Subject: Re: [xsl] XSLT workflow: ODF <-> XPP From: Martynas Jusevicius <martynas.jusevicius@xxxxxxxxx> Date: Thu, 28 May 2009 02:42:51 +0200 |
Hey Matthew, Unfortunately it is. XPP is their main publishing software, its use predating XML itself. They need advanced publishing features and high-quality PDF output, so changing that is almost certainly out of the question. Even though I would like to use something like Prince XML instead... P.S. Familiar sounding Lithuanian last name :) Martynas On Thu, May 28, 2009 at 2:27 AM, Matthew L. Avizinis <mla@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hello Martynas, > I may be going out on a limb to ask this, but is it necessary to have > XPP in the process at all? > For instance, since the source is ODF why not use the OpenOffice pdf > print functions or the PDFCreator printer driver to create pdf files? > Then you wouldn't need XSLT at all and save a few steps. It's difficult > to say without knowing more about the whole process. At any rate, I've > used ODF as source material and used the OpenOffice internal xslt > processor to transform documents into other xml formats than those > already available as OOo output formats. > Peace, > Matthew Avizinis > Gleim Publications, Inc. > > Martynas Jusevicius wrote: >> Hey list, >> >> this is more of a general question about XSLT workflow than a specific >> task or technique. >> >> I'm helping out with XML at one publishing house. They are using ODF >> (OpenDocument) as a manuscript source format (received from customers) >> and XPP (XML Professional Publisher) as their internal format, on >> which they later add some specific XPP markup to style books (and >> later produce PDFs). >> >> The problem is, that the two formats are not interchangeable, and this >> breaks the whole workflow. They have a filter to import ODF to XPP >> (the easy part). They also have another to convert back from XPP to >> ODF, but it discards XPP processing instructions that were added while >> styling. That means a roundtrip is not possible, because the existing >> inline XPP styling would be lost. >> >> However both file formats are necessary, because they are using ODF to >> transform to XHTML and ePub, and XPP to produce PDF. >> The files also need to be up-to-date and synchronized, which currently >> is not the case. If the customer wants to make changes to the >> manuscript, it cannot be reimported. On the other hand, corrections >> can also be made in XPP. >> >> The transformations are currently done using Perl, but I'm thinking >> about converting the whole workflow to XSLT. >> >> I see XPP as the source of the problem, because of its inline styling >> and use of processing instructions. I don't know the system so well, >> but maybe it would be possible to somehow separate content from >> presentation there, in a similar fashion as with XHTML and CSS. Then >> it might be possible to do ODF-XPP-ODF conversions on the content >> only, while the styling would remain in XPP. But that would also mean >> changing the way they style, and would need to base it more on IDs and >> classes, which I'm not sure if it is possible to retain (and prevent >> from removing) in OpenOffice. >> >> And taking it one step further, if that would be solved, the customer >> and the publisher would still need to work on the same ODF file >> sometimes. Maybe some version control could help? Or is it crazy to >> think about manuscripts as source code? >> >> Any experience/advice with something like that? Appreciated in advanced. >> >> Martynas >> xml.lt
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