Re: Multiple versions of the same basic document

Subject: Re: Multiple versions of the same basic document
From: Bill Burns <BillDB -at- ILE -dot- COM>
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 16:17:02 -0600

Hi, Kevin.

I'm hoping you can clarify some of the responses you made to Susan's post.
My sense is that there isn't a need to move to Frame + SGML, so we're in
agreement on that. I'm just not quite clear on some of your reasons.

> 1- How large is the document?
> Typically, the larger the document set, the better chance that using SGML
> will help you out. However, if we're talking about a 50 page user guide,
> it
> might not be worth it.
>
I guess I'm not clear how Frame + SGML on it's own is going to do much more
than provide rigorous structure to a document. It doesn't add the content
management component. What do you gain by using SGML if there isn't a
content management system? I like the concept of SGML, but as Mark Baker
always points out, SGML by itself isn't a solution. Other than enforcing
structure (when validation is active), does Frame + SGML have some other
feature that makes it more desirable when used without the benefit of a
content management system?

> 2- This relates to #1, but do you already have a DTD? If you do, then by
> all
> means, use Frame+SGML. If you do not, do you have the time and expertise
> to
> develop a DTD?
>
See above.

> 3- Have you considered translation?
> If the document is intended to be the same, but in three different
> languages
> (English, Spanish, Hebrew), then Frame really isn't going to do much for
> you, if you use SGML or not.
>
I think Susan meant that the text on the UI would vary rather than there
actually being three different human-language versions. I'm not sure what
the rest of this response means. Frame doesn't support Hebrew or other Bi-Di
languages, but it has some autogeneration features that are quite handy
during the localization process.

> 4- Can you use Conditional Text? If you are producing three English
> manuals,
> each using commands in a different language, you might be able to get away
> using the Conditional Text feature. However, I have found that to be a bit
> more trouble than it's worth...
>
It can be more or less difficult to work with dependning on how you use it.
We use it to create variations of documents for products and their
derivatives, to mark revisions, deletions, and leveraged material for our
localization teams, and to customize content for different output formats.
It helps if you use a control file to turn conditions in a book on and off,
rather than trying to handle them on a file-by-file basis. You have to
define a strategy and process for using conditional text, but once that's
done, it's not difficult to use.

> You have to be very careful when using Frame+SGML, for example, you must
> use
> an element catalog instead of the paragraph tag catalog to add text to
> your
> document (a couple of novices I worked with added any old element and then
> used the paratag list to layout the information....a complete nightmare).
>
That I can believe. I can't quite figure why they'd be using Frame + SGML if
the rule enforcement wasn't in place. That's the whole point of using an
SGML editor.

> If you are producing the entire manual in different languages, consider
> translation. If you are producing three English manuals with different GUI
> commands, consider using the evil conditional text feature.
>
Like I noted, not evil--just misunderstood ;-). It's actually one of the
most useful features of Frame. Of course, if you use it in Frame + SGML, you
have to make sure to use it with structural considerations in mind. If you
conditionalize and hide a required element, or do the same thing with a
parent element and not its children, you'd definitely break your document.

Bill Burns - Eccentric Technology Consultant
International Communications Design & Development
billdb -at- ile -dot- com
Y2K Complacent

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