Lion's Roar = 2004 No More

In July of 2011, Apple released its newest version of Mac OSX, nicknamed “Lion.” For WriteRAP users who use the WriteRAP toolbar while working on a Mac, this has some implications.

Currently, the WriteRAP toolbar only functions with Microsoft Word 2004 on the Mac. This is purely because WriteRAP makes extensive use of VBA. Microsoft decided to remove VBA support from the Word 2008 version and has restored VBA only partially for Word 2011.

However, because of a shift in the underlying functionality of Mac’s new operating system, Microsoft Word 2004 is not supported by this new version of OSX—this is an Apple decision. If you currently use Word 2004 and upgrade your Mac machine to OSX Lion, you will no longer have access to Word 2004. It won’t be recognized as a usable application.

This means that your WriteRAP toolbar will no longer be available. This does NOT mean that you can’t work with WriteRAP files!

Word 2008 and 2011 can be used in an "offline" workflow. In other words, it can be used outside the normal WriteRAP processes. This entails, of course, some caveats:

• The WriteRAP toolbar will not be available to the user.
• The user is much freer to apply incorrect styles, add styles, etc., that are normally restricted for most users.

However, a user can still:
• Attach the template
• Insert boilerplates using a workaround process (see below)
• Insert images from the local machine, but not from the Image Library
• Paste text in the target format, as in the WriteRAP ParaPaste function


If you find yourself in this position because of an upgrade to OSX Lion, please speak to your Pearson point of contact so that appropriate provisions can be made for your WriteRAP project and to find out if more training is needed.

Colors and Tier 5: What You Need to Know

There are few hard and fast rules about color in Tier 5, but there are project-by-project considerations you should take into account.

Tier 5 is best suited for Direct-to-PDF, but the purpose of your PDF has a bearing on the choices you make in determining your approach in WriteRAP. Will you send your PDF to a printer? Will you make it available only digitally? Do you expect it to be printed?

Our one rule (break at your own risk): A PDF file that is going to be professionally printed should not incorporate 4-color design. Word works in RGB, not CMYK and has no internal mechanism for good color separation to CMYK.

Spot colors might be manageable by your printer - at a cost, and only if the color application is uncomplicated and applies to distinct elements. When creating a Tier 5 2-color template that is intended to print, do ensure that your printer can work with the file.

A PDF file that will be made available digitally has no color restrictions, although you might consider the end user's role. If it is likely to be printed on an ink-jet printer somewhere, bear in mind that your colors will not be represented accurately.

If you prepare a template with color for digital-only delivery and later that design is selected for a print project, you will probably want to have your vendor convert the template to a one-color version.

WriteRAP files are flexible - your needs determine whether to use color and how. Contact the CMS team or superuser if you have questions about your file.

Archiving WriteRAP files

Do you need to archive WriteRAP files?

Probably.

There are three situations to consider:

• Tier 1 manuscript
• Tiers 2-4 WriteRAP production files
• Tier 5 composition files

1. For Tier 1, final WriteRAP files should be considered pre-production working files, which traditionally don't get archived in the Pearson repository. They can be archived on the WriteRAP server for later retrieval if needed.
2. In Tiers 2-4, these are production files and should be saved. They may represent the master content file, or they may be used for the next edition instead of a new extraction. We recommend that in addition to being archived on the WriteRAP server, that the entire WriteRAP project should be archived in the Pearson repository. The project administrator can go to the Edit Project page (WriteRAP Admin > Projects > ProjectName) and click on the Package button. A folder will be downloaded. Rename that folder "WriteRAP" and place in the Support folder in the completed archive.
3. In Tier 5, your final WriteRAP files are your composition files, and should be stored as such. In addition to archiving on the WriteRAP server, these should also be packaged and downloaded. Files should be correctly named and organized according to composition file standards. WriteRAP-specific files should remain in the Support folder in a folder specifically named "WriteRAP."

What Is the Difference Between the Template Manager and the Template Library?

This is a question that is often confusing for people – it may appear that we have two different places to store WriteRAP templates.


