Re: [docbook] ulink and alternate transformations

[Bob Stayton <bobs@sco.com>]

On Mon, Oct 27, 2003 at 10:26:39PM -0600, Jeffery Biss wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> I just realized that if I use the ulink element and wish to produce say, 
> for simplicity's sake, two output formats: PDF (with links) and html I 
> had no idea how to deal with that in the XML source. As I see it now 
> there are two possible options:
> 
> 1) Two source files, one for each output format:
> 
>     ulink for html output: <ulink url="someFile.html">some file</ulink>
> 
>     unlink for PDF output: <ulink url="someFile.pdf">some file</ulink>
> 
> 2) One source where the file name is supplied without an extension: 
> <ulink url="someFile.">some file</ulink>
> where the stylesheet must add the appropriate extension.
> 
> Which way is correct? I would think that there must be a method that 
> allows a single source to produce a large variety of transformed output 
> without requiring rework of the source. Any help would be greatly 
> appreciated.

You could use an inlinemediaobject with two textobject
elements.  With the right role attributes, the stylesheet
will select one automatically:

<inlinemediaobject>
  <textobject role="html">
    <phrase><ulink url="someFile.html">some file</ulink></phrase>
  </textobject>
  <textobject role="fo">
    <phrase><ulink url="someFile.pdf">some file</ulink></phrase>
  </textobject>
</inlinemediaobject>

The nice thing about this approach is that the
two urls can be completely different if necessary.

-- 

Bob Stayton                                 400 Encinal Street
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