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>
> > So, out of curiosity, how many folks on the list
> are
> > doing single-source
> > documentation using XML or any other technology?
>
I am using Docbook XML. My single sourcing
architecture starts with modularity. One file per
topic. The document is unique throught the system.
Then I have profiling. This enables me to keep all
content, including images, on a topic in one file.
Profiles = OS = WIN, MAC, UNIX. Othe rprofiles like
customer specific version is also considered a
profile.
Documents are created out of many files, using
entities and xinlcude. As no document is duplicated
within the system, only one module on a topic exists.
So I may create a document by doing something like
this:
<chapter id="installation">
<title>Installing &product_name;</title>
<para> ...</para>
<xi:include xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude";
href="dependancies.xml" />
<xi:include xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude";
href="procedure.xml" />
<xi:include xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude";
href="testing.xml" />
<xi:include xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude";
href="uninstalling.xml" />
</chapter>
These included files may be used by other documents.
This file is then tranformed into any of the folowing
formats: XML, XHTML, TXT, CHM, JarHelp, PDF, RTF, PS.
Depending on the profile set I can get a book in each
format, for each OS and for each customer if required.
Single Sourcing.
Sean Wheller
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