Creating glossary for PDF and HTML5 outputs

Hello everybody,

I do a lot of projects both with FrameMaker and RoboHelp and experienced an issue related to the glossary.
Just to ensure we talk the same language following example (same as in FM help) and expressions that I use:

• PDF = GlossaryExpression
• Portable Document Format = GlossaryText

In FrameMaker 2 markes are available per default (brackets just to show that these are markers):

• [Glossary]
• [GlossaryTerm]

Creating a glossary for PDF and HTML5 output follows two completely different procedures.

For PDF:

1. Add the GlossaryExpression followed by ":" and the GlossaryText, e.g. "PDF:Portable Document Format" to the [Glossary] marker or to any new created marker.
2. Assign this marker to the wanted position in the text (e..g. end of the paragraph, where the GlossaryExpression is located.
3. Add a new marker index to the book selecting the [Glossary] marker or the new marker you created.

--> You get a Glossary as an separate file within the book, automatically sorted by the first letter of the GlossaryExpression and formatted as stated in the Reference page and the assigned paragraph formats.

For online (here HTML5):

1. Write down the GlossaryText "Portable Document Format" anywhere in the document in an own paragraph.
2. Assign the [Glossary] marker to that paragraph and write the GlossaryExpression into the marker field.
3. Assign the [GlossaryTerm] marker to the expression in the text (PDF) and write the GlossaryExpression "PDF" into the marker field (you don't need to do that, but it helps identifying the terms).
4. Generate the help.

Now following issues can be experienced:

1. Why the h*** does FrameMaker not use the same procedure for creating a PDF and online glossary?
2. The HTML5 glossary needs the markes [Glossary] and [GlossaryTerm]. While the [GlossaryTerm] marker name can be changed and then the new name can be edited in the generating dialog, the [Glossary] maker name can't be changed (well, I do not know where?). Thus, you must create a new marker for the PDF glossary, because you can not use it for both glossaries! But ok, thats's not a problem, just use any new name you want. You just must know this!
3. For the HTML5 glossary you must add the GlossaryText (here "Portable Document Format") anywhere in the document in an own paragraph. This is absolute nonsense!!! because:

• What about, lets say 100 glossar entries? I have to write them manually in the document? Really?
• These 100 entries are part of the document.
  • They also show up in the PDF output. There I can hide them by using conditional text (but strangely not by disabling the used paragraph format in the output settings?).
  • And they - and thats the point - also show up in the HTML5 output. And there I can not hide them, because then there is no glossary at all. But why should I show this unsorted, manually inserted glossary when I create a "real" glossary in the online-help glossary menu?
• What if I use a book with lets say 10 chapters. The GlossaryText entries must be part of the document you want to add the Glossary. Thus, each chapter has its own, separate, not automatically collection of glossary entries? Really?

Am I completely wrong? Did I fundamentally misunderstood something?
Or is this concept of creating a glossary for online outputs like HTML5 - lets say "a bit strange".

I fear this concept is neccessary to transform the glossary to the way RoboHelp handles the glossary.

Then FrameMaker is no solution for that.

By the way: Read my discussion about creating dropdowns in FrameMaker for HTML5 output.

Unfortunatedly this a similar story.

Thanks for your help

Steffen Riek, KE-COMMUNICATION