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RE: XML suites to manage DocBook projects?
- From: Kraa de Simon <Simon dot de dot Kraa at icl dot nl>
- To: "'docbook at lists dot oasis-open dot org'" <docbook at lists dot oasis-open dot org>
- Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2002 14:21:55 +0100
- Subject: RE: DOCBOOK: XML suites to manage DocBook projects?
Hello,
I'm in a dilemma on what editorial environment I should provide to our
DocBook authors.
The authors are used to edit their documents in MS Word: 100% wysiwyg.
I evaluated XML editors like XML Spy and XMetaL and I can imagine that using
these editors this is going to be a shock to at least some of the authors
(editing the XML 'directly').
Should I add a layer on top of the XML files hiding all XML detail from the
author? How far should I go? E.g. author chooses 'Add Chapter' from the menu
instead of 'typing' '<chapter></chapter>'. E.g. content and structure is
stored in a database and valid DocBook XML output is generated by the system
based on this data.
The argument is that some of our authors will never ever adopt a XML editor
to edit content: not wysiwyg; to difficult; don't understand it etc.
Will such a system/interface essentially feel the same for the authors as a
really good XML editor/suite?
Are such systems already available? Specifically designed to handle DocBook
documents?
What is your opinion on this?
Thanks,
Simon.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Stayton [mailto:bobs@caldera.com]
Sent: maandag 11 februari 2002 19:41
To: Kraa de Simon; 'docbook@lists.oasis-open.org'
Subject: Re: DOCBOOK: XML suites to manage DocBook projects?
On Mon, Feb 11, 2002 at 10:41:40AM +0100, Kraa de Simon wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I was wondering what XML editors/suites are best suited to edit and
"manage"
> a set of XML/XSL/... files that make up a "DocBook project".
>
> Currently I'm evaluating XMetaL 2.1 and XML Spy 4.3 Suite.
>
> I'm looking for a editor/suite that 'guides' the content author in the
right
> direction based on the DTD as much as possible.
>
> E.g. XML Spy gives the following XML file when I create a new document
(XML
> Spy adds <set>, <book>) and add a chapter (XML Spy adds <chapter>,
<title>,
> <calloutlist>, <callout>).
>
> <set>
> <book>
> <title>test</title>
> <chapter>
> <title/>
> <calloutlist>
> <callout arearefs=""/>
> </calloutlist>
> </chapter>
> </book>
> </set>
>
> In XMetaL you will have to create the XML file from scratch.
In XMetal, you can do two things:
1. Create standard template files for each of the kinds of
documents you want to create. Then you can add those
templates to the File->New interface.
2. You can customize each element when it is inserted to
include any children or structure you want to add.
See Tools->Customizations->General->On Insert.
The customizations are associated with
the current DTD.
--
Bob Stayton 400 Encinal Street
Publications Architect Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Technical Publications voice: (831) 427-7796
Caldera International, Inc. fax: (831) 429-1887
email: bobs@caldera.com