[xsl] Announcement - XslDocMaker for Microsoft Word, Using Microsoft Word as an XSL editor

["Kevin Brown" <kevin@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Xportability is pleased to announce a one month beta program open to all to
test an exciting new product. XslDocMaker is a plug-in for Microsoft Word
2007, 2010 or 2013 for creating XSL style sheets for merging XML
specifically for XSL FO processing. 

XslDocMaker's Microsoft Word Taskpane allows you to associate an XML and add
elements in context, using Word to style information -- both static
text/content in the document as well as the dynamic information sourced from
XML. Fidelity to Word styling is close to 100%, mapped into the XSL
generated from the product. 

XslDocMaker supports creating logic structures (If, Choose-When-Otherwise)
as well as repetitive structures (for-each) for containers and table row
patterns. It also supports such concepts as dynamic images and checkboxes.
The plug-in makes use of the Microsoft Word ContentControl object to
maintain all the information for fields, logic and repeats and can supported
nested grouping of the above concepts. Most all commonly used Word
formatting is mapped into the XSL including fonts, spacing of lines and
paragraphs, colors, page layout, headers/footers, page numbering and border
properties. There are currently only a few limitations (like paragraph
styles are supported but not Table quick-styles). Most all you do within
Microsoft Word is mapped to the generated XSL.

The software is wired to Xportability Cloudformatter which runs RenderX's
XEP in the Amazon cloud. No local installation of formatting software is
required for proofing results although XslDocMaker has an API interface to
RenderX XEPWin built-in. So if you have a local installation of RenderX and
wish to use it, you can switch the formatter to local. 

Once installed, you can register within the application toolbar when running
Microsoft Word for the evaluation. 

The beta software installer can be directly downloaded from:

http://www.xportability.com/xdm/releases/XslDocMakerSetup1.0.zip

Also, please review the page at http://www.xportability.com/Software.xhtml
for some information about the product. Over the next week, we are going to
provide beta testers sample files as well as some videos showing how to use
the product. We debated doing a complete sample set but we really want
people to fumble a bit, for those that know what they want in XSL design for
XSL FO, we think it pretty intuitive.

Beta testers can forward their reviews/issues to beta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx We
will choose the top five testers reporting issues to receive a free full
version at completion of the beta program in January. If you download and
wish to be notified of updates during the beta program, drop us a note at
beta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and we'll be sure to keep you updated to the samples,
videos and updates will post over the next few weeks.

Happy Holidays,

Kevin Brown
Xportabiity