XML Tools

As mentioned in the XML introduction, we will be using only a limited set of XML technologies this semester to explore the prospects of single-source publishing. Specifically, we will be using the DocBook authoring standard to convert our Graduate Student Handbook to XML format, then use a set of DocBook XSLT and XSL-FO files to transform this file into various formats.

To do so, we will be using two tools -- the <oXygen/> editor and the standard version of XMLmind. Both are Java-based XML editors that run on most operating systems, as long as Java is installed. I've listed a few other free or low-cost editors in the text box to the left, but in my opinion, they are not as easy to use as <oXygen/>, which has a tag-based interface, and XMLMind, which provides a WYSIWYG view of your document structure.

XMLmind editor, in structured tree mode

<oXygen/> supports DocBook right out of the box, while XMLMind supports DITA and DocBook as long as you install the following options by going to "Options => Install Add-ons."

Installing XMLmind add-ons for DITA and DocBook

After making these four selections, you will be prompted to download additional files needed by these particular add-ons; just click OK to download these as well.

If you are unable to install <oXygen/> and XMLmind on your home machine, don't worry; it will be installed in our Ross 115 lab during spring break in plenty of time for our technology project the last three weeks of class.

If you want to work ahead and learn how to tag DocBook files on your own, you are more than welcome to. If you don't, that's okay as well. Remember, no one is being graded on this XML project, so work at your own pace without worrying about grades.

For those who do want to work ahead, I would recommend reading the <oXygen/> or XMLmind user guides as well as the online DocBook 5 Manual. Please note, however, that XMLmind does not show XML files in a text mode showing tags and everything; instead, it gives the author either styled renditions or structured tree diagrams show the name of each tag. To view your tags, you will need to use <oXygen/> or some other text editor.

If you have questions while playing around with this stuff, just let me know, and I'll do my best to answer them. I'm kind of new to this stuff myself, but I can generally find answers to any of your questions if you give me a day or so.