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In fact, the Template Library is the only place for storage. It is a separate site managed by our internal media group, where a Pearson user can search on a number of criteria to find a template. When you download the kit, you will get the template, boilerplates, stylemarked document, corresponding Quark or InDesign templates if they exist, authoring versions of the template if they exist, and so on. The Template Library is a searchable repository of WriteRAP templates and their associated files.

The Template Manager is the working part of WriteRAP that holds templates which are actively being used for titles.

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The Template Library is populated by the CMS QA department. On completion of a template, the business unit is emailed to sign off on the posting of a template, the relevant files are gathered, and new template kits are uploaded to the template library at two-week intervals. However, we don’t automatically update a template on the library with its modified version unless instructed by the Business Unit to consider the modified version as the master. We also don’t automatically post all modifications of a template. Please let CMS know if your modification is a new master or should be a new addition to the Library.

The Template Manager is populated by uploading a template, usually for a specific project, into the WriteRAP application itself. You can copy or download a template from there and use it for another project – for instance, modifications were made to a standard WriteRAP template, and those modifications are just what you need. However, boilerplates will have to be copied or created separately, a stylemarked document needs to be produced or copied, and if composition templates exist you won’t have them – you’ll probably end up paying your vendor for a new one (this is normal if your WriteRAP template is based on the previous edition and the composition will be in a new design). Still, sometimes it may be appropriate to go directly to the Template Manager – it may have the only instance of the specific modifications you need. Please note that at the time of this posting, the Tier 2 and Tier 3 Generic Manuscript templates are not available in the the Template Library and must be copied from the Template Manager. Their names are CD_T2_AUTH and CD_Tier3v2.

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The Template Library is not available outside the Pearson firewall. Please download the kit and provide it to your vendor.

The Template Manager is available to WriteRAP users with Administrator-level access, which does include all vendors. If you are asking the vendor to pick up a template from here, you must provide them with the name exactly as it appears in the Template Manager. One way to ensure you and the vendor have the right template is to provide a screenshot of the Template Manager screen to the vendor and CMS.



We strongly encourage you to use the Template Library, with its complete kits, whenever possible. And help us keep it up to date – let us know if you want your modified template added to the Library.

Thanks,
The CMS WriteRAP Team

14 April 2011 Release

On 14 April 2011, an updated version of WriteRAP was released on the US servers. Below summarizes the updates:

Admin

• Added ability to select a group of documents and change the template for all of them to another template.
• Added the ability to create multiple New Documents with a single attempt.
• Added multiple projects archiving and retrieval functionality.

User

• Added a "select all" option on the Multiple Upload/Sign-In and Multiple Sign-Out/Download dialog boxes.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug that enabled users to upload a preview copy of a signed-out file. With this fix, the preview document will not be recognized as a WriteRAP document; hence, an attempt to upload a preview document fails.
• Fixed a bug that threw off a WriteRAP document's version numbers. Version numbers were always one version behind because no version was assigned to documents at the time of creation.

Toolbar Update

• For new Windows toolbar installations, a streamlined install that creates the necessary folders and places the WriteRAP template in the Word startup folder. The installation no longer accesses the Windows Registry.

The New Document Download I/O Error

We are seeing an occasional problem showing up when a user signs out and downloads a document. It shows up as a Document Download I/O error (see below). We're looking into the causes in order to solve it, but in the mean time there is a workaround.

The sequence is this:

1. The user uses the Download button to download and sign out a document.
2. The document gets signed out, then the error occurs on download.

What to do:

The user should sign the document back in and then try the download again. This seems to work effectively.

If the user keeps trying the download without signing the document back in, it will continue to fail.

MS Word 2008/2011: Work with WriteRAP Templates Offline

We are often asked about users with Microsoft 2008 and 2010, and whether or not these Word versions are compatible with WriteRAP.

First and foremost, you should understand that WriteRAP makes extensive use of VBA. Microsoft decided to remove VBA support from the Word 2008 version and has restored VBA only partially for Word 2011.

