Re: DOCBOOK-APPS: Large documents

[Sebastian Rahtz <sebastian.rahtz@computing-services.oxford.ac.uk>]

Gary Lawrence Murphy writes:
 > 
 > Is there an equivalent backend process for DocBook XML to produce a
 > work in sections the way we can generate large LaTeX books by
 > collecting cross references and index material in the aux files?
 > I'd like to be able to re-compile one chapter independently of all
 > others, but have its external references resolve.

I have wondered about this, and it strikes me as a fairly complex
task. It would have to mean doing all the cross-referencing by means
of an intermediate data file, instead of direct generation. Then
during each run you'd have to update portions of the external data
file. It could obviously be done, but its not going to be a barrel of
laughs. 

It would be nice to be proved wrong, though... 

Sebastian