TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Choosing a DTP Package From:Bill Burns <BillDB -at- ILE -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 18 Aug 1997 07:59:13 -0600
Becky,
ArborText, from what I understand, is strictly an SGML editor, so it
doesn't have to convert to SGML. It creates in SGML. As far as reading
and using the files from ArborText, as long as you have a DTD for the
documents, you should be able to read them in Frame + SGML.
As far as using SGML source documents for localization, I'd say this is
an excellent idea. ILE is currently spearheading an SGML initiative
(Open Tag--a DTD specifically for the localization industry), and many
of the translation memory tools we have developed work well with SGML
and HTML.
If i were you, I would do some more research into SGML. The editing
tools are just the tip of the iceberg. SGML is a different paradigm for
document production, and it involves much more than just a good SGML
editor.
Bill Burns
Technical Writer
ILE Communications Group
billdb -at- ile -dot- com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Becky Roberts [SMTP:jrobeck -at- LDL -dot- NET]
> Sent: Sunday, August 17, 1997 9:13 AM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Choosing a DTP Package
>
> Any feedback on this subject would be appreciated, I am new to the
> list.
> I am trying to convince my company to convert from a mainframe
> publishing system to FrameMaker + SGML. I manage a tech writing group
> that has to support documents in multiple languages. Also, we have to
> be able to read and modify documents created by another department
> that
> plans to use ArborText and convert to SGML. I'm not sure that SGML is
> the answer for my group because we have a small staff and little time
> to
> invest at this point in building a DTD, but I don't want to close the
> SGML option completely.
>
> Questions:
> 1. Anyone out there had any experience converting FrameMaker + SGML
> to
> ArborText Adept Editor, or vice versa? Any thoughts on this
> subject?
> 2. Anyone have any comments on limitations or advantages of SGML and
> translating documents? Specifically, do most contract translation
> agencies support ArborText?
> 3. Any thoughts on the relative advantages or disadvantages of SGML?
>
> Thanks for your feedback. This is the first message that I have
> posted,
> so forgive me if I have broken any of the rules.
>
> Becky Roberts
> TSYS
> mail to: jrobeck -at- ldl -dot- net
>
> ~~
> TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a
> message
> to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send
> commands
> to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
> Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
> browse the archives at
>http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html
> Send list questions or problems to the listowner at
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html