Word 2008 and 2011 can be used in an "offline" workflow, by which I mean it can be used outside the normal WriteRAP processes. This entails, of course, several caveats:

• The WriteRAP toolbar will not be available to the user.
• The user is much freer to apply incorrect styles, add styles, etc., that are normally restricted for most users.

However, a user can still

• Attach the template
• Insert boilerplates using a workaround process
• Insert images from the local machine, but not from the Image Library
• Paste text in the target format, as in the WriteRAP ParaPaste function

The point is that if you have an author working in Word 2008, you are not up a creek without a paddle. An option still exists. However, please speak to your CMS rep or super user to get the full details and discuss thoroughly the implications and definitely bring it up at the launch meeting.

Vendors are expected to have a supported version of Word for their WriteRAP work.

Attaching a TemplateThe template you are most likely to need is the toolbar style menu which may be supplied with your project.

1. Go to Tools > Templates and Add-ins.
2. Go to Global Templates and Add-ins (the middle section, not the top).
3. Click Add and browse for your template. Highlight it and click Open.
4. The toolbar appears. When you re-open the document, you may need to go to Tools > Templates and Add-ins and check the checkbox next to the toolbar file to reactivate it.
   

Inserting Boilerplates

If it is determined that the user will need to place boilerplates without having access to the WriteRAP toolbar, the set of boilerplates will need to be supplied to the user.

1. Place the supplied boilerplates on your computer.
2. In Word, to insert the boilerplate, click Insert > File.
3. Navigate to the boilerplate location.
4. Select the desired boilerplate and click Insert. The Link to File checkbox should be unchecked.

Inserting an Image

Image library images will not be available to users without the WriteRAP toolbar. Images from the local machine can be inserted using native Word functionality.

1. Click Insert > Picture > From File... .
2. Browse for the image you want to insert.
3. Select the desired image and click Insert. The Link to File checkbox should be unchecked.
4. Remember to supply the high-resolution version to your Project Manager.

Pasting Text and Have it Take on the Target Format

The WriteRAP toolbar offers the ParaPaste option, which allows the user to paste in content and have it take on the format of the target area, as when populating a boilerplate. Use Word's Paste Special as Unformatted Text option to achieve this. This function automatically formats all the pasted text with the style of the paragraph where your curser is placed.

1. Select the paragraph(s) to insert into the WriteRAP document. Click Edit > Cut or Copy.
2. In the WriteRAP document, place your cursor in a blank line of text or within a paragraph to insert the cut/copied paragraph(s).
3. Click Edit > Paste Special. The Paste Special dialogue box appears.
4. The Paste Special dialog box appears. Select the Unformatted Text option and click the button. The cut/copied text inserts with the inherited style of the paragraph/blank line where your cursor was placed.

WriteRAP Regular Maintenance Schedule

To provide an ongoing maintenance and support of the WriteRAP server, we are setting up a consistent maintenance window. This will be at 00:00 AM (midnight) to 01:00 AM EST on Saturdays. The server may or may not be available at that time depending on the need for maintenance.

Please note that emergency maintenance notifications may not be possible because of their immediate nature. Non-emergency server downtime outside of the planned maintenance schedule will be communicated 10 days in advance of the downtime.

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MAINTENANCE WINDOW
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Saturday 00:00 AM to 01:00 AM EST (During Daylight Savings Time, this is 00:00 AM to 01:00 AM EDT)

If you have any questions about planned or emergency maintenance, please do not hesitate to contact your WriteRAP support team.

WriteRAP Downtime: 26 January 2011 10-11 EST

On Wednesday, 26 January 2011, the WriteRAP server will be down briefly from 10-11 EST to do some final tweaks to the hardware server cut over from the past weekend.

New Server

Over the weekend, the WriteRAP team switched from one set of hardware to another, newer hardware setup. The new hardware enables auto-switching from one server to another should the primary fail. Additionally, we implemented a large number of patches to the server and have eliminated the Download I/O error that occurred on large file sizes.

The new server address is the same as the old: http://writerap.pearson.com.

If you in the past, accessed WriteRAP using an IP address (http://165...), please switch your bookmarks and access point using http://writerap.pearson.com.

