Mekon - Structured Publishing

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Adobe FrameMaker 7.0 software delivers an enterprise-class authoring and publishing solution that combines the simplicity of word processing with the power of XML. Enjoy WYSIWYG authoring in either a familiar word processing, style-tagging mode or a fully structured environment optimised for the editing and production of valid XML. Take advantage of long document support that includes book management features, sophisticated templates, and rich formatting options. Experience built-in support for high-quality printing, the latest Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) standards, and integration of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG). And use the included WebWorks Publisher Standard Edition 7.0 software from Quadralay to automatically create HTML versions of your documents and books.

FrameMaker 7.0 new features

Adobe FrameMaker software has long been the ideal tool for creating long and complex documents that can be distributed to worldwide audiences. FrameMaker 7.0 provides a robust feature set for XML production and multichannel publishing across many platforms and viewing devices. The software now offers greater benefits to organisations that need to structure, repurpose, and customise information for a variety of audiences and uses.

Download PDF (1.1 MB) for full printable list of new features in FrameMaker.

Combined product

One of the biggest enhancements in this version is that the features and functionality of FrameMaker and FrameMaker+SGML have been combined into a single product. Users can choose structured or unstructured FrameMaker at launch and through the Preferences dialog box.

Adobe FrameMaker Server 7.0

Adobe FrameMaker Server 7.0 software enables you to integrate the powerful print and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) publishing features of FrameMaker with server-based applications. FrameMaker Server lets you efficiently produce personalised, accurate, high-quality print and Adobe PDF output of data-driven content. Composed documents may be delivered as Adobe PDF files to a Web browser or file server, or as Adobe PostScript language files streamed directly to a printer.

System requirements

Windows

Macintosh

UNIX

What is SGML?

The Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), was adopted as ISO 8879 in 1986. Since its introduction, SGML is being used by an ever-increasing number of organisations to assist in the creation, management, storage, and delivery of their information products.

It is a generic markup language that supports document interchange and delivery of information in a variety of ways from the same source data.

But SGML is much more...
As a standard, SGML goes far beyond the goal of information interchange; SGML adds value to the information. It supports the reuse and control of information; reduces dependence on software and hardware systems; facilitates the development of multi-media products; separates content from process; and is an important tool for all aspects of information management.

In other words:
SGML is the answer.....SGML is part of your business and publishing solutions.

Can better control over your information assets help you to realise these goals?

Can the use of well-structured, generically-encoded information help achieve these goals?

SGML has been the answer to these issues and more across a variety of industries. Multi-national corporations, government agencies, and small businesses have chosen SGML to help them:

Word to SGML conversion

The most important process in the conversion is the formatting of the Word documents. If the formatting of these documents is not consistent then the conversion procedure will not operate to its full extent.

Detailed in the following sections are the stages required in a typical Word to SGML conversion using FrameMaker+SGML. The processes are not detailed down to the last point, but are rather to be used as a guideline to help you assess the tasks required for the conversion. This typical outline has been assembled from Mekons experience in many such conversion projects and the issues arising from these.

As SGML is a Mark Up language i.e. each piece of information is tagged with a name that will be used to define where the information can be placed in a document, it is vitally important that the information in the Word documents is consistent. The first stage in the conversion is to categorise your existing documents into sets that have either the same or similar layouts, once this has been done it is recommended that you take this opportunity to streamline the amount of changes between documents where possible.

Once the documents have been categorised a Word template for each set of documents should be produced and applied to the information to be converted, as mentioned in the conversion introduction this is a very important procedure. At the end of this process you should be left with sets of Word documents that all comply to their set template and naming convention.

SGML has a strict set of rules for how documents should be constructed, these rules very depending on the nature of the documentation being produced, for instance in the defence industry a document for the Navy will use one set of rules while the Army may use another set of rules for the same information. These rules are known as the Document Type Definition (DTD) and define what information is allowed in the document and in what order.

For the conversion to proceed you must have either an existing DTD or have one produced. Many DTDs are commercially available on the market or you may wish to have one produced to you companies specific requirements. As for all the procedures detailed in this document Mekon can provide the solution to you as part of our documentation services.

As described above the DTD is the rules set for what information is allowed in the document and what order it should appear in, the DTD does not enforce formatting onto the document only structure.

In FrameMaker+SGML the user does not have solely to work within the structured view of the document, but has the option to work with the WYSIWYG view of the document to greatly ease the authoring of SGML information. To provide the WYSIWYG view of the structured information FrameMaker+SGML uses another set of rules called the Element Definition Document (EDD). This is all the rules information contained within the DTD with the addition of the formatting to be applied to each piece of information i.e the DTD will state that a heading level 1 must always be the first item in a new paragraph, what the EDD will do is state that a heading level 1 will always be the first item in a new paragraph, be in 12 point Sabon font and be left aligned. For each different DTD used a complementary EDD must be produced.

You should now have consistent sets of Word document to be converted, a DTD in accordance with the specification required by your company and an EDD to complement the DTD to be used.

The first stage is to produce a FrameMaker+SGML template to use with the converted Word documents. This is achieved by combining the DTD and EDD to produce a template that conforms to the structure rules but also has the formatting for the naming conventions used. Once this has been completed the Word documents are imported into FrameMaker+SGML to produce a FrameMaker non structured document (not SGML), at this point it is advisable to import the FrameMaker+SGML template before proceeding to the next stage.

Although the document is now in FrameMaker+SGML with a template imported it is still not a valid SGML document, for this to be achieved the styles used in the FrameMaker+SGML non structured document must be mapped to valid SGML Elements (the SGML term for each part of the document). This is done by applying a set of rules via a conversion table, this table takes the formatting styles used in the template and converting them to valid SGML Element names. At the same time due to the template being produced from the DTD/EDD the document is structured and formatted in accordance with the DTD/EDD, additional structure may also be added automatically if the original Word documents had unique naming conventions for each style used.

This process does produce a very high rate of automatic conversion, but if any problems have arisen in the conversion it will be indicated in FrameMaker+SGML that the document does not conform to any of the rules laid down in the DTD/EDD. If this does occur changes can be made in the original FrameMaker document and the conversion process run again to produce a valid FrameMaker+SGML structured document.

The final stage in the conversion process is to output SGML information from FrameMaker+SGML. The document is saved as SGML and on saving will automatically be checked against the DTD, this process is called parsing, and the Read/Write rules are applied.

In a single source publishing environment (producing both print and electronic versions from the same files), some requirement for one version may well be outside the rules allowed by the DTD. To overcome this and still allow valid SGML output Mekon can customise the FrameMaker+SGML output to automatically change these to valid Elements on the save as SGML function.

While the Word to SGML conversion procedure is not very complicated it is well worth remembering that the quality of the files at the start of the process will effect nearly all the stages involved. The cleaner the files the more efficient the conversion process is.

FrameMaker users may also be interested in our FrameAC development tool. Click here for more information.