Captivate: control flash animation

When there is an audio flash file in your Captivate slide and the user click next, the sound of the animation might not stop and it keep playing in the background of the next slides. This issue does not happen when you preview the project, but for the published file. The problem can be solved as per the the following three cases:

Case 1: In Cp 5.5, under the AUDIO section of the button properties, click to select the Stop Slide Audio When Clicked check box. Note that this feature doesn’t work, if the sound is embedded in the FLA file.

Case 2: If sound is embedded within the FLA file and you can edit the flash file, bring the embedded sound at the top level in the timeline of the slide.

Case 3: If sound is embedded within the FLA file and you cannot edit the flash file, create an advance action. In the advanced action, you can define two actions: hide the flash and go to next slide. The hide action will stop the sound of the flash file.

RoboHelp: Breadcrumbs

When I created breadcrumbs through the WebHelp Navigation – WebHelp dialog box, then breadcrumbs were created on top of the HTML header. In other case, when breadcrumbs were created through master page, breadcrumbs were created below the header.
However, I wanted the breadcrumbs above the header. What would be the answer???

Ohhh.. I think Im close to my answer. I removed the header, instead of that I used a simple text in the master page, which I used it as a header for the HTML files. Then I inserted the breadcrumbs. That was simple....

SWF for Android Phones

I successfully played a SWF file locally (by copying it in the SD memory) on a Dell Streak through this link:

file://sdcard/[filename].swf

However, my friend could not play on Xoom (Android 3.0 Honeycomb) through the same link. Then I figured out that there was also a same issue with Acer Iconia Tab A500, which also runs on Android 3.0 Honeycomb.

Then a flash developer came to my help. He converted the SWF file into the APK format that could be played on Xoom.

Text animation

In the Captivate (4.0), I wanted that after the Text Animation object is over (i.e., not in loop) then the text should display for rest of the slide.

TIP: For the Text Animation object, take the Effect as Typing Text and kept its Delay for: Rest of the slide. The text remains on the screen after the animation is over. The real time typing cannot be copied to other slide, and then you can replace it this Text Animation.

Cross-reference with Soft-return

The MS Word soft return would mean line break due to word wrapping. In numbered list, if soft return is used, then the whole text is seen in the cross-reference pop-up window. So, it’s better to use separate style for the description of the numbered list.

I can't stop playing games with software.....

Tools and software makes me crazy!!! I do really have soft corner for the software and their usage...
I always tried (& keep trying) to become a techno-wizard.

Now, IT profession has be forefront with the latest technology trends and software updates. One can enhance their skill by practicing on a Tool.

Once Einstein quoted that if a person spend 10000 hour of on one subject then he/she becomes specialist on it.

However, as in the case of Technical Writers most of us have to wear many hats of tools and software, and give their best in the crunch of deadlines. Even a person working in a single tool for many years, how many has explored all the available features. The fact is that, we keep doing the same task if there is no requirement or scope is within the boundary.

Sometime, mastering the similar tools simultaneously is difficult.

·         Word/FrameMaker

·         RoboHelp/MadCap/Authorit

It is always challenging to work on multiple platform and technology. I put my hat off to those who do multi-tasking. In IT industry, we go ahead with a slogan as “Just to it”.

Multi-Language

Multilingual people in IT help to build the harmony and brotherhood among the people, where most states of the India are divided on the basis language. IT is a huge resource pull of technical peoples of different region, religion, caste, language, and gender are present. Hindi is India’s official language and English as second official language, outsourced jobs are boarded in India because of skilled English speaking peoples. In addition, because of multilingual peoples are working in a single place, they are sometime forced to talk in English.

In India, many universities and institutes provide foreign language trainings. There are many doctorates in French, Spanish, and German languages. Now, these foreign language skills are used in IT companies and India too is able to attract jobs from European countries.

Curve text in Microsoft Word 2010

In the lower versions of Microsoft Office 2010, the curve text feature is not available through WordArt.

Trick: Save the Microsoft Word 2010 document in 97-2003 format. The old feature of WordArt is enabled. Now, you can use the curve line feature.

It is observed that you cannot play the same tricks in Microsoft PowerPoint 2010.

Trick: Copy-paste the curve text from the word document into the PowerPoint 2010 slide. Hurrah!!!

Bloom’s Taxonomy in Technical Writing

The application of Bloom’s Taxonomy consistis of presentation, design, and assessment strategy. It can be used in e-learning, web-based training, or user manual. An application level objective requires simulations and step-by-step description. While, higher level learning requires case studies and role plays.

