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One suggestion: look for tools to convert from
one type of document (say, Word) to another (say, DocBook).
When I searched previously, I found Majix, an RTF to XML (for which
DocBook has DTD). Looks like they're working on the site, but Majix is
still available at <http://tetrasys.dhs.org/majix.html>.
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That would be fine, but the problem isn't a one-off submission from
the SME to myself - I'm quite happy to crowbar info from Word docs,
cigarette packets, or whatever, into my latex or next year xml docs
repository. The issue is that this guy will need to keep some stuff
up to date, so either he's happy to do that or there'll be two sets
of docs, his, and mine. I might be inclined to think the tools issue
is really a cipher for issues about ownership/control, but I'll leave
that for now.
So if I use conversion tools, we'll need to be able to convert both
ways (round trip) reliably and quickly. I have my doubts about
both the feasiblity and efficiency of this, so I want to push for
finding a way to get him into being happy to edit the official
docs in the official place (with me as editor of course).
Worth noting that my xml DTD would likely be simplified-Docbook
PLUS our own local tags for various API elements (API funcs,
API classes, control variables, call backs, data types,
and many others which I've included in my local LaTeX styles
over the years). So _probably_ if I put enough effort into
matching Word styles and conversion tools it's doable,
but I doubt if the effort is sensible really. Still that's not
an issue for tech-wrl to help me with, just a moan! :-)
Christopher Gooch, Technical Author
LightWork Design, Sheffield, UK.
chris -dot- gooch -at- lightworkdesign -dot- com www.lightworkdesign.com
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