Re: (commercial) applications using DSSSL

Subject: Re: (commercial) applications using DSSSL
From: Ron Ross <ronross@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 22:09:00 -0400 (EDT)
>> >    2. Read the supplied stylesheet for any defined variables, then list
>> >       them in a drop-down list (or something:-) whith an adjacent
>> >       field where the user could enter values or simply click an
>> >       on-off switch (#t, #f). Of immeasurable use here would be
>> >       some way of generating appropriate documentation for each of
>> >       the variables, (is there anything remotely analogous to the
>> >       "self-documenting" features of Elisp? Otherwise, the program
>> >       could tie-in with a method of documentation such as Norman
>> >       used in the DocBook stylesheet), as well as document the
>> >       other options.
> 
> This is really simple: The dsssl spec is read as an instance of the
> DSSSL architecture, so you are free to enhance the dtd for your 
> stylesheets with new tags for detailed descriptions of variables,
> possible values, default values, etc. The dsssl engine never sees
> these tags, but your clever spec editor may use them. 
> 
> I once made a try at this, and if you are interested in it, I may even
> be able to dig out my extended psgml which read such an extended
> stylesheet and produced a menu for setting variable values. Of course,
> this will be useless for you if you don't accept emacs as a "GUI".

This sounds quite nifty. If it's not too much trouble, I wouldn't mind
toying with this extension (is it an add-on that runs on a hook to psgml
or a patch to the main library?). What I suggested was really more a
hypothetical desire than practical need at the moment, ... but the
latter may to change rather quickly. And the concept of modifying the
dtd for the stylesheet will be yet another brave new frontier for me.

In the hypothetical situation in which the staff of a large office or
department had to access the sgml production process, Emacs may have
difficulty being accepted as a "GUI". Personally, I work with NT Emacs
with Psgml every day and think its interface rather smart and
productive:-).


Ron




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