Six Levels of Cognitive Domain:

• Knowledge: The information should be well-defined and explained to the user satisfaction. Describe the product background and features.
  Keywords: defines, describes, identifies, knows, labels, lists, matches, names, outlines, recalls, recognizes, reproduces, selects, and states.
• Comprehension: Understanding of the application should be summarized. Describe the interface and behavior of the product.
  Keywords: comprehends, converts, defends, distinguishes, estimates, explains, extends, generalizes, gives, infers, interprets, paraphrases, predicts, rewrites, summarizes, and translates.
• Application: Put the statement into action and relate the application with the document. Describe the product in step-by-step process.
  Keywords: applies, changes, computes, constructs, demonstrates, discovers, manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts, prepares, produces, relates, shows, solves, and uses.
• Analyze: Scrutinize the information and verify with latest data. Provide relevant screenshots and references.
  Keywords: analyzes, breaks down, compares, contrasts, diagrams, deconstructs, differentiates, discriminates, distinguishes, identifies, illustrates, infers, outlines, relates, selects, and separates.
• Synthesis: Create and predict the data. Describe how one action affects the product usage.
  Keywords: categorizes, combines, compiles, composes, creates, devises, designs, explains, generates, modifies, organizes, plans, rearranges, reconstructs, relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites, summarizes, tells, and writes.
• Evaluation: Interpret and justify the information. Proofread and verify it by SME.
  Keywords: appraises, compares, concludes, contrasts, criticizes, critiques, defends, describes, discriminates, evaluates, explains, interprets, justifies, relates, summarizes, and supports.

Microsoft Word numbered list

I am quite happy with MS Word 2010 for many reasons. Among them, I found numbered list is pretty robust than the earlier version of word. It does not break now and user need not to play tricks to bring the numbering in shape. However, I found an interesting fact of numbering format.
If the existing number list has bold text and the same list text are copied into other part of the document. After restarting the numbered list, the source text changes from bold text changes to normal text.
TRICK: Press Ctrl+z, the text returns to the previous format.

Copy and paste

In IT industry, copy (CTRL+C) and paste (CTRL+V) action is the major action. Someone might have truly said that if "C" and "V" buttons are removed from the computer keyboard, then most of our work would come into standstill.
Once I faced an acute problem with the copy-paste action in MS Publisher, in fact there was nothing wrong with Publisher. I was not able to copy text from other application like, notepad. Within the Publisher, text and objects could be copied pasted. Then, I looked in the clipboard; there I found everything was copied into the clipboard, but not in the actual insertion point.
The easy solution I found as most of the computer user that I closed Publisher and again opened it. Ahh.. now my copy-paste action works fine. This is not the solution of what I faced, but it might be one of

Snagit window capture

Snagit 9.1.2 window profile captures the application window. However, Java application by-passes the native operating system and shows the child window through the “swing” technology. This makes job of Snagit difficult to capture the child window or a dialog box individually.
I posted this problem to the Snagit support team. Let see, if Snagit's next version comes up with a solution.

Simple work

The task you could do easily is said to be “simple work.” If you are asked to fill some color using a paint editor, you would do it quickly. Now, if you are asked to edit an image in the Photoshop editor, then you need some knowledge on it. First you would find many tools available, most of their usage you don’t know. You try to look for some help or training, otherwise lot of time is spend in searching and trying your hand in all of them to get your required result. At the end you would exhaust yourself; you would get fear with the work and try to avoid the task.

The scenario would change, if you would get some overview of the product and know the purpose of the tools. This is the case of every user irrespective of their domain knowledge. Basic knowledge is required to work with product. So, here comes the “Help” that could be a tutorial, user guide, demonstration, and so on.

I think of myself, when I first get into the product and run for help, asking my teammates for assistance. I go through the knowledge transfer session, and made a list of questions to ask the SMEs. I still find myself in a comfortable zone surrounded by peoples who could at least answer my queries. After all I am getting paid to know about my company product and give the best out of my effort.

The user who stats from the scratch, have no knowledge of the product, would get difficulty in doing their work. In the market, there are many vendors to provide the same product; however, the price is a different factor to convince the purchase. Therefore, in the trial version if the customer (user) is not handy with the product. They would never go ahead to purchase it.

