freelanceprogrammers.org Forum Index » XML / XSL
XML Editors - Structured Authoring
Joined: 27 Oct 2005
Posts: 1
XML Editors - Structured Authoring
Hello,
I was wondering...
For those of you who author structured content for Help files in XML,
what editor are you using and how do you transform the content to Help
files? Also, do you use a standard schema or did you create your own?
Thanks
-- Dan
Joined: 28 Oct 2005
Posts: 2
XML Editors - Structured Authoring
My current main project is an API reference based on XML files that act as
an internal interface in the program. The XML files define the interface
itself. I changed the DTD (created by the programmers) for this XML to add
documentation elements, so the XML files now have two purposes: an internal
program function and an end user doc function. I wrote XSLT to go through
these XML files and suck out info and doc content and put it in many
separate HTML files (also makes an alphabetical index of links). I take
these HTML files and combine them with HTML files produced in other ways,
then throw them into RoboHelp to do WebHelp output and have a
cross-platform browser-based help with full-text search.
Mark
pittpickleparty wrote:
>I was wondering...
>
>For those of you who author structured content for Help files in XML,
>what editor are you using and how do you transform the content to Help
>files? Also, do you use a standard schema or did you create your own?
Joined: 08 Feb 2005
Posts: 8
XML Editors - Structured Authoring
Hi Dan
One of the reasons I like using FrameMaker for people that are starting out
in structured authoring is that you can use standard help authoring tools
(although the demise of RoboHelp for Frame was a bit of a body blow).
It also has some very nice tools for converting your unstructured content
into structured.
And now onto my pet topic...
Even if you use a standard schema you still have to model your content so
you can work out how *your* content fits into their schema. Once you have
modelled your content you can see if any of the standard schemas are close
enough to your model to be useful and you can estimate how much work is
needed to cover variations from the standard. Alternatively, it will help
you decide that you need to create your own.
And, as this is one of the most important parts of the move to structured
authoring, it is well worth getting help from someone that has done this
sort of thing before - even if you have a go yourself and just get someone
in to review it. The trouble is (apart from convincing the bean counters
that it is worth the money) that finding someone that really knows what they
are doing is difficult, people who have actual practical experience in
content modelling at a granular level for documentation rather than websites
are rare (although you are in the right place to find someone by being on
lists such as this).
Good luck
-Melanie
On 28/10/05, pittpickleparty <danbeall@...> wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> I was wondering...
>
> For those of you who author structured content for Help files in XML,
> what editor are you using and how do you transform the content to Help
> files? Also, do you use a standard schema or did you create your own?
>
> Thanks
> -- Dan
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Joined: 28 Oct 2005
Posts: 2
XML Editors - Structured Authoring
Oops, I didn`t say what editor I used for the project I described below. I
usually use Textpad for editing, and I validate the XML with a free XML
editor called XMLBuddy, which runs under the Eclipse platform. I write my
XSLT in TextPad also.
Mark
Mark wrote:
>My current main project is an API reference based on XML files that act as
>an internal interface in the program. The XML files define the interface
>itself. I changed the DTD (created by the programmers) for this XML to add
>documentation elements, so the XML files now have two purposes: an internal
>program function and an end user doc function. I wrote XSLT to go through
>these XML files and suck out info and doc content and put it in many
>separate HTML files (also makes an alphabetical index of links). I take
>these HTML files and combine them with HTML files produced in other ways,
>then throw them into RoboHelp to do WebHelp output and have a
>cross-platform browser-based help with full-text search.
>
>Mark
>
>pittpickleparty wrote:
> >I was wondering...
> >
> >For those of you who author structured content for Help files in XML,
> >what editor are you using and how do you transform the content to Help
> >files? Also, do you use a standard schema or did you create your own?
Joined: 29 Oct 2005
Posts: 1
XML Editors - Structured Authoring
We use Oxygen both to create/edit xml files and also to do our
transforms (to HTML, which is then compiled into HTML Help). I wrote
our schema (our content was fairly structured before we ever
converted to XML, and all the existing schemas I looked at seemed
like overkill or otherwise not a good fit).
Having said that, I did look fairly closely at Microsoft`s Longhorn
help before beginning our custom xml development.
- Rebecca
--- In xml-doc@yahoogroups.com, M 1879 <m1879@e...> wrote:
> >
> >pittpickleparty wrote:
> > >I was wondering...
> > >
> > >For those of you who author structured content for Help files in
XML,
> > >what editor are you using and how do you transform the content
to Help
> > >files? Also, do you use a standard schema or did you create your
own?
>
Joined: 26 May 2005
Posts: 37
XML Editors - Structured Authoring
Hi Dan. Melanie is correct. You can find a very qualified content
modeling expert who is also an expert in Adobe Framemaker and XML on
this list. Her name is Kay Ethier and you can reach her at
kethier@... or via phone at 919-244-8559. Kay`s firm,
Bright Path Solutions, helps organizations make the move to structured
XML authoring and is actively involved in the authoring standards
arena.
You can find a list of classes here:
http://www.travelthepath.com/trainingoptions2.html
You can also see Kay`s list of services, here:
http://www.travelthepath.com/consulting.html
Additionally, Kay has added a section to her website called
"Structure!" that features useful articles about structured authoring.
Check it out: http://www.travelthepath.com/structure.html
Hope this helps. If I can be of further assistance, just let me know.
==================================
Scott Abel, Content Management Strategist
3421 Crystal Lakes Ct., Sarasota FL 34235
abelsp@... 941-359-3416
www.thecontentwrangler.com
========================
>
> From: Melanie Kendell <melanie.kendell@...>
> Subject: Re: XML Editors - Structured Authoring
>
> Hi Dan
>
> And now onto my pet topic...
>
> Even if you use a standard schema you still have to model your content
> so
> you can work out how *your* content fits into their schema. ....
> .... as this is one of the most important parts of the move to
> structured
> authoring, it is well worth getting help from someone that has done
> this
> sort of thing before - even if you have a go yourself and just get
> someone
> in to review it. The trouble is (apart from convincing the bean
> counters
> that it is worth the money) that finding someone that really knows
> what they
> are doing is difficult, people who have actual practical experience in
> content modelling at a granular level for documentation rather than
> websites
> are rare (although you are in the right place to find someone by being
> on
> lists such as this).
>
>
> -Melanie
>
All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Freelace Website Designer - Customer web design and software building.
Booking Calendar - reservation calendar script
Land Surveying - total station instruments and equipments
China Wholesale - Electronics Products
Character Studio - Tutorials and Help
Booking Calendar - reservation calendar script
Land Surveying - total station instruments and equipments
China Wholesale - Electronics Products
Character Studio - Tutorials and Help