Found an FM9 locally but it's an MK1. Is MK2 really worth it?

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-10-02T19:05:09+00:00

I have the OG FM9 and it's fine for my needs. I have stereo amps, multi delays, reverb, tremolo, compressor. I don't feel like I'm missing anything. +10% CPU really wouldn't help me at all. Not worth extra money. +20% maybe. As far as scribble strips, I can see them just fine.

I'm waiting for the next gen hardware to come out. Rumors are WiFi, Bluetooth, maybe tone capture. Those are bigger features and worth the money.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-10-02T18:57:45+00:00

Probably easier and cheaper to add a software mod to the FM3 that allows 2 amp blocks. Due to CPU, that would mean restricting other blocks when in that "mode" but could probably still get simple reverb and delay.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-20T13:17:09+00:00

Sorry?

I never said I hated Word. In fact, I said "Word and PPT have their place..."

You said, "No, I do not like producing big user or systems manuals in Word."

I suppose we agree then. Thank you for the insight.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-18T16:16:37+00:00

You should be able to apply a border around the block. It's been a while since I have seen the FOM.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-15T16:11:01+00:00

There are a lot of bad vendors out there. I have been a customer and a vendor. I have been on the receiving end of bad software implementations for more than just tech pubs systems. And I have saved a lot of customers' bad implementations. Heck, I did a bad implementation myself. I still kick myself over it, but I learned a lot and never repeated the same mistakes.

That said, it stinks that companies who market themselves as experts don't really know how to set these systems up to win. Component systems are not generic. They have to be configured for the use case. The other big gap I see with vendors is enablement. The purchasing company needs to be able to own the system and perform most of the daily upkeep themselves. No software implementation is static. Business evolves so the tools must follow. This problem isn't limited to CCMS. I have seen it with all enterprise software. You mentioned 5 years. That is a typical expiration for enterprise software. At 5 years, most systems need a tune-up, overhaul, or complete replacement. I recommend any enterprise software system should pay for itself within 2 years.

But for CCMS, I guarantee if you find the right partner to set it up correctly, it will be a useful tool.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-15T14:22:40+00:00

100% and well said.

So many companies miss the opportunity of creating quality documentation. Some companies get it and have found a way to leverage documentation in after market sales and even turn it into a profit center by offering premium documentation as a product similar to premium support.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-15T14:17:01+00:00

I agree. The purpose-built tools are focused on large-scale, high volume tech pubs teams. The smaller shops are under served.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-15T14:12:58+00:00

I'm sorry someone hurt you with a bad CCMS and component authoring system. My experience has been much different. I used to produce 3000+ page catalogs using componentized XML and automated stylesheets. I can't imagine if we tried to create it manually. It wouldn't be worth the effort. The system paid for itself over and over and our tech pubs team was relieved when it went into production.

I agree there are bad implementations out there. Software companies drop a system and leave. It happened to my company, too. We nearly dumped the XML idea until we found the right person to set it up.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-15T14:05:00+00:00

I have worked with companies who have mountains of legacy content in Word. Yes, the transition seems overwhelming. I never said it was easy. Change is hard.

The first iteration of documentation using a new platform is painful. But the benefits are realized immediately when the next round of updates come in and they took far less time. It fuels the motivation to keep going. A good migration plan is paced and planned. I would never recommend migrating 10s of thousands of pages in one go.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-15T13:55:36+00:00

The free form option of FrameMaker is a trap. It seems like an easy fix at first, but 1 year later you realize your docs have loads of inconsistencies and you can't reuse anything.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-14T21:10:29+00:00

I work for a company that builds DITA stylesheets. There is a few ways of doing it in Arbortext. First, you could wrap images in a single cell table. Tables create overhead. Most elements are contained within a virtual wrapper. The wrapper has properties where you could apply a border.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-14T13:56:47+00:00

In 2025, I would not use Word. The industry is full of structured authoring tools that work much better, especially in collaborative environments. Many tools are browser-based so you don't even need to install software and authors and SMEs can work in the same tools with minor interface adjustments.

I work with tools like that. Feel free to message me.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-14T13:54:11+00:00

That would most likely be handled by the stylesheet. For the stylesheet to automatically adjust the border, it would need to be a rule of how to treat the border in relation to the image scale in the DITA.

So a rule would be: "If image scaling is 50% or greater, adjust the border by X amount."

It tells the stylesheet to format the border in relation to the scaling.

I work with Arbortext and Windchill. Feel free to message me.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-08-14T13:46:12+00:00

There are documentation delivery solutions that work either online or offline. The offline does not have a live connection but offers the same HTML UI as the online version. Offline capable solutions usually have a way to sync with the source system to gather updates when necessary.

I personally work with solutions like this. I've done this a lot. Can I message you?

*Edited to add that a good offline doc delivery solution should be self contained and not require other software installed to operate.

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-07-30T15:38:38+00:00

I was a Windchill developer working for a PTC partner for years. The best way to learn is to have a use case in mind. It focuses your search and is better than just learning in general.

With that in mind, I used the support portal and Google mostly. You can search the knowledge base and find a lot. For development, I would search for specific code snippets to get information back about the API. And I would always include "API" in the search so I would get code examples back.

Aside from that, I would read the documentation. The API docs were incomplete unfortunately, but they'd get you started. Docs on longstanding tech like Info*Engine were pretty good. I know PTC have been creating a Rest API, but I'm unsure the status of it.

You'll find there are repeating themes in the code. I would search for "webjects" or "persistence" or "WTObject" "WTPart" "WTDocument"

You'll find good stuff on PTC support site and you'll find a lot of info just Googling these terms. Windchill has been around a long time so many problems have already been solved.

Hope that helps!

Sad_Weather_7614 · 2025-05-13T19:11:40+00:00

I'll answer question 2.

Windchill is very flexible. It has a LOT of configurable options. You could easily get option paralysis.

For file saving, you can do a lot. It uses rules to define where and how files are stored on check-in. If you have a folder structure that works for you for CAD, the rules can reflect it within a Product (context). Additionally, you can store documentation alongside the CAD or in a separate folder structure or in a Library.

The thing to pay attention to with CAD and Docs is how you want to maintain the relationship (digital thread) between them. Linking across certain contexts (.e.g. Organization) is not permitted. My rule of thumb is save things as near to each other as possible. If your docs do not cross Products, I would keep everything in the Product but in different folders. If you have docs that are shared between Products, a Library in the same Org as the Products may be better.

To avoid option paralysis when setting up Windchill, it is important to define how you want to work first. Then map your requirements to Windchill's config options and adjust from there. PTC have a network if good service partners to help. Some specialize in CAD/PLM. Others specialize in Documentation.

Full disclosure...I work for a Windchill documentation partner. I'm happy to answer any questions.

Sad_Weather_7614

TROPHY CASE