Document Development Life Cycle

DDLC (Document Development Life Cycle) includes the various stages involved in structured document creation. DDLC helps in creation of efficient and quality document creation. The DDLC stages are:
1.Project Start-up
Project start-up generally involves the creation of project plan. It includes understanding the project objectives and constraints in terms of time, quality, and cost. The scope of the project is clearly defined along with standards to be followed throughout the project. This phase also involves identifying key personnel responsible for providing, reviewing, and approving document content.
2.Requirement Analysis
Requirement analysis for documentation includes Audience Analysis, Need Analysis and Task Analysis. You try to understand the product business logic and come up with strategies to achieve the your goal. You also decide the format and the delivery media for the document at this phase.
3.Design
Design phase basically deals with collecting and organizing data. It involves planning the instructional and media strategies and creating the course outline. Workflow of the document is planned in this phaze.
4.Development
Document development requires actual writing of the document, and integration of the various components (graphics, glossary, search items) of the document. This phase also involves document reviews and revisions and management of documentation issues. Now, the document is ready for testing.
5.Edit & Proofread
Peer-review is done to find errors and mark corrections, it involves parameters like correctness, completeness, adherence to standards, and usability.
6.Publishing
After updating and fixing the the errors the document is ready for publishing. The hard work of this phase relates to actual delivery of the document to its target audience.
7.Maintainance
Maintenance involves maintaining the deliverables. For example, it may involve content reuse analysis and elimination of redundant data from the document sets. It may also include template revision or inclusion of new product features.

Technology In Communication

Technical writers are communication specialist who add real value to the internal organization, products, and services. In this age of technology, the ability to organize, present, and transmit information with clarity, coherence, and precision is important. User-friendly communication tools helps us to prepare most voluminous technical documents with greater speed and efficiency.
Advantages of tools usage are:
• Speed and efficiency
• Professional appearance and presentable
• Vivid and greater appeal
• Facilitates revising, editing, and formatting
Limitations:
• Information overload or difficulty in effective information selection
• System Failures
• Require technical proficiency
• Fatigue and Frustration

Communication Etiquettes

1. Do not write "the same" in an email - it makes little sense to them.
Example - I will try to organize the project artifacts and inform you of the same when it is done. (This is somewhat an Indian construct.)
Correct: I will try to organize the project artifacts and inform you when that is done. Information on Email notification
2. Do not write or say, "I have some doubts on this issue". The term "doubt" is used in the sense of doubting someone - we use this term because in Indian languages, the word for a "doubt" and a "question" is the same.
Correct: I have a few questions on this issue.
3. The term "regard" is not used much in American English. They usually do not say "regarding this issue" or "with regard to this".
Correct: "about this issue".
4. Do not say "pardon" when you want someone to repeat what they said. The word "pardon" is unusual for them and is somewhat formal.
Correct: Apologize.
5. Americans do not understand most of the Indian accent immediately - They only understand 75% of what we speak and then interpret the rest. Therefore try not to use shortcut terms such as "Can't" or "Don't". Use the expanded "Cannot" or "Do not".
6. Do not use the term "screwed up" liberally. If a situation is not good, it is better to say, "The situation is messed up". Do not use words such as "shucks", or "pissed off".
7. As a general matter of form, Indians interrupt each other constantly in meetings - DO NOT interrupt a client when they are speaking. Over the phone, there could be delays - but wait for a short time before responding.
8. When explaining some complex issue, stop occasionally and ask "Does that make sense?" This is preferable than "Do you understand me?"
9. In email communications, use proper punctuation. To explain something, without breaking your flow, use semicolons, hyphens or parenthesis. Example: You have entered a new bug (the popup not showing up) in the defect tracking system; we could not reproduce it - although, a screenshot would help.
10. Reference to the actual bug is added in parenthesis so that the sentence flow is not broken. Break a long sentence using such punctuation.
11. In American English, a mail is a posted letter. An email is electronic mail. When you say "I mailed the information to you", it means you sent an actual letter or package through the postal system.
Correct: "I emailed the information to you."
12. To "prepone" an appointment is an Indian usage. There is no actual word called prepone. You can "advance" an appointment.
13. In the term "N-tier Architecture" or "3-tier Architecture", the word "tier" is not pronounced as "Tire". Many people pronounce it this way. The correct pronunciation is "tea-yar". The "ti" is pronounced as "tea".
14. The usages "September End", "Month End", "Day End" are not understood well by Americans. They use these as "End of September", "End of Month" or "End of Day".
15. Americans have weird conventions for time - when they say the time is "Quarter of One", they mean the time is 1:15. Better to ask them the exact time.
16. Indians commonly use the terms "Today Evening", "Today Night". These are not correct; "Today" means "This Day" where the Day stands for Daytime. Therefore "Today Night" is confusing.
Correct: "This Evening", "Tonight". That applies for "Yesterday Night" and "Yesterday Evening"; "Last Night" and "Last Evening".
17. There is no word called "Updation". You update somebody. You wait for updates to happen to the database. Avoid saying "Updation".
18. When you talk with someone for the first time, refer to them as they refer to you - in America, the first conversation usually starts by using the first name. Therefore you can use the first name of a client. Do not say "Sir". Do not call women "Madam".
19. It is usual convention in initial emails (particularly technical) to expand abbreviations, this way: We are planning to use the Java API for Registry (JAXR). After mentioning the expanded form once, subsequently you can use the abbreviation.
20. Make sure you always have a subject in your emails and that the subject is relevant. Do not use a subject line such as "HI".
21. Avoid using "Back" instead of "Back" Use "ago". Back is the worst word for American.
(for Days use "Ago", For hours use "before".)
22. Avoid using "but" instead of "But" use "However".
23. Avoid using "Yesterday" hereafter use "Last day".
24. Avoid using "Tomorrow" hereafter use "Next day".
Example: A few days back, I met with an accident.
Correct: A few days ago, I have an accident.
25. In conversation or informally we often use the following terms - revert back, return back, and refer back. Although Edited English may reject this use. Revert means “to go back,” “to return to,”

