Re: Author-it [was: Single Sourcing tools]

[Jan Cohen <najnehoc -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

Hi Char,

If the source content is locked when it's checked out, some of the battle is
won.  The questions I'd be raising next are: 

a) whether a sufficient level of
version control exists to be able to work in multiple versions of that
source, regardless of the release in work.

b) what about, e.g., branding or product-based differences in inline-text?  For instance, the permissions you mention below could easily be used to address differences in higher-order elements like paragraphs, but it would be far more complicated to do so within the context of a single sentence.  Text entities/variables would be more useful in such instances.  Are they available for use?

c) conditional text?  Is its use available?  How difficult is it to use and keep straight among a number of authors?

I'd ask these questions because one of the great aspects of using SGML or XML to publish documentation is the control one has over the final, published version of a document.  Mind you, I'm not necessarily a proponent of one tool's use over another.  Many of the XML-based authoring tools share similar functionalities, even if the ways they go about it might be different.



jan cohen

----- Original Message ----
From: Char James-Tanny <charjtf -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 8:06:46 AM
Subject: Re: Author-it [was: Single Sourcing tools]

> I guess the access control (who "wins" if the same file is changed at
> the same time) is done automatically by the server in Ait?

AIT isn't file based...it uses a database (either JET or SQL). The
"folders" that are visible are virtual (they don't exist on your hard
drive). However, you can apply permissions based on various
settings...for example, writers in one project might be able to see
topics in another project but not make any modifications.

AIT uses dynamic check-in/check-out...when you open an object, you
have checked it out and no one else can make any changes to it. When
you close the object, it is checked back in.

Char James-Tanny ~ JTF Associates, Inc. ~ http://www.helpstuff.com




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