Thanks!

UPDATED: WriteRAP Downtime: 22 January 2011: Midnight to 10 AM EST

Saturday, January 22, 2011 - 12:00AM (Midnight) US EST to 10:00AM US EST

Please be advised that there will be a temporary interruption in WriteRAP services on Saturday, January 22, 2011 from 12:00AM EST (Midnight) to 10:00AM US EST so that maintenance can be performed on the system. This is a routine, planned maintenance event.

During the hours stated, regardless of means or method, local or remote, you will not be able to interact with your WriteRAP account. Any needed files can be download before 11:00 PM EST Friday January 21, 2011 and uploaded after 10:00 AM EST Saturday January 22, 2011. You are not required to upload and sign in local files during the outage.

No data or document statuses will be lost during or as a result of this maintenance exercise.

Please contact your local Help Desk organization with all questions.

Thank you,
WriteRAP Team

What's the Real Story with Word's Comments and WriteRAP?

Word's Comment and Tracked Changes functions are widely used and relied-upon in our editorial processes, and they can be used in WriteRAP the same as in any Word document. We use them particularly because (as of Word 2002) they allow us to insert comments and track our changes without affecting the flow of the text.

However, there is a limitation to both these tools that we tend to overlook but which becomes apparent when used in a high-fidelity WriteRAP Word document: they do not entirely avoid reflow. When a comment or tracked change balloon is inserted in a document, Word creates a fake extended page margin to allow extra space to fit the balloon in... but it also expects to use space within the actual page margin.

When the page margin is already generous, we don't notice that this has happened, but it does happen, every time. And if the page margin is not generous -- if the design is "tight" -- then leaving comments and tracked changes visible will cause text reflow. The reflow clears itself up when the view is changed to show only final text (without the balloons), but if the balloons are showin', the text is reflowin'.

So while the use of track changes and comments is encouraged, just be aware of the this consequence.

WriteRAP 1.4 Released 12/9/2010

WriteRAP version 1.4 has been released on the USA WriteRAP server today, 9 December 2010. Most of the enhancements are ones that will benefit administrators and super-users of the system, though a few will improve life for all users:

1. There was a bug in the handling of projects whose project admins/project managers had been removed from the WriteRAP system. The bug is fixed in this release.
2. Documents in WriteRAP are added to a parsing queue upon sign-in; the documents are parsed to ensure that they are not corrupted. But documents in archived projects do not need to be parsed. This release removes those documents from the parsing queue.
3. Similarly, documents that have no template assigned do not need to be parsed. This release also removes those documents from the parsing queue.
4. Temporary folders and files build up on the WriteRAP server just as they do on any computer. This release removes them automatically.
5. Some actions that are available for documents in active projects should not be available in archived projects. In this release, those actions are disabled in archived projects.
6. Upon export of document(s), the user can now choose to have all documents that are being exported placed under administrative lock automatically.
7. This release fixes a bug and a usability issue concerning workflow status -- the status can now be set and will be properly maintained until it is explicitly changed.
8. WriteRAP system administrators can now update notices on the welcome page using a web-based interface, rather than by logging on to the WriteRAP server itself.
9. Users can now choose to sign-out and download multiple documents simultaneously; likewise, they can upload and sign-in multiple documents simultaneously.
10. WriteRAP administrators sometimes work with the Template Manager window, which lists a large number of templates. Previously, any action an administrator took in this window would cause the view on the window to return to the very top of the full list of templates, requiring the administrator to re-navigate to the point of interest in the list; this release leaves the view unchanged, thus making it easier to work in the list.
11. In this release, administrators can quickly toggle between a project page and that project's document list page.
12. A report of documents that failed to parse is now available in the reports page.
    

There is no update to the WriteRAP toolbar at this time.

What About that Image Library Thingie?

WriteRAP provides a variety of tools and efficiencies to streamline the authoring process. One of these is the Image Library, and in this post we'll clarify what this tool is, what it does, and what it doesn't do.

