Re: [docbook-apps] CSS based docbook editor

[Nathalie Sequeira <n@n-faktor.net>]

Hello Dave!
thank you very much for your answer.

I just realized before that I had sent my question to you only, which is 
why I've posted it again to the list.
I hope that posting this back to the list directly will sort that out.

>> I am currently looking for a docBook editor that is directed towards
>> end users, with the following requirements:
>> - preferably an easy to use word processor interface
>>     
> Word processors provide styling. That is not in the XML domain.
>   
What I meant was a word processor - like interface, i.e. allowing the 
end user to work in a somewhat familiar environment (yes, "without tags" 
as you have surmised below, but with the possibility of marking up parts 
of text as chapters / titles / paragraphs / lists in a way similar to 
how they would go about using a word processor).

>> - can validate document structure against docBook in general and
>> check for required elements within the specific library project
>>     
> What does that mean?
> oXygen can validate against the docboook schema, and any
> extensions you apply to docbook
>   
To be more precise, what I mean is that it would be great if the editor 
were able to check that information needed for the database used  for 
library queries is included:
When we upload the docBooks to the server, metadata we have in 
<bookinfo> is inserted in the database, allowing for subject, author, 
text type, etc. searches and filtering. Beyond validation against 
docBook schema, it would be useful if the editor could check whether - 
for example - <bibliosource> has a relation in place defining the text type.
Would that already  be an extension of docbook?
>> - And especially:
>> ability to import and transform rtf documents preformatted in a 
>> specified way by contributing authors 
>>     
>
> don't look for that in an editor. It is not an editors task?
> That is a transform task. 
>   
Oh dear.
We are currently using an ancient instance of  logictran r2net to 
convert to docbook, but we need to validate the result every time (and 
often repeatedly, going back to the rtf if errors arise, editing, 
reconverting, and revalidating...), so I was hoping to find a one-stop 
solution to simplify our publication procedure.
But that seems to be out of the question.

Is there any "state-of-the-art" path to follow, or anything we should 
watch out for, in cases where the original texts were written in word 
processors and thus are formatted as doc / rtf etc.?
(I have found the list of "N-converters" in the docbook wiki - here 
again, a daunting challenge to try all of them without quite knowing 
what I need to look for, thus I'd be thankful for any tips).

>
> You want too much :-)
>   
Goodness, it seems so.
And I have much to learn.... thanks for bearing with me :)
> oXygen is your best bet. It provides a view 'without tags'
> which may meet your needs.
>
> HTH
>   
I will give that a try, keeping the unavoidable transformations as a 
separate step.
Nathalie