folder.
A user,  in FullWrite, could  ask to   create  a  book.   The book  is
initially empty.  Users then select  documents using the SFGetFile box
to add to the book.  Users can change the document  order  in the book
by dragging names around (like changing  loading order in INITPicker).
Users could also  add style sheets  to the  book.   When  the book  is
opened  or printed, FullWrite  just  visits each document in order and
updates   the page  numbers,  footnotes  and  any  other autonumbering
references (xrefs would be the tricky part).  Books may have templates
associated with them too.

Howzat sound?  Comments, discussions?


--
	     Jeffrey A. Hallett, PET Software Engineering
      GE Medical Systems, W641, PO Box 414, Milwaukee, WI  53201
	    (414) 548-5163 : EMAIL -  hallett@gemed.ge.com
     "Your logic was impeccable Captain. We are in grave danger."