RE: Not exactly another single source question....

["Gilger.John" <JGilger -at- acresgaming -dot- com>]

This sort of thing is what lead to the development of SGML. 

As others have said, it is doable using XML (or just plain old SGML, but it's not as sexy) and a database. The concept is similar to using Java Server Pages on an e-commerce web site to generate dynamically generated content. This may have been what gave your developer the idea.

Use Google, there are a multitude of sites and white papers on using XML for this type of project.

John Gilger
Senior Technical Writer
Acres Gaming, Inc.

p.s. My family loved Lafayette, CO. Hated to leave in the '95 mass layoffs.



-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Strasser [mailto:paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com]
Sent: Friday, August 23, 2002 12:43 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Not exactly another single source question....



Oh lordy, just what you need on a Friday afternoon...

Actually, this isn't a question about Classic Single Source (in which one
magic document is the source for online help, user's guide, system
documentation - and can walk your dog as well).  Instead, I'm wondering
about something else, but "single source" describes the conundrum.

We are developing software that may be sold to a variety of
people/companies/NGOs etc.  We want the online help and user's guide
customized for each purchaser.  If, for example, Walmart purchases it - and
no, they're not a potential buyer - we want "Walmart" used throughout the
document/online help.   It isn't a simple matter of just having a global
search & replace for Walmart, though, because there is a lot of terminology
in the documentation that will be unique to Walmart only... and the software
itself will have different title bars and perhaps different field names (but
the guts of the software will be identical).  This means different screen
captures for each version, and lots of unique terminology for each client.

So is there some solution in which I can have a Master Location where I can
create a list of replaceable terms (and replaceable screen captures) that
will tie into the base document?  What I'm imagining is some sort of system
where we get a new client (Target, for example) and I can go into the Master
Location, enter the 45 terms unique to Target, create the 15 screen captures
unique to Target, save this version of the Master Location, then click a
button and a brand new, complete document is created by sticking all the new
Master Location terms into the base document.

This was actually brought up by (I kid you not) a developer.  He wanted to
know if there was a simplified way that I could create multiple versions of
OLHelp and UGs for lots of clients, and suggested I begin examining options.

--
Paul Strasser
Windsor Technologies, Inc.
2569 Park Lane, Suite 200
Lafayette, Colorado 80026
Phone:  303-926-1982
FAX:  303-926-1510
E-mail:  paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com

Paul Strasser
Windsor Technologies, Inc.
2569 Park Lane, Suite 200
Lafayette, Colorado 80026
Phone:  303-926-1982
FAX:  303-926-1510
E-mail:  paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com


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