Problem in Voice Support

I came across with a problem in online bank transaction, and tried the phone banking to get assistance from through customer care. In the product menu selected the numeric option to get in the related service, even after following a long process I did not had the option to speak with the support personnel. Then I came across a scenario that after giving two consecutive wrong details of my ATM card, machine directed me to the voice support section. However, the customer executive could not able to answer to my question and put me on hold; astonishingly my call was directed to the main menu.
I again followed the same scenario to reach the customer care. This time the person gave vague steps to follow, and then told that the query doesn’t belong to their department. In this way I was moving from one department to other over phone. Even once during the conversation, phone connection was cut off.
Then I opened the online customer care section and started reading the FAQs and got the solution.
So, instead of spending time to sort-out the problem from the customer care, text-help could have been read earlier from the website.
Voice support is very handy to get the query answered. But it is found that all service providers segregate the voice support into different departments, callers are given whole lot of options to find the right one and ultimately it never becomes easy to get the right information.

English in IT

World is transforming into a global village, where English is becoming a de facto standard for every conceivable form of communication. India has more English speaking people than U.K, but students passed out from English medium school mostly lack proper English communication.
A recent incident in Hyderabad, where students demanded for English than telegu, significantly denotes the aspirations of many, especially from the rural areas. What is painful is that English has always been taught as a subject, but never used in actual conversation, thereby annihilating the very purpose of learning a language.
IT companies are concerned of the English usage, everyone from managers to employees has to have good presentation and presentation skills, and sometime corporate trainings are provided to them.
For example, you are giving presentation to the client and your laptop stops working. What you will do then? If you are good at your verbal skill then you can continue the presentation without a hitch, otherwise you have to give an excuse to the problem.
Thus, language is an important role to attract MNCs to outsource their business operations to Indian BPOs and IT companies. Though there are competitors like China which also have a large pool of skilled workers but they don't have enough graduates who have command over English language.

Can we teach others?

"Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one" - Malcolm Forbes
We can’t teach anything to anybody, but one can only facilitate. A concept is an approach in methodology that would simplify things in a rotten learn-by-root system. It’s a fresh diversion from memorizing to understanding. Children (below 12 years) have good grasping power, which comes out of their own interest to know more the subject.
It’s common that after an age (around 30 years) our mind become rigid and declines to accept new concepts, with age our mind gets filled up with many things.
Increase of technology usage has led to the investment in learning process. Industry feel online training not just adds value to the workplace, it’s crucial for their success. Globalization has increased the competition and size of the market, e-learning has become a more practical and meaningful training option as it has a wider reach. Online training is not only convenient, flexible and time-saving; it’s more cost-effective in the long run. Now, companies feel online training not just adds value to the workplace, its crucial for their success

Hide 'n' Seek

In many cases problem arises when I am asked to design the document, and the product is not fully tested. Unknowingly, I write the bugs as functionality and give a note to it, and when it goes to SME for review they came to know about the fact; then issue is raised to fix the bug. This make me feel good that I am able to pin-point every scenarios of the product behavior. Sometime it becomes necessary to hide internal functionality which user never come across or don’t see. For instance, user get advice according to the test result, if sore is 60% or more user gets next level topics otherwise lower level topics are suggested. But user doesn’t know his/her score percentage, so suggestion feature is described without highlighting the 60% benchmark.