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| | XML Publishing Tools
What is XML Publishing?XML publishing is the process of creating a dynamic layer to electronic content through the application of XML technology. While XML is now used for much more than encoding documents, it was originally developed as a profile of the SGML standard and as such is particularly well-suited for this purpose. XML publishing utilizes three main components of the XML standard to apply structure, content, and finally rendering to virtually any output format. Defining XML Document StructureMost XML publishing documents contain two parts: the schema(s) or DTD(s) from which their elements or attributes are created, and the document itself. Schemas or DTDs provide the foundation (content model) upon which XML documents are produced. Developing this model is an iterative process that involves initial requirements analysis, use-cases, and examination of existing data schemas. XML documents that do not conform to the content model will not display properly, or at all. This model must not only take into account current content structure, but it must also allow for expansion in the inevitability of new uses for content in the future. The application of a well-conceived content model enables documentation providers to easily and remotely control data input and organization across workgroups of any size. XML development, validation, and editing tools offer numerous features to help with the implementation of a content model, including, but not limited to: graphical schema editors, intelligent validation options, and a wide variety of entry-helper mechanisms. MetadataMetadata is an integral part of XML publishing because it can provide standard “buckets” for keeping additional data about almost any resource. For example, metadata can hold a brief description of the content, the language it was written in, and so on. This information is useful to others who may want to use this resource, and the information can be a consistent, sustainable data source for tracking throughout the design, development, delivery, and maintenance lifecycle. XML StandardsThere are currently over 450 publically recognized XML standards, and this number is constantly fluctuating with new standards emerging, older ones growing obsolete, and some even being absorbed by others as they evolve. These standards are actually schema languages that have been devised as an efficient means of structuring certain types of content. Many standards are industry-specific, and most serve only to define parameters for content of one kind. These include: MathML (Mathematical Markup Language), DSML (Directory Services Markup Language), and GEML (Gene Expression Markup Language). Many of these are also open source, meaning that they are published publicly for anyone to use. XML publishing, however, often spans several of these existing standards. And, as there is no consensus on an open standard for XML publishing in general (nor will there probably ever be), content creators and distributors who have chosen to convert to XML must essentially develop their own standards in order to reap the benefits of the transition. In many cases this could be as simple as defining a new content model to represent XML publishing needs. Standards promote interoperability between different systems and, within the realm of XML publishing, are developed to address the following concerns:
Until mandates, conventions, or other means are put in place to enforce industry compliance to a certain standard, it is vital to choose flexible XML tools from established companies that will stay abreast of standards as they evolve and provide support for them if and when it makes sense to do so. To sum up with a borrowed a quote from Grace Hopper: "The wonderful thing about standards is that there are so many of them to choose from." Multi-channel PublishingMulti-channel publishing refers to the concept of rendering content from one source to a wide variety of different output formats. This is the essence of XML publishing and what makes XML such a useful technology for documentation and electronic content workflows. For example, it may be necessary to simultaneously produce the same document(s) in HTML for online publishing and PDF for print distribution. Traditional typesetting systems are concerned with making all elements on a page look right (i.e., headings in bold, subheads in italic, etc.). Therefore, for example, operators could “fix” a subhead (H2) that had been improperly coded as a heading (H1) simply by changing it from bold to italic. As long as the page looked right, nothing else seemed to matter – until that electronic file was needed for another purpose, in which case that subhead would appear as an italic H1, not an H2. XML has revolutionized publishing processes by separating structure and appearance. By creating content in XML before introducing it into the documentation architecture or workflow, publishers can ensure that it can be easily and accurately transformed to the required output formats or delivery mechanisms with a minimal amount of additional processing. RenderingRendering, in the context of XML, is the process of generating output from an XML source document or collection of documents. Traditional publishing processes have content taken from its source format (Word, etc.) and then edited, styled and converted specifically for its delivery mechanism. However, if a different delivery format is required, this process must be repeated. In a world where digital publishing requirements often come hand in hand with traditional print requirements, this system is egregiously outdated and labor intensive. XML lends itself to more progressive publishing workflows. XML companion technologies like XSLT and XSL:FO can be applied to XML instance documents to automate the delivery of content to its intended format, turning rendering into an automated process. There is no need for additional conversions or edits each time content is to be delivered to a different medium. In addition, any complications that arise will now be instantly recognized as process-oriented rather than data-oriented. Altova Tools for XML PublishingAs the market leader in XML development tools, Altova provides a number of flexible options for XML publishing. The Altova MissionKit supports all of the most prevalent XML standards and has customizable tools targeted towards all levels of XML users - from XML programmers to content architects, and from technical writers to non-technical content contributors. StyleVisionAltova StyleVision is a stylesheet designer that offers a wide variety of options for XML publishing. Stylesheet designs can be developed based on an XML Schema or DTD content model, or users can define layout properties and add content later in the same way that they would approach common desktop publishing applications. (StyleVision also supports designing templates based on XBRL and database sources.) StyleVision supports multi-channel publishing, enabling users to output content to HTML, Microsoft® Word, PDF, or electronic forms all from the same template design. Once the document structure is defined, non-technical users can add content using Authentic, Altova's WYSIWYG XML and database content editor.
AuthenticAltova Authentic is a WYSIWYG XML authoring tool that allows technical writers, documentation specialists, and other content contributors to view and edit XML and database content without being exposed to the underlying XML technology. This is an extremely valuable asset for XML publishing, enabling authors and subject matter experts to maintain the integrity of their content assets directly, without exposing it to an additional conversion step that can lead to reliability issues and time to market delays. Authentic is ideally implemented as the user interface element of XML-based content management systems, document frameworks, and enterprise collaboration workflows. XMLSpyAltova XMLSpy is a powerful and fully featured XML editor that supports end-to-end XML publishing. With a graphical schema editor, XML validation, intelligent XML editing options, an XSLT editor and debugger, and more, XMLSpy helps users create and manage documents quickly and easily across the entire XML publishing workflow.
For those working in a team environment, XMLSpy integrates easily with Microsoft SharePoint and many other version control systems, helping you to manage documentation across any size workflow. Other Tools for XML PublishingAll of the tools discussed above are available individually or as part of the Altova MissionKit®, which offers several different specially priced packages that provide full support for XML and come in useful at all stages of XML development and content management workflows. These include: MapForce for data integration and transformation, DiffDog for XML-aware differencing/merging, and SchemaAgent for file relationship management.
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