Re: [docbook-apps] Where to start?

[Dave Pawson <davep@dpawson.co.uk>]

Craig White wrote:

> My non-profit agrees that this is the direction that we should go and I
> am now going to have to take it the next step - hence my questions...
> 
> I know that I don't want to keep using my html editor for this and the
> project is fairly large which will likely require training others
> (volunteers/temps?) to do document conversion/creation.
> 
> The objective:
> We have approximately 600 page 'manual' consisting of mostly static
> text, some forms and a small amount of graphics. These are mostly in
> individual Microsoft Word documents (ugh!) Final formats would likely be
> html (for most usage including filling out forms) and PDF (for printing
> hard copies). My platform is primarily Linux and my thinking is that I
> will probably use subversion for this project.

An option for 'up' conversion (word or PDF to docbook).
Scan them, ocr and save to word format.
Import into Open Office then try the Office to docbook conversion.

You may have some cleaning up to do but it will save you a lot of work.


> 
> 1. I have looked at the web pages for several programs but the ones that
> seem to be of interest are Oxygen and Serna. Oxygen seems to have more
> features and Serna seems to be WYSIWYG. Recommendations?

If its for a geek (or wannabe geek), Oxygen is great.
If its for non geeks to prep text, try the Word or Openoffice route.
I've no experience of it, but it seems to have received a fair write up.
That way, the non-geeks won't have the step learning curve of using XML?


> 
> 2. If I am starting now, should I just go to Docbook 5 and relaxng?

It's not a big step from 4.x to 5 and all the support at the moment
is based on 4. Start there?

> 
> 3. Are there people who can be hired (reasonable...we are a
> insufficiently funded non-profit service provider for mentally ill) who
> can help me get started or is that even necessary? I can do html, css,
> ruby but have no experience with xml except for minimal experience
> listed above.

I'm ex www.rnib.org.uk so I know the not-for-profit scenario.
Let me know if I can help.





regards

-- 
Dave Pawson
XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
http://www.dpawson.co.uk