AW: [docbook-apps] DocBook XSL and Internationalization

[<joerg.moebius@hamburg.de>]

Hi Bill,

I am maintaining a project called DocDook sml
(http:/docbooksml.sourceforge.net/). 

sml stands for singlesource multi-language. DocBook sml provides an easy
and secure way to maintain multilingual documentations. The core idea of
DocBook sml is keeping/assembling all documentation content of identical
semantic, but of different language together in/into one document and
deriving from such a 'documentation repository' all desired
documentation artefacts. 

DocBook sml comes with a comprehensive example (the own documentation)
and customized ready to run DocBook XSL scripts.

Perhaps this might be interesting for you.

Best Regards

Jörg Möbius
OPS Design GmbH, Hamburg


-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Bill Burns [mailto:bburns@verbumcomm.com] 
Gesendet: Dienstag, 20. März 2007 18:20
An: docbook-apps@lists.oasis-open.org
Betreff: [docbook-apps] DocBook XSL and Internationalization

Greetings.

I posted this request yesterday on xsl-list, but Jirka Kosek pointed me
here
instead. 

I'm doing a presentation on various schemas at WritersUA next week, and
one
topic I want to address is the internationalization support built into
various open-source tools. I know DocBook XSL has some built-in features
that would aid in localization(autogenerated text assets,
localization-specific attributes). However, to make sure I present the
tool
set's strengths and weaknesses correctly, I thought I should ask about
DocBook XSL's current support for localized output. In particular, I'm
interested in knowing how much of the support is mostly implemented, and
how
much is available but not fully expressed in the style sheets that ship
with
style sheets and rendition tools. 

I've removed the questions that have already been answered, but I'm
looking
for a bit more clarity on a few items. I've added more detail as well so
you
understand why I'm asking the question. I've looked in the DocBook XSL
guide, and was

- Default fonts
This would be the actual definition in a template, not the inclusion of
the
font files themselves in the tools.

While Unicode fonts, can contain all characters, some (perhaps most?) do
not, and sometimes a Unicode font isn't appropriate for an output. Do
the
DocBook style sheets take this into consideration and provide separate
locale-specific control for fonts, or is this a customization that would
need to be added to test for specific locales?

- Word/character order for autogenerated components (xrefs, headers and
footers, chapter and appendix numbering)

Items containing autgenerated page numbers, chapter numbers, or other
autogenerated text may vary depending on the syntax of the target
language.
Is this already addressed in DocBook XSL?

- Chapter, appendix and list numbering (for those locales that don't use
Arabic numerals)

Are there any other areas of concern that DocBook XSL addresses in part
or
in whole? Are there any areas of concern for localizers who work with
DocBook data? 

Thanks.

Bill Burns
Verbum Communications, Inc.
Microsoft Help MVP
bburns@verbumcomm.com
www.verbumcomm.com



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