Dyna-Jet book

[dynajetjerry]

Hi, pulse-jet fans,
I have an update on my book about the Dyna-Jet: the printer/editor/consultant has most of my text (77,000 words,) and illustrations (128,) and is getting ready to run a copy for my finalizing. These last few steps may take several months but I hope to have copies for distribution before the end of this year.
Right now, we're planning to use plastic ring binders so that each page can be opened flat for easy reading and copying. (If interested parties would prefer more traditional bindings, please let me know at <gerald_w10@hotmail.com>.
The illustrations will be of varying sizes and will show most of the procedures that were used by the engineers & technicians to develop and produce Aeromarine's pj devices.
Incidentally, our pulse-jet-powered smoke-screen generator for the Army, developed in 1951-52, is still listed. Of course, it carries a military I. D. that does not credit the originator as being Aeromarine Co., nor does it cite the age of the originals.
Besides that, Curtis Dyna-Fog, Ltd. has a website that fails to fully credit Aeromarine as the originators of the fog genera-tors that constitutes the foundation of that company.
Jerry

[dynajetjerry]

Hi, Gang,
Mike Everman has stated his preference for soft cover, conventionally-bound copies of this book rather than loose-leaf versions. Please let me know if any potential buyer has a similar preference. I'll put in orders of whichever folks want.
However, it is possible I can get both versions if I order enough.
Jerry

[PyroJoe]

Jerry,
Where do we order your books from?

[dynajetjerry]

Pyrojoe & others who are interested,
I expect to accept orders for my Dyna-Jet book because the publisher is not planning on selling them, himself. However, just when they will be in my hands is not clear, mostly because I'm still fiddling with some of the phraseology. The writer who is helping me has an early draft to work with (100,000+ words, including a copy of Aeromarine/Shevlin's 1952 D-J instructions and 137 original illustrations,) but actual printing dates will depend on the printer's schedule.
I'll keep sending updates to the Pulsejet Forum.
Thanks for your interest.
Jerry Wiles

[dynajetjerry]

Hi, Gang,
An annoying update to my D-J book: I'm being delayed by frustrating anomalies in the "Word" program I'm using. The last 1/3 of my 100,000 words keep getting messed up by its failure to allow me to move around or correct blocks of text. They go places I don't want them. People here who are more knowledgable than I are also confused.
I have Dan Gookin,s "Word 2007 for Dummies" but it doesn't address my specific problems.
My editor/consultant says my writings overload the program but we've split them into 3 separate blocks but it hasn't helped.
I'll keep trying.
Jerry

[PyroJoe]

Yeah, they kinda made Word a clustered mess lately. What I have done is to copy what I have over into notepad and strip all the word formatting garbage. I then re-open it in Word as text.

I don't know how useful that advice is, as you have a considerable body of text.
Best regards, Joe

[dynajetjerry]

Thanks, Joe,
I'll look into your suggestions.
Jerry

[tufty]

Personally, I wouldn't use (or trust) word for any significant quantity of text. Unfortunately, the real solution means learning to use another package, and redoing all your layout.

I would suggest using LaTeX to do it, but that's a lot like hard work, despite giving you print-ready output. I'm short of time for the next few months, or I'd do it for you.

[dynajetjerry]

Hi, Tufty,
Thanks for your input. I'm adding more personal stuff and that adds another complication. But I'll "git 'er done!"
Jerry

[tufty]

Jerry.

My advice would be as follows:

- Split it down into chapters, with each chapter in a separate document, and each chapter in a separate directory.
- Assuming you're using word's formatting and embedding stuff, ummm - don't do that.
-- Edit as plain text
-- Mark up the bits of text you need to be "special" (bold, underline, headings, tables etc) using a plain text technique. I'd suggest something like Textile or Markdown. These will keep your document small, manageable, non-reliant on any one editor, and still readable.
-- Keep images in the same directory as the chapter they are to be used for. Reference them as above (you'll need to learn a bit of URL syntax for that, but it's not too arduous). They will need to be high quality, i.e. big files, which is why you really, really, don't want them embedded in your document. I'd wager that's what's bringing Word to its knees at the moment.
-- IGNORE PAGE FORMATTING TOTALLY

When you're working like that, you can use any editor you like to edit (including ones that provide something close to the sort of clicky-draggy formatting tools you are used to from word). The final formatting is / should be done either using a DTP tool, or something that can rip your documents in an automated way (a script that goes from Textile to Latex to print-ready PDF, for example)

I'm currently at 100+ pages in "ULTRAMATE GREEENE", my book on the SCO stock scam, using the technique above. The software doesn't even cough.

[dynajetjerry]

Tufty,
Man! You supplied a lot of information to help me and I thank you! I'm not sure I can accomplish what you recommend but I'll look into it.
FYI, I've not yet tried to insert any pictures; all my current stuff is text. My editor/publisher will handle most of it.
Thanks.
Jerry

[tufty]

Tufty,
Man! You supplied a lot of information to help me and I thank you! I'm not sure I can accomplish what you recommend but I'll look into it.
FYI, I've not yet tried to insert any pictures; all my current stuff is text. My editor/publisher will handle most of it.
Thanks.
Jerry

If your editor / publisher is going to handle the insertion of images and final page formatting, probably the best thing is to ask him / her what format he / she wants to minimise his / her work, explaining that word is crapping out on you.

In any case I'd suggest moving away from Word, if I'm honest. It's not the right tool for the job, and it's more pain than it's worth for big documents. Q10 or Writemonkey are tailored for the task of writing, are free, and run under Windows. Writemonkey apparently has Textile and Markdown plugins as well. I can't tell you much more than that - I use a Mac myself - but they are reckoned to be pretty damn good.

Simon

[dynajetjerry]

Simon,
Thanks for your advice. I'll contact my "helper" and get his opinion on your suggestions.
Jerry