TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Giving up on XML From:"Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> To:"Paul Pehrson" <paulpehrson -at- gmail -dot- com>, "techwhirlers" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:20:01 -0700
Well, I did say previously that I thought things would eventually move
in this direction. The question is, can someone who wants to create
something that Flare doesn't do open a tool of their own, link to XML
generated by Flare and use it without the need to somehow customize
it with additions that will confuse the hell out of Flare the next time
you try to open it? When the answer is "yes," then XML document
authoring will be on its way to becoming a "standard" working
environment.
I don't know where you might have gotten the idea that I wanted to
"create my own XML markup language." Working under the hood
of my authoring tools is the *last* thing I want to do. I want the
languages used under the hood of my authoring tools to be like
the heating elements in my toaster, something that works for me
on a daily basis without my having to pay any attention to it at all.
> Hmmm. I'm jumping into this thread late, and I admit that I didn't read
> through all the other replies, however, I'll submit that I'm using MadCap
> Flare V2.5 for authoring, and it stores my documents in an XML format. Just
> last ween I used Flare to create a printed version of my guide that needed
> absolutely no tweaking in the printed form, and I used it to create a
> differently-styled web-help output with different variables, some different
> topics, and some on-line specific text.
>
> Flare allowed me to author without "giving a fudge about rigidly enforced
> document structure," and I was able to produce multiple outputs from my
> single source topics.
>
> My documents, to me, seem unstructured, though I recognize that in the
> inner-workings of Flare they are, in fact, structured.
>
> Sure, you can create your own XML-based markup language if you want, but it
> seems to me that in the end why bother when there are vendors that will
> create tools that allow you to work with XML (with all the benefits of using
> XML), and never have to worry about the underlying code? I suppose it is a
> case of picking the right tool that allows you to accomplish your end goal,
> which to me is more important than the specific method for achieving that
> goal.
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
Now shipping: Help & Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help & Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