The Image Library is a project-based repository on the WriteRAP server that can store jpegs or gifs for use within a WriteRAP document. It contains one folder for each chapter and a folder for common art for the project. These folders are autogenerated when a project is created or a document is added to a project.

The BatchXPort Pro extraction process automatically generates jpegs that can be uploaded to the Image Library by your vendor.

These images can be placed by the user using the Image Library button on the WriteRAP toolbar, although an online connection is required. An image placed using the image library will retain its name when the file is exported, whereas the native Word picture insertion mechanism will strip the name from the image file.

Do you need an Image Library?

Well, probably not. Other than this potentially useful image name in the export, WriteRAP offers conveniences, but an Image Library is not a required part of the WriteRAP process.

• It can offer the convenience of viewing art in pages, and significantly add to the visual environment. It could allow an author to provide low-resolution art to be placed by the vendor or development editor.
• Using a low-res image will allow editing of captions in context.
• For technical books and books relying on screen shots, the availability of the art can be crucial to the authoring/editing process.
• The author can mark broad changes to art within the WriteRAP manuscript. However, detailed art development is still probably best handled with a separate art manuscript.

Cautions:

• A lot of art will increase file size. There is still a risk of server error, document corruption and slow upload/download times if files become ungainly.
• For the foreseeable future, WriteRAP neither helps nor hurts art program management. It is not currently integrated with other systems, and the timing of manuscript development in WriteRAP often does not coincide with art program development.
• It is important to realize, also, that a vendor may place art without using the image library, and have other methods for getting art references into the XML code for paging.
• Some cost is incurred by using the Image Library.

Using the Image Library is a project-by-project decision, and one you should discuss with your team to determine if there is a potential benefit.

Word Tips 3

This set of Word tips focuses on working with tables.

Move a Row Within a Table

You've probably tried to move a row within a table in Word, and you've probably done it this way: add a row through the Table > Insert menu. Copy and paste the old row into its new location. Delete the old blank row. If that's how you've been doing this task, you'll be glad to know there is an easier way:

• Put your cursor in a cell of the row you want to move.
• Hold down the Alt-Shift keys (on Windows) or the Ctrl-Shift keys (on Mac) and use your up-down arrow keys to move the row.

Add a Line Before a Table

Anyone who has worked in Word knows that once you've started your document with a table, it seems impossible to get a line of text above that table. But there is a way:

• Put your cursor in a cell of the top row of the table.
• Hold down the Ctrl-Shift keys and press Enter (on Windows) or hold down the Option-Shift keys and press Return (on Mac).
• A line for text will appear above your table.

Split a Table

Once you have had two Word tables glued together, or if you decide to split a single Word table, how do you do it? Or have you decided it can't be done? It can, like this:

• Put your cursor in a cell of the row that you want to become the first line of the second table.
• Hold down the Ctrl-Shift keys and press Enter (on Windows) or hold down the Command (Apple)-Shift keys and press Return (on Mac).
• The table will split above your cursor..

Getting Ready for Pages

Get the most out paging from WriteRAP

Tiers 2-3: You have been using WriteRAP for structuring your content. Have your vendor ensure the styling in your content documents is correct to ensure good first pages in InDesign or Quark. Unlike keyboarded markup, you have an opportunity to see style errors visually and quickly and correct them before the compositor has to.

Tier 4: You are using WriteRAP for its structure and for a visual representation of first pages. You can take the structured content and go to first pages in InDesign, as above, but you can streamline your workflow by treating the WriteRAP file as first pages. Proofreading, editing and revisions can all be done in the MS Word environment! When the content is solid and as final as you can get in WriteRAP, you can finalize the chapter, move elements into their final position and make page breaks, or mark all of these for your vendor using comments or editorial notes.

The fewer content changes you have to make in composition, the smoother and quicker your composition passes will be. A quick proofreading pass to ensure the integrity of the content would take place, but the compositor can now focus on making good pages rather than correcting typos or sorting out a knot of marginalia on a single page. Remember that content changes in composition need to be made in the WriteRAP file as well, or logged for the next edition.

