Re: [docbook-apps] [SPAM] What is best practize to convert MS Word into PDF through DocBook XSL?

[Andreas Reuleaux <reuleaux@web.de>]

On Fri, Aug 25, 2006 at 05:11:35PM +0200, Darya Said-Akbari wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I experimented the last days with DocBook XML and XSL
> and I must say that with Bob Stayton's guide (I have
> ordered a copy for our company) it's really making
> fun.
> 
> However, I must admit that I created a clean DocBook
> XML from Norm Walsh's examples. And both DocBook XML
> and DocBook XSL work wonderful with each other.
> 
> But reality looks different. You don't have that
> superb DocBook XML document at first. What you have
> instead is e.g. a MS Word document which you first
> need to transform into a DocBook XML document.
> 
> And this is a challenging task. I tried OpenOffice
> 2.0.3 Writer (OOo) as my front end which allow MS Word
> documents to be exported into DocBook XML. The result
> however is very poor. Extracting graphics was a
> problem. But a far bigger problem with OOo (and I
> didn't solve that one yet) is that it uses only 10% of
> the DocBook XML elements. Everything goes into <para>
> and hence I can't use all the DocBook XSL goodies.
> 
> Does anyone else has made the same experience? How do
> you get around with it? Is there another way to fill
> the gap between MS Word and DocBook XML instead of
> using OOo. 
> 
> Of course only a non-commercial solution is acceptable
> :)

Abiword can read MS Word documents and has a docbook export filter -
you can read in the release notes of the newest version (v2.4.5), that
this filter has completetly been rewritten
(http://www.abiword.com/release-notes/2.4.5.phtml):

  The changes from v2.4.4 to v2.4.5 include, amongst others:

  * Almost completely rewrote the DocBook export filter, gaining
    substantial more functionality in the process

I have given it a try on debian sid (this filter is in the
abiword-plugins package):

  # apt-get install abiword abiword-plugins

When choosing "Save As" I get a chance to save my document as
DocBook. - I can't comment on the quality of the export output though
(especially in comparison to Oo.o), haven't used it for further
processing yet.

Hope this helps.

-Andreas

> 
> Regards,
> Darya
> 
> 
> 
> 	
> 
> 	
> 		
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