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technical writing plus wrote:
> I have been curious about DocBook myself. Now you answered a basic question
> of mine. Thanks.
>
> I have OpenOffice, which is a free and open source office suite (word
> processor, database, presentation program, drawing program, spreadsheet) and
> I think that it is kind of impressive. One feature of the suite is that it
> will allow you to save in a DocBook format. I don't know how to do this or
> what it means. I assume that it lets you set up a DocBook system? Or create
> DocBook docs? Jim Jones
>
> -----Original Message-----
> When you say you're looking over options, it isn't clear what you
> mean. Options for tools? For Help formats?
>
>
>> DocBooks open source program
>>
>
> DocBook isn't a software program. It is an XML standard. You would
> still need to buy an authoring tool (XML editor) to create your Help
> content.
>
OOo Writer has a filter for XML DocBook 4.1.2--an older standard that
dates back to somewhere around August 2000. Version 4.5 is the current
standard, and version 5 is due out officially any day now. In OOo, the
Tools menu > XML Filter Settings... can be used for configuring the
export/import functions. There are two XML ports by default--DocBook
4.1.2 or MS XML 2003. So, it makes a decent editor for XML. There are a
number of free XML editors that do more than OOo Writer. Try epcEdit
<http://www.epcEdit.com> for one.
FrameMaker (if you have it) works well with XML-structured authoring or
template design. I'm currently researching some migration of OOo to/from
FrameMaker 7. I only have FM v 7.0 (for XMLmostly ) but prefer
editing/layout with OOo. The newer versions of FrameMaker should import
from/export directly to OOo without having to convert to DOC first, but
I haven't done it due to my not having a more-recent FM version.
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