Tier 5: You are using WriteRAP and Word as the composition engine. You want to forget that Word is your composition engine as you go through the authoring-editing-proofreading-review cycle. Finalize your content in a template-driven, manuscript-like environment and then turn off Word's format protection and compose the pages when the content is final.

Because of the possibility of a slightly different representation in different versions or instances of Word, final review should be done in PDF format.

Vendor Refresh Training: Part 2

On the afternoon of Thursday, October 21st, we had the second installment of the refresher training. In that particular training session, the following vendors attended:

GEX

Progressive

Carlisle

Prepress

Juve

Element

It’s Time to Get Some Training! (Part Deux)

You may remember that last month, we talked about what to do when you needed to sign up for training. We’re pleased to announce that the new self-paced courses have been released both to the Pearson People Development Network, as well as into our Pegasus system (for external users such as authors or vendor contacts).

The courses have been revamped, rebuilt, and are more focused on specific skills used within WriteRAP. There are six new courses:

Getting Started – Getting Started focuses on logging in and out of WriteRAP and changing and recovering passwords.

Document Management – Document Management focuses on finding projects and documents, previewing documents, and uploading and downloading documents.

Toolbar Basics – Toolbar Basics focuses on opening a WriteRAP document and the toolbar, applying and removing character formatting, working with basic formatting, and applying and removing styles.

Boilerplates – Boilerplates focuses on downloading and opening the Boilerplates Library, inserting and editing boilerplates, working with common boilerplates, and cleaning up styles.

Basic Pagination – Basic Pagination focuses on repositioning boilerplates, resizing and deleting boilerplates, and breaks.

Advanced Pagination – Advanced Pagination focuses on finalizing pagination and the WriteRAP Library.

These courses are all self-paced, and include self-paced modules, job aids, a lab, and an assessment.

If you’ve already taken some training and are just looking for a little remediation, these course can provide that. You can also visit the CMS Website and peruse the Job Aids, which cover sets of skills for each course and can help you brush up on specific things as opposed to re-taking an entire training course.

Pearson People Development Network

Vendor Refresh Training: Part 1

This morning, we conducted the first vendor refresh training. Among the items we covered:

• Updates to the toolbar (Boxes macro, cleaning up Char styles, etc.)
• Updates to the interface (multiple document upload, packaging, etc.)
• Simplify templates so that they are usable
• Verify templates to the tagging guidelines
• Use of the QA checklist

The vendors at this refresh training were:

• Aptara
• Glyph International
• Integra
• Lapiz
• Laserwords
• MPS Limited
• PreMediaGlobal (PMG)
• S4Carlisle

Domestic vendors are scheduled for a similar session later this week.

We'll have an additional session later this week. The goal of this refresh training is to baseline all the vendors and Pearson in the knowledge we have to date for creating templates and working with WriteRAP projects.

We will follow up on these efforts with a monthly vendor forum to address any new issues, updates and questions that arise.

When the Toolbar and Boilerplates Don't Want to Load on the PC

We had an issue where a person was loading the WR toolbar for the first time on the PC, but was getting errors. Upon loading the WR toolbar off the website there was an error that opened a pop-up and then sent the toolbar document to the C: / Temp folder. All his office applications were turned off, as one is supposed to do. You could still activate the toolbar through Tools and Add-Ins, but this is merely a workaround that hides the issue and ultimately won't help.

Later they had a WR document open and wanted to load the boilerplates. We click Load boilerplates and get an error that is something like:

"Error #5 Invalid call or procedure"

...And no boilerplates load.

Here is more information on the computer with the problem: Windows running XP Pro version 5.1.2600, Service Pack 3.0

It turns out that these two errors are connected. Something was missing on their PC that most computers already have. The 0xc0000135 error ("The application failed to initialize properly") indicates that his .NET framework is bad or not installed at all. One should install Microsoft .NET Framework from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&displaylang=en> . One should install at least version 2.0.

This code should have been installed with Service Patch 2 years ago, but maybe it was missed on his machine. Every Windows machine needs to have .NET installed; there are just too many programs these days that depend on it and assume its presence.

Keep this in your bag of tricks should this